The wife of the Kwara State governor, Amb. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, has called on Muslim women journalists nationwide to portray Islam positively in their reporting.

Speaking at the inaugural Ramadan symposium organised by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Kwara State Chapter, in Ilorin, the state capital, Mrs Abdulrazaq highlighted the importance of changing negative perceptions about Islam held by some individuals.

Represented at the event by the state commissioner for the Environment, Hajiya Nafisat Buge, the first lady expressed concern over the increasing commercialisation of the media, which she believes deviates from its original purpose of informing and educating the public. She urged journalists to prioritise responsible reporting that fosters understanding and promotes social cohesion.

“We are in an era where the media has been commercialised, and fake news is rampant. We should be known to stand for the truth. We should be able to strike the balance between the ethics of the profession and Islam. This is because Islam is a way of life, and the tenets should not be tampered with, irrespective of your profession,” she said.

In her lecture, a former head of the department of Mass Communication at the University of Ilorin, Prof. Saudat Abdulbaqi enjoined women journalists to balance their journalism roles in accordance with the tenets of Islam.

Abdulbaqi, who spoke on the topic , ”The future of women in journalism: How Ramadan can be a time for reflection and growth”, said women should also clear the existing stereotypes against women, especially Muslims.

She said women journalists should be the propagator of the Islamic injunctions that emphasised on seeking knowledge and spreading of same factually.

”Already, there are stereotypes as a woman in the field of journalism and also as a Muslim woman. So, it is like double jeopardy. People don’t think highly of women, especially in competitive roles and while assigning responsibilities, because they think we have limitations.

”This and some other challenges have jeopardised our rise in our careers and the trust people have in us in carrying out our assigned roles.

”So, it behooves us to clear the erroneous beliefs about us with our professional reporting, which will not also go against the teachings of Islam,” she said.