Photos: At The Maiden Social Media Clinic In Lagos

Information was always reckoned as power and will continue to be so. However the tables have now turned in favor of media consumers. As the trends reflect, it will now be the people's turn to be empowered, as Media will be more and more people-centric. Media probably will have no choice but to take up issues concerning the common man, to survive in a highly competitive world with fleeting viewer/reader loyalties. This was the lesson learnt at the maiden edition of Social Media Clinic powered by Social Media Solutions under the leadership of Mr. Sunday Dare, (an award-winning investigative reporter, multi-media journalist, media trainer,academic researcher). The event took place at Bogobiri Art House, Ikoyi, Lagos. The theme of the Program was titled ''For Every Right; There Is A Responsibility.

There is no gainsaying the fact that it is mass media that have truly globalized the human race - creating a seamless world that transcends artificial barriers of geography and economic, political and social divide. Media have empowered people like nothing else. The Internet provides the knowledge of the entire world at the touch of a button.

Media have ensured unlimited entertainment at a cheaper cost to anyone who has the necessary gadgetry. Media, especially the Internet, has created a world community that bonds together, especially in critical times - as many events in the world have reflected, the General Elections in 2015, the Social Media Bill, to name a few. In a spilt minute, public opinion is formed and spread globally.

In a subtle manner, Media have helped create more human world as more and more individuals and communities extend support and help their far flung brethren in trying times.

Mr. Sunday Dare used the opportunity of the maiden social media Clinic to launch his book titled ''We All Are Journalists'' in his remarks he said ''The book you hold in your hand is an attempt to find answers to interrogations and make futuristic predictions based on factual analysis of the potentials and dangers of Social Media prevalence and Citizen Journalism. He further explained that, the citizen journalism enabled by social media tools and the traditional media feed off each other in the new information dispensation. While the social media tools holds the upper hand in the sphere of breaking news, the traditional media still holds the aces when it comes back to proper gatekeeping, factual checking and more matured critics will find it tough to wish away the new power of these new and powerful platforms for news dissemination.''

 Most Rev. Dr. Mattew Hassan Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto said in his foreword "Citizen Journalism is definitely a welcome development. However, the challenges remain on its usage and the extent to which it can be relied upon for accuracy. It is helpful to be excited about what a device can do to us who posses it. However, real journalism and journalists must be careful that the profession does not become a mere market place for noise making, calumny, the settling of quarrels, processing of junk and the provocative abuse of what this power really means.

It is saddening to see how these Media have been sometimes put to some very irresponsible use by the comments people make from reading articles. So, the challenge is not so much the fact that we have access. Citizens must see this freedom as freedom to help policy makers. It is the responsibility of Editors to ensure that they do not create platforms for an irresponsible use of the Media.

Mr Sunday Dare book titled "We are All Journalists" serves as a useful and very helpful guide in this pursuit. He has brought into these pages, his many years of national and international experience and knowledge both in the theory and practice of the trade of journalism. This is what makes this work special and also an important reference material both for teachers, students of journalism and policy makers.

It should also be a useful guide for those genuinely interested in using these tools for both self-improvement and adding to knowledge.

We owe the author a depth of gratitude for an excellent job."

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