By Faith Adeyefa

LAGOS — Stakeholders in the media, education and political sectors have called on Nigerian youths to use social media responsibly to promote good governance, warning against the dangers of fake news and misinformation.

The call was made at the Communication Parliamentary Summit 8.0 organised by the Communication Students Representative Council (CSRC), Lagos State University (LASU), with the theme: “Political Influence in the Social Media Era: The Role of Media and Youth.”

Chairperson of the summit, Adebayo Kaosarah, described the event as a gathering of young communicators and future leaders aimed at shaping conversations on society and governance.

She said the summit underscored the growing importance of social media in modern political discourse and urged participants to take advantage of opportunities for learning and networking.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Tutor-General and Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Dr. Idowu Olufunke Oyetola, Mrs. Bolanle Olushola Alamu said social media had transformed communication into a powerful tool capable of influencing governance and public policy within minutes.

She noted that digital platforms had expanded youth participation in politics by enabling mobilisation, civic education and accountability advocacy.

“Young people have become one of the strongest forces shaping political narratives globally because they constitute a significant percentage of the population,” she said.

However, she warned against fake news, cyberbullying, misinformation and political manipulation, urging media practitioners and students to uphold ethical standards and verify information before publication.

Also speaking, political strategist and youth advocate, Hon. Olamigoke Ogayemi, described social media as “a political weapon, a protest ground, a campaign office and a newsroom.”

He encouraged young Nigerians to deploy their digital influence constructively, noting that social media has become a key instrument for governance, activism and civic engagement.

The summit ended with renewed calls for ethical media practice, youth-driven leadership and responsible digital engagement to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.