News
New Social Cohesion Report for Nigeria to Be Released July 3 by API
By Joel Ajayi
The Africa Polling Institute (API) has announced the official launch of the 2025 Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey Report, scheduled for July 3, 2025. The report aims to bridge the persistent gap between data availability and its practical application in promoting national unity, peace, and long-term stability.
The Executive Director of API, Prof. Bell Ihua, made the announcement during a one-day capacity-building workshop for journalists held in Abuja, themed: “Promoting Effective Media Reportage Through the Use of Social Cohesion Data.”
The training aimed to equip journalists with the skills to interpret and apply social cohesion data in storytelling, advocacy, and peacebuilding efforts.
Prof. Ihua underscored the importance of the media in shaping public narratives that foster unity. He noted that Nigeria continues to grapple with several social cohesion challenges, including widespread distrust in government, political polarization, and limited access to justice.
“Our findings consistently show that many Nigerians believe justice is not equally accessible. The perception that only the rich and powerful can seek redress feeds into wider disillusionment with the state,” Ihua stated.
He stressed the need for a collective shift in national orientation, urging citizens to embrace a Nigerian identity above ethnic, regional, or religious affiliations.
“We must begin to see ourselves as Nigerians first. This mindset shift is critical to building bridges and strengthening cohesion,” he said.
According to Ihua, the upcoming 2025 survey will be API’s fourth national report on social cohesion. Previous editions have helped define key indicators such as unity, tolerance, trust, civic responsibility, and inclusion across Nigeria’s diverse population.
“Data is more than numbers. It reflects real-life experiences and public attitudes. Our goal is to use these insights to inform policies, support peacebuilding, and drive inclusive development,” he added.
Also speaking at the workshop, Dr. Olusoji Adeniyi, a social policy expert and lead facilitator, described social cohesion as “the strength of relationships and the sense of solidarity within a society.”
He emphasized the critical role of journalists in using data to shape national dialogue and advance democratic governance.
“Nigeria has no shortage of data. The challenge is translating that data into actionable solutions. Journalists must be equipped to connect the dots and tell stories that inspire reform,” he said.
Adeniyi highlighted that API’s surveys continue to reveal deepening divides along religious, ethnic, and political lines, with many policymakers and civic actors yet to harness these findings for effective intervention.
Odoh Okenyodo, founder of Akweya TV and media trainer, charged journalists to approach social cohesion reporting with professionalism, integrity, and a deep sense of civic duty. He noted the risks involved in reporting sensitive identity-related issues, especially in conflict-prone regions.
“The threats are real—from limited access to reliable data, to harassment and lack of institutional support—but journalists must not shy away from the responsibility of reporting the truth,” he said.
He advocated for context-driven, solution-focused journalism that avoids sensationalism and promotes narratives of unity, healing, and inclusion.
Development expert Titilope Ojo also addressed the challenges faced by media professionals working under owners who often prioritize political and economic interests over national development narratives.
“Despite these pressures, journalists must remain committed to advancing the national interest. Nationalism should be at the heart of the stories we tell,” she said.
Journalism scholar Dr. Obiora Chukwumba lamented the declining quality of journalism in Nigeria, citing poor funding and limited reach as key constraints. He called for sustainable business models, investments in investigative journalism, and capacity-building initiatives to elevate standards across the sector.
Meanwhile, Dr. Hamisu Muhammad, Head of Mass Communication at Baze University, delivered a keynote lecture on the complex interplay between identity, nationalism, and media narratives. He attributed Nigeria’s sociopolitical fragmentation to the rise of micro-nationalism—a trend where ethnic and regional loyalties are placed above national identity.
> “Media can either unite or divide us. It all depends on the values we choose to uphold in our editorial decisions,” he said.
Dr. Muhammad concluded by calling for a more inclusive, balanced media approach that respects Nigeria’s diversity but works actively to bridge existing divides.
As API prepares to unveil its 2025 Social Cohesion Survey Report, stakeholders expressed hope that the data will not only inform government policy but also empower journalists and civic actors to tell stories that build trust, promote justice, and inspire national progress.
The workshop ended with a collective call for greater collaboration among media practitioners, researchers, and civil society to transform social cohesion data into a practical tool for peace, equity, and inclusive nation-building.
News
Tin City Warms Up for President Tinubu as North Central Embraces Renewed Hope
By Sunday Dare
When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu berths on the plains and rolling hills that dominate the Jos landscape tomorrow, he will meet a people resourceful, friendly and resilient but weighed down by conflict, yet unbowed by adversity.
So, tommorrow, national attention turns to the Plateau- a locale laden with history and rich with potential. From the tin mines that gave the city of Jos its name, to the Irish potato, strawberry farms and beetroot plantations that dot its landscape, Jos remains a land of promise—truly the Home of Peace and Tourism.
Jos is also deeply woven into Nigeria’s political history. Plateau is home to towering figures such as Generals JD Gomwalk, Yakubu Gowon, John Shagaya, Joshua Dogoyaro, and Jerry Useni. Solomon Lar, Senator Ibrahim Mantu and numerous others also stand tall in the annals Plateau political history.
Jos was also the rallying ground of the famed Langtang Mafia—a group of influential military officers from Langtang in Plateau State who, at the height of their power, played a significant role in Nigeria’s political and military affairs.
The story of Jos is both exciting and excruciating. The city lost its innocence some two and a half decades ago, when the popular Terminus Market was reduced to rubble through acts of arson and looting.
Thus at the turn of the millennium by 2001, Jos—and by extension, Plateau—was thrown into a cycle of unending conflict. Ethnic tensions, clothed in religious garb, tore through the city and spread across the state, dragging Jos into an abyss of violence, almost of Kigali proportions. Peace gave way to war, and tourism jaunts became undertakings to the undertaker.
Yet Jos has never surrendered. Every time it is written off, it rises again—scarred, but resilient. With its multi-ethnic, multi-religious fabric, the Plateau continues to trudge on in pursuit of peace, development, and egalitarian ideals.
It was here, in Jos, that Nigeria’s democratic resurgence was birthed. The historic SDP convention, where late General Shehu Yar’Adua and Chief Moshood Abiola held sway, took place in this city. Jos gave political life to Abiola, our hero of democracy in 1992
Now, thirty three years later, another hero of democracy and of the June 12 struggle returns to the Plateau. President Tinubu’s return and visit to Plateau State is not just to honor the transition to glory of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, the mother of the APC National Chairman.
It is a visit that carries deeper meaning—one of empathy, solidarity, and renewed hope for a people who have endured decades of turmoil. It is a mission to preach peace, console the bereaved, bind wounds, and assure Plateau of its central place in the Nigerian project.
Mr President comes not just to mourn, but to reconnect. He comes to parley with the North Central, to commiserate with a people who have suffered, and to extend the hand of renewed hope. That Renewed Hope is laying a solid foundation as evidenced by Naira at N1,455 per dollar, rising Foreign Reserves at $43bn, Trade surplus heading for N25tr. Revenues up 411% and Inflation down to about 20 per cent. Over 600,000 students benefiting from NELFUND.
This visit is more than ceremonial. It is a journey into the very soul of a people who have known pain, yet remain resilient; a land scarred by conflict, yet still brimming with hope and promise. As the Tin City opens its arms, Jos will not just receive the President—it will receive a message of solidarity, healing, and renewal.
Tomorrow is about remembering the glorious past, confronting the present, and charting a path to a peaceful and prosperous Plateau within a united Nigeria. With President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Jos once again stands at the intersection of history and destiny.
-
Featured6 years agoLampard Names New Chelsea Manager
-
Featured5 years agoFG To Extends Lockdown In FCT, Lagos Ogun states For 7days
-
Featured6 years agoChildren Custody: Court Adjourns Mike Ezuruonye, Wife’s Case To April 7
-
Featured6 years agoNYSC Dismisses Report Of DG’s Plan To Islamize Benue Orientation Camp
-
Featured4 years agoTransfer Saga: How Mikel Obi Refused to compensate me After I Linked Him Worth $4m Deal In Kuwait SC – Okafor
-
Sports3 years ago
TINUBU LAMBAST DELE MOMODU
-
News9 months agoZulu to Super Eagles B team, President Tinubu is happy with you
-
Featured6 years ago
Board urges FG to establish one-stop rehabilitation centres in 6 geopolitical zones
