By Innocent Anaba

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, and Media Awareness and Information for All Network, MAIN, have established the Nigeria MIL Media Executives Network, NiMMEN, to promote the integration of Media and Information Literacy, MIL, principles and competencies into media operations in Nigeria.

This came as Chairman of MAIN, Prof. Jide Jimoh, congratulated all participants for unanimously embracing the idea of the Network and commended Mallam Zayyan for accepting the leadership role.

This initiative follows an intensive training workshop for media executives in North-West Nigeria on integrating MIL into the editorial policies and guidelines of media organizations.

According to the National Information Officer of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Oluseyi Soremekun, NiMMEN was established as one of the strategic outcomes of the training.

In a statement, Soremekun said: “To steer the affairs of NiMMEN, participants unanimously nominated the General Manager of Katsina State Television (KTTV), Mallam Abba Zayyan, as the Interim National Coordinator.”

Zayyan, a graduate of Educational Technology from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communications, a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy, and a Master of Philosophy in International Relations, all from ABU, Zaria.

“Mallam Zayyan has worked in major radio stations in Nigeria, culminating in his appointment as Zonal Director of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

“Until his present appointment, he was the Director of Sports and Outside Broadcast. He brings with him over three decades of experience in the broadcasting industry.”

Speaking on the establishment of NiMMEN, UNESCO’s representative at the workshop, Ms. Yachat Nuhu, said the creation of the Nigeria MIL Media Executives Network is strategic, given the need for every media organization in Nigeria to develop a MIL-compliant editorial policy to uphold information integrity.

“We want media executives on board as we work toward achieving a media landscape free from misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech. We will remain in the background to provide technical support, as always,” she said.

In his acceptance speech, Mallam Zayyan thanked UNESCO and MAIN for the training and for facilitating the establishment of the Network. He also expressed gratitude to all participants for the confidence placed in him to lead the association.