OPINION: Not Appointing Women Journalists As Chief Press Secretaries Is Gender Bias

OPINION: Not Appointing Women Journalists As Chief Press Secretaries Is Gender Bias - Martha Okere

...celebrates Awajis Josiah-Chijindu, others for their contributions in journalism

Martha Okere

It is commendable that media practitioners are increasingly being appointed as Chief Press Secretaries and Special Advisers on Media to the new CTC chairmen in #RiversState. This development will improve the quality and professionalism of press communications, ensuring clarity and effectiveness. My congratulations go out to my colleagues, among them Ofonime Okon and others who choose to remain anonymous. I hold you all in high regard and have full confidence in your ability to excel in these roles.

However, it is concerning to observe the marginalization of women journalists from such appointments. Women have consistently proven to be exceptional media managers, as shown by the tenure of a former female Commissioner for Information in our state. Ibim Semenitari’s communication strategies played a crucial role in ensuring that the achievements of the administration she worked for are well remembered.

Let us celebrate the contributions of individuals such as Ayo Hidayat Odungweru who is a seasoned journalist known across Rivers State for her capabilities in managing media priorities at both local and state government levels.

Racheal Ramson is the queen of multimedia journalism. She is dedicated and excellent in whatever she does.

Ann Chukwuka Godwin has won many awards following her outstanding journalistic contributions both locally and nationally.

Awajis Josiah-Chijindu reporting on the Andoni Unity Road until its completion stands as a testament to her journalistic commitment and resilience.

I am urging the inclusion of these outstanding women and others in key government media roles. Their experience, dedication, and proven track records make them invaluable assets. Let us embrace their talents and harness their expertise!

Written by:

Martha Okere, renowned Journalist

Link to story on her Facebook wall

Comments

ENDOGLOSSOPHOBIA

By Josiah Chijindu Egbilika The word phobia is a Greek word that means “to be afraid of” or “fear of”. In one word, it refers to fear. It could be the fear of a thing, people ,object or language. Lots of persons globally have one fear or the other. They find it difficult to relate to a particular thing. In some cases, it could cause harm if exposed to that situation. Same way, there are those who have fear for language, “Linguaphobia”. There are also those who have fear for speaking foreign languages “Xenoglossophobia”. There are people who are afraid of speaking in the public too “Glossophobia”. There are also those who are afraid of speaking their own Indigenous or Native languages. This situation is referred to as “Endoglossophobia”. The word Endoglossophobia was first dropped on Radio during the #LanguageHealth Show with Sam Oracle Chinedu and Josiah Chijindu Egbilika Endoglossophobia is a common situation but has been subsumed into linguaphobia. This is not ...

A Global Call To Protect The Child's Right To Indigenous Language

by: Josiah Egbilika It is a well and known fact in Nigeria that May 27 of every year is used to celebrate the importance and existence of children. The day was set aside as a universal children's day every November 20 in 1954 but was first established for May 27 in Nigeria after the degree of 1964. The essence of the day is to create and enhance awareness of the rights of children in the society so everyone will adore and respect these rights and ensure children have a better growing life. Unfortunately, recent accounts have revealed a massive downplay to the protection of the rights of children in the country. A United Nations report shows that six out of every ten children experience some form of violence, one in four girls and ten per cent of boys have been victims of sexual violence with 23 million girls forced to child marriage. Beyond these abuses, one of such rights of the child that have received low attention over the years is the right to indigenous language. The right to...

20 More Nigerian Words Included In Oxford Dictionary

by: Josiah Egbilika Just like in 2020 when 29 Nigerian words, such as danfo, okada, next tomorrow, and mama put were included in the Oxford Dictionary, another milestone has been achieved in 2025 as The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added a more collection of Nigerian words to its latest update. In this latest update, 20 new words were included into the dictionary with majority of them from being lexicons from Nigerian Pidgin. The words added to the dictionary include: 1. 419 2. abi 3. adire 4. agbero 5. area boy 6. cross-carpet 7. cross-carpeting 8. eba 9. Edo 10. gele 11. jand (noun, verb) 12. janded (adjective) 13. Japa (noun, verb) 14. Kanuri 15. Kobo 16. Naija 17. suya 18. Yahoo 19. Yahoo boy, and 20. Yarn Dust These additions showcase Nigeria’s cultural diversity, daily life, and street culture while highlighting the rising influence of Nigerian Pidgin across Africa and beyond. The 20 included words are in addition to at least 57 Nigerian words already in the dic...

Language Health

Search This Blog