The University of Ilorin (Unilorin) will partner with the Center for Innovation and Development of Journalism (CJID) to teach two master’s programs in Peace and Security Studies.
The partnership, once finalized, would see the university’s Center for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS) work closely with CJID to offer programs in peace and digital studies, early warning and verification, and national security.
Details of the partnership formed the thread of a recent meeting between the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CJID, Dapo Olorunyomi, and the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Wahab Egbewole, a professor.
Other senior officials of the university were also part of the meeting which was held at the vice-chancellor’s office at the institution’s campus in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
Introduction
CPSS Director Ibrahim Jawando, a professor, said the center noticed a gap and saw the need to bring in people with practical experience in the peace and security sector.
“Through the CJID, the center is building relationships with relevant and vital security agencies and the necessary stakeholders to work with them and we believe UNILORIN can accommodate it all,” he said.
Mr. Olorunyomi in a meeting with UNILORIN VC and other senior officials of the university.
He explained that the planned collaborative program will be executed through “digital and physical means when it has finally been codified and approved for initiation by the university.”
Gbemisola Animasawun, also a professor and CPSS staff member, said the essence of the development is to enable frontline responders to conflicts to address global threats by leveraging digital competency to change the narrative of skills shortages.
“If conflict entrepreneurs and terrorists are radicalized online, we see the need to use the same technological tools to pursue courses or initiatives that improve the security ecosystem, it is a common concern of the school and the CJID,” he said.
“We are trying to train graduates who can think critically, creatively and also act in the same way, so we are targeting the main players in the areas of media and security. “This effort will mark a paradigm shift in competition and ability to protect locals in our society.”
olorunyomi speaks
Speaking on the collaborative effort, Mr. Olorunyomi, who is also the editor of Nigeria’s leading investigative newspaper, Newslodge, said the development is important “because information management in the conflict sector is fundamental to the management of conflicts”.
He said he believed the development is a step towards creating a pathway for digital tools, conflict resolution and effective communication to flourish vigorously.
He also highlighted the importance of capacity development for professionals in that sector.
He said: “In the conflict sector, a central fulcrum is how communication is managed or mismanaged and this has become a powerful weapon in understanding the concept of conflict and how to use it as a tool to promote world peace.
“To advance as a nation in the area of peace and democracy, it is essential to develop the necessary skills among professionals and policy reform and communication can be refined to enable this.”
“Globally, most tools come from journalists and you will think about fact-checking, but how do we determine what is new? At CJID we have been working at the intersection of conflict, verification and others for some time. So when the CPSS approached us for this, we believed that this is what the CJID has been doing for years with a proven track record of experience.”
VC praises CJID
Furthermore, the VC, Mr. Egbewole, expressed optimism about the partnership just as he expressed confidence in the capacity of the CJID to deliver on the partnership.
“I’ve been following your center [the CJID] for a while and I’m familiar with the good work you’re doing. On this basis, I am confident that our relationship with the CJID will add greater value to the university,” he stated.
He added that Nigeria’s security architecture cannot function efficiently until knowledge, technology and other processes through in-depth research are implemented to address security challenges.
“Security agencies may have invested a lot in training, but the question is how much of this has value and impact on our society, so I am very excited that the CJID is looking at this,” he said.
He added that collaborative work would broaden its reach beyond the citadel of learning, noting that the issue of security challenges like Boko Haram affects West African countries.
The VC said the university would ensure that all institutional frameworks and documentation were expedited to speed up the implementation of the partnership.
Some senior officials of the university who attended the meeting included Deputy Vice-Chancellor Suleiman Ambali, Professor; the university treasurer, Oba Abdulbaki; the university librarian, Tunde Omopupa, and AbdulKareem Oloyede, among others.