Lagos: Mr. Dare Babarinsa, former Executive Director of TELL magazine, has highlighted the poor reading culture, misuse of social media, and a reluctance to seek genuine information among African youths as significant threats to modern journalism. Babarinsa made these observations during a breakfast roundtable with selected journalists in Lagos.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event was part of activities marking Babarinsa’s 70th birthday and focused on the declining reading habits among youths and the deteriorating fortunes of newspapers in Nigeria. The veteran journalist, who also served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Westerner newspaper, expressed concern over the use of social media by many African youths as a cover for ignorance.

Babarinsa pointed out that many youths readily accept misinformation found on social media without verifying its authenticity. He emphasized the dangers of this complacency, noting that youths often fail to question inaccurate information. He contrasted this with the continued strong readership of newspapers outside Africa, citing examples such as the high circulation figures of the Jerusalem Times compared to Nigerian newspapers.

The veteran journalist reflected on the past, recalling that when he attended the University of Lagos in 1978, Nigeria had only five universities, yet the Daily Times circulated 500,000 copies. In contrast, despite over 200 universities today, interest in acquiring knowledge has waned.

Babarinsa acknowledged that social media is not solely to blame for declining reading habits, pointing to countries like India and Japan where newspapers still thrive. He warned of the risks posed by the widespread ignorance among African undergraduates, which he sees as a significant threat to the continent’s future.

He also criticized past leaders for withdrawing newspaper privileges for civil servants, a move he believes has contributed to the decline of newspapers in Nigeria. Babarinsa urged media managers to advocate for the restoration of this privilege to improve the fortunes of media houses.

Reflecting on his experiences in journalism, particularly during the challenging military era of the 1980s, Babarinsa praised the resilience of journalists who remained committed to truth and justice despite facing arrests and imprisonment. He acknowledged the support from patriotic Nigerians, including some in the security services, who aided journalists in their mission.

As Babarinsa approaches his 70th birthday, he continues to advocate for the importance of knowledge and the role of journalism in society.