by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The Country Director of Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, Rev. Joseph Hayab, has described Peace Journalism as the heartbeat of transformation, capable of fostering reconciliation, dialogue, and social healing.
He also stated that the media holds moral responsibility to promote narratives that unite rather than divide.
Rev. Hayab stated this in a Keynote Address at a one-day workshop on ‘Peace Reporting for National Development’ organized by Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, in partnership with the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria and the Kaduna State Ministry of Information.
He emphasized that, “Peace reportage is not about suppressing the truth; it is about presenting it with empathy, balance, and purpose to heal and not to hurt.”
Citing Rwanda’s post-genocide recovery and South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation process, Rev Hayab encouraged Nigerian media houses to invest in training and to collaborate with Peace-building organisations, adding that, “We are one family under God, and the stories we tell must unite us, not divide us.”
While delivering a paper presentation, titled, ‘Kaduna Peace Model: From Fear to Hope – The Role of the Media,’ Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, highlighted the devastating effects of insecurity in Kaduna State, between 2015 and 2023, during which the state recorded over 4,800 deaths and thousands of kidnappings.
He explained that the Kaduna Peace Model – developed in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) – relied on dialogue, intelligence sharing, inclusion, and socio-economic renewal, rather than force.
Maiyaki noted that over 500 kidnapped persons had been released through negotiations and community mediation efforts.
He further shared examples of former bandits, who have embraced peace and now serve as mediators. “You cannot bomb peace into existence; you must build it with trust,” he stated, and urged journalists to amplify peace successes instead of fear-driven narratives.
In her goodwill message, Chairperson of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Hajiya Maryam Suka, expressed appreciation for the workshop and reaffirmed the responsibility of journalists to shape narratives that promote unity.
She noted that: “As reporters, we shape public opinion; let’s choose to shape it toward unity and development.”
She encouraged participants to adopt conflict-sensitive reporting and use the Kaduna Peace Model as a reference point.
Head of the Department of Strategic Communications and Media Studies at Kaduna Polytechnic, Mrs. Fatimah Shuaibu, who featured as Guest Lecturer at the event, delivered a lecture titled, ‘Peace Building: Media as a Shield for National Growth.’
In the lecture, she examined Nigeria’s conflict history and emphasized that the nation’s diversity should serve as a source of strength. At the same time, she identified the challenges posed by misinformation and hate speech, especially on social media, and urged journalists to uphold ethical standards, verify information, and consciously promote peace and social cohesion.
The workshop participants collectively reaffirmed the role of the media as a “central force” in peace-building and national transformation.
It was attended by representatives of 30 media organizations working in the State, communication scholars, peace-building actors, and representatives of government institutions and civil society organisations.