Student reporters at the University of Ibadan have called on the federal government, the institution’s management, staff, and student leaders to respect the essence of true and independent journalism.
The Union of Campus Journalists, the official umbrella body for student journalists at the institution, held a rally on Friday to commemorate World Press Freedom Day.
The 2025 global commemoration, organised by UNESCO, is themed “Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media.”
During the rally, the student journalists carried placards with inscriptions like “A free press is the bedrock of a democratic society; silencing the press is silencing the people,” among others.
The union’s president, Olanshile Ogunrinu, denounced the repression of the press at the University of Ibadan and other tertiary institutions.
“The press freedom rally today is a symbolic action against the wave of suppression of campus journalists at the University of Ibadan. It is to remind the university community that journalism, even on campus, deserves protection and not persecution,” Mr Ogunrinu said.
The UCJ president also warned practicing student journalists against the unethical use of artificial intelligence.
“I believe this year’s theme couldn’t be more timely. AI seems to be reshaping newsrooms in different ways. But while these tools bring innovation and efficiency, they also pose concerns about press freedom, accountability, and editorial integrity,” Mr Ogunrinu said.
The campus journalists had, in a statement on March 10, 2025, condemned the assault on two of its members, including the president of the union, by some officers of the institution’s security unit.
They decried the harassment and assault of Mr Ogunrinu and Oluwasegun Akanni. They alleged that the duo were roughly handled during the March 7 Student Union inauguration ceremony at Trenchard Hall, UI.
The journalists alleged that the security unit, codenamed Abefele, forcefully seized their phones before whisking Mr Akanni away while on an assignment.
The Coalition of Campus Journalists in Nigeria also faulted the violent assault on the student journalists during the inauguration.
