TheCable

The International Press Centre (IPC) has organised a training for female political candidates in the south-west on strategic communication and media use during electoral processes and elections.

The two-day training was held on December 12 and 13 in Osogbo, Osun state capital.

Lanre Arogundade, executive director of IPC, said the training is to further support the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria with the media playing pivotal roles in engaging the process through professional coverage and reportage of the electoral process.

He said the training strives to improve the low level of women’s political participation in the country.

“It is significant to note that these key steps in advancing the role of the media in the qualitative and quantitative projection of women in politics began in an earlier phase of the EU-SDGN project, in which ten women who participated in the IPC capacity-building workshops for female politicians were elected as female parliamentarians in some states,” Arogundade said.

“It is in the above context that the programme for this workshop has been designed to support women candidates to acquire advanced knowledge and skills for strategic communication and media use including understanding and engaging with the conventional and online/social media during electoral and political processes, especially the ongoing campaigns.

“The workshop will also be looking at key methodologies and strategies that women candidates can deploy for regular engagement with the media and with the voters through the media.”

On her part, Jadesola Ajibola, NAWOJ chairperson in Oyo state who was one of the facilitators, said female candidates should learn how to cultivate the media by being friends with journalists.

She noted that though the media can be a big challenge, female candidates can overcome this by meeting the right persons in the industry.

“Go beyond the official by bringing yourself closer and nearer to journalists is very important,” Ajibola said.

“You have to become useful to the media organisations by providing them with news content.

“You have to meet the right person in order for you to become something. Identify women in the media that can assist you to achieve your goals.

“Some men in media can be very passionate about women in politics, take advantage of it. Also, be ready to speak when you are invited for interviews and discussions.”

She also advised the female candidates to know their target audience, adding that it would help them determine the media organisations to bank on.

“You need to do research and find out the media organisations that get to your people,” she said.

“Look for community radio that can cater to your political needs.”

Also speaking, Monday Ashibogwu, managing editor of Quick News, advised female political candidates to leverage social media and online channels for visibility.

“Female political candidates need the social media for campaigns,” he said.

“Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp have provided new ways to stimulate citizens’ engagement in political life.”

He described social media as a tool that is effective in reaching a global audience and wields a powerful influence.