A broadcast journalist and former Newscaster with the first television station in Africa, NTA Ibadan, Mr Ademola Alalade has identified the importance of the role Journalist play in building a strong democratic process for the country.

The former News presenter who was a guest speaker at a workshop organized by a group of media experts in London with its theme “The Role of Journalism in Democratic Societies” noted that Journalist must always report news objectively stressing that the health of any democratic society depends largely on the quality of information available to its citizens.

Alalade who is currently the publisher of TheEyes24 further explained that democracy is governed by its citizens, and when citizens are better informed , they are able to make better decisions on how to structure their laws, government and other economic and cultural institutions within their respective communities.

He called on Journalist in the country to shun any vices that will allow them to compromise objectivity which is the most important ethic of the journalism profession.

He called on the Nigerian Union of Journalist to always endorse objectivity as a norm within the journalism profession and any one not adhering to this norm should be sanctioned with stiff penalties to serve as a deterrent to those who violate the norm.

He noted that the role of journalist in building a viable democratic process in Nigeria cannot be over emphasized and thus called on all journalists in the country not to allow politicians influence their sense of reasoning and judgement when reporting political events in the country.

He also used the occasion to call on government at all levels in Nigeria to allow for the freedom of the press as this is an essential part of building a viable democratic process. He finally noted saying that “a free press, fights for the truth”