Experts urge ethical practice, innovation at Western Post’s 2025 annual retreat

Journalists have been urged to uphold ethical standards and embrace digital innovation to remain relevant in Nigeria’s evolving media landscape. This was the central message at the 2025 Annual Retreat of Western Post Newspaper, held on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

In his opening remarks, founder of Western Post, Tunde Rahman, commended the staff for their dedication and contributions to the growth of the organisation. He encouraged them to continue building their capacity and adapting to modern trends shaping the media profession.

A keynote lecture delivered by Gbemiga Ogunleye, former Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) and former Editor of Punch Newspaper, focused on the topic “Salient Legal Issues for Journalists.” Ogunleye urged reporters to strictly adhere to the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Code of Ethics in their work.

While acknowledging the press’s responsibility to hold public officeholders accountable, Ogunleye warned against the publication of defamatory reports. He emphasised that the improper use of innuendos or unverified claims could result in libel lawsuits. “Even though journalists are expected to hold public officials accountable, they must be cautious to avoid defamatory reports,” he said.

Ogunleye also raised concern over the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in journalism. He advised reporters to always fact-check and cross-check information before publishing. “Truth is the best defence to libel,” he said. “Always cross-check documents and credit original sources to avoid plagiarism—a serious offence in journalism.”

Wema Bank, sponsors of the retreat, was represented by Monsoru Adekunle, Retail Team Head (Lafenwa), who shared the bank’s transformation story. He stated that Wema Bank, originally Agbonmagbe Bank, was established in 1945 and had obtained a national banking licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Adekunle highlighted the bank’s digital leap with the launch of ALAT in 2017, positioning Wema as Nigeria’s first fully digital bank. “Since ALAT came to the limelight, we have introduced a series of products and services to suit our customers,” he said, citing ALATPay as one of the innovations enabling merchants to showcase their goods online and receive payment digitally.

Retail Cluster Head for Abeokuta, Abiodun Folorunso, also commended Western Post for creating a platform that supports staff training and development. He disclosed that Wema Bank had recently completed a successful capital raise, describing the oversubscription as evidence of strong investor confidence in the bank’s future.

Folorunso added that the bank now provides flexible loan options via the ALAT app, including phone financing packages. “Our customers can now buy an iPhone and pay in installments through ALAT,” he said, stressing that Wema Bank has moved from survival to dominance in the Nigerian banking sector.

Another highlight of the retreat was a session by Ms. Bunmi Adeleye, Chief Strategist at ShopRite Nigeria, who spoke on “How to Drive Growth Within the Expanding Media Landscape.” She encouraged journalists to adopt creative strategies that would boost audience engagement and revenue generation, while also advocating for fair compensation across the profession.

Managing Director of the public relations firm Chain Reactions Africa, Israel Opayemi, who also spoke at the event, charged attendees to be bold and ambitious in chasing their career aspirations.

He noted that making meaningful contributions to their organisation would not only drive its growth but also open doors to greater personal and professional opportunities.

Rounding off the sessions, business analyst and columnist, Kola Amzat, urged media organisations to fully embrace digital transformation. “Digital platforms are now the new frontier,” he said. “Media houses must leverage data, diversify content, and build experiences users are willing to pay for. Failure to innovate is a risk to relevance.”

Other key figures at the retreat included Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Budget and Planning; Mr. Tope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Bola Tinubu; and Mr. Niran Malaolu, a veteran journalist and former Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, among others.

Story contributors: Adekunle Okunade, Ayo Ademola and Adeola Ogunrinde