Africans should tell their stories-Stacker, Head, DW’s Africa Program

Winners have emerged at the Digital Heroes Generation Nigeria competition in Lagos. The competition facilitated by German television station, Deutsche Welle (DW) attracted hundreds of entries from Nigerian journalists, content providers and bloggers who competed in three categories including text, video and picture categories which all focused on environmental preservation.

Speaking at the ceremony, Head, DW’s Africa Program, Claus Stacker congratulated participants at the event who had painstakingly gone through the entry procedures. According to him over a 100 entries were received out of which finalists emerged.

Stacker particularly observed that people have complained that “Western media always focus on the negative news from Africa,” and therefore wants Africans to tell their own stories to the world, which DW has made happened through the competition.

A panelist and blogger at the event, Ariyike Akinbobola also observed that there was never enough time to do anything if people are passionate enough about something, they would create time. The mother of three boys who creates time to blog despite her busy schedule added that, “People in Germany can’t tell our story. We are the ones to tell the stories.” She however applauded DW for putting the spotlight on Africa.

Another panelist and popular blogger, Japheth Omojuwa at the event said the social media has provided the platform to tell the African stories without constraints which had existed. “The social media gives us the metrics of what the people want. It has also given us the opportunity to engage with the audience and given us the opportunity to modify the contents to what is more compelling away from the traditional media.”

Meanwhile, some participants at the event expressed worry over contents being pushed out by bloggers who many often accuse of irresponsibility.

At the event, Kingsley Uranta of Channels television raised his observation about activities of bloggers who wield great influences but mostly do not have adequate media training and experience.

“Once you broadcast to people, you influence them. My worry about the new media is lack of responsibility. People tell lies and I am wondering how we can think back on the responsibility aspect of blogging,” he said, adding that, “At the end of the day if people know that you tell the truth you will draw the crowd but there should be freedom with responsibility.”

Winner of the text category, Gerard Idakwoji told nationalwire.com.ng that the competition was timely because Africans must start to appreciate their environment like never before. The Abuja-based poet and graduate of Geography Education won with the article entry tilted: “What we do unto you, environment, we do unto ourselves.”

The graduate of Geography Education admitted that Africans are contributors to the environmental challenges they experience. “We contribute to what we complain about. You load your recharge card and throw the paper indiscriminately. We throw plastics around, not knowing what we are doing to the environment. It is about time and of essence we started conserving the environment,” he said.

Winner of the video category who also was the overall winner of the three categories; Muyiwa Solomon Sodeinde appreciated DW for the opportunity to compete at the keenly contested competition.

Sodeinde who had his service year in the oil-rich Delta State got inspired by the environmental degradation he witnessed firsthand.

“I arrived in Warri, Delta State for my youth service and the first time I got there, I went to fetch water to bathe. Before using the water I was warned not to use the water immediately but to wait for it to settle so I could separate the oil from the water,” he reminisced.

Sodeinde whose prize include a two-week internship at the DW station in Bonn Germany however advised Africans on social responsibility.  “The attitude is to be socially responsible. We complain but we don’t want to be responsible,” stating further that, “If we care for our environment, what we get back is care.”