Anchor Varsity don calls for new ‘Children’s Journalism’ course to protect minors

Professor Olusola Oyero, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Anchor University, Lagos, has called for the establishment of a specialized 'children's journalism' course to safeguard minors from the detrimental impacts of modern media. Delivering the university's first professorial inaugural lecture, Oyero argued that current communication environments often treat children as commodities rather than individuals needing protection and development.

Under the theme “God’s Arrow and the Gongman: Reclaiming the Child in the Age of Media Spectacle,” Oyero contrasted the traditional African 'gongman' communication system, which operated with community accountability and moral boundaries, with the modern digital landscape. He stated that contemporary 'gongmen' in digital feeds and television stations often fail to protect children, who are increasingly consumed by media systems. "The greatest challenge facing childhood today is not merely what children consume through the media. It is the fact that children themselves are increasingly consumed by media systems," Oyero asserted.

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An arrow is not an accident,” adding that “No responsible archer releases an arrow prematurely. It must first be shaped, sharpened, guided, and directed. In the same way, childhood is a period of formation… The moral health of any society can be measured by the manner in which it nurtures, protects, and prepares its children.

Oyero identified significant structural flaws in how media covers children. He pointed out that reporting often focuses only on negative incidents, neglecting children's developmental needs. Furthermore, he criticized media outlets for excluding young people's voices by allowing adults to speak on their behalf. The DVC also warned about the permanent digital trauma inflicted on vulnerable minors through sensational reporting and the online exposure of their private identities.

Beyond sensationalism, Oyero highlighted the commercial exploitation of children through aggressive advertising and the decline of culturally relevant, educational Nigerian television programming in favor of foreign entertainment. He proposed that a new curriculum in Children Journalism and Media Studies would equip media practitioners with specialized skills in child-rights reporting, media ethics, and educational broadcasting. He urged regulatory bodies and communities to enforce quality local programming and actively protect children.

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The greatest challenge facing childhood today is not merely what children consume through the media. It is the fact that children themselves are increasingly consumed by media systems.