Former deputy governor of Lagos State, Otunba Femi Pedro has urged Nigerian students to protect the nation’s democracy. Speaking at the lecture series organised by Update Ventures in conjunction with the Mass Communication Department of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, recently, Otunba Pedro, enjoined students to make good use of their political power.

The former deputy governor, in his lecture entitled "Students and Democractic struggle in Nigeria," said: "Democracy is yet to be born in Nigeria because we are still pregnant with the baby of democracy. We have much to learn and we have a long way to go. Today, our excitement derives not only from the fact that no other society is best placed to bring about positive change than students. In this part of the world, students are under-rated and under-estimated because students do not value themselves."

He also disclosed that students constitute the largest number of Nigeria’s population because they are energetic as the world is in their hands. "Some youths are not happy and they are distracted because they do not know what the future holds for them," he said. He enjoined them to ask themselves questions, such as what is my future in 10 years from now? what role would I play in this nation and that’s why they are critical elements in the democractic process and they must play their roles very well.

He also maintained that students are endowed with knowledge and they should appreciate themselves by using their political power well. "If students do not prepare themselves for the future, they won’t have anything left to lead. Students and youths do not only represent the future manpower in Nigeria in diverse human endeavours, they are indeed the future leaders. The future is in their hands and they must protect this democracy," he said.

In concluding his lecture, he advised the youths that as future leaders of tomorrow, they should not be carried away with what they see, rather they should think of how to do things differently in a postive manner. He urged them to imbibe integrity and good character which is the bedrock of our democractic structure.

Guest speaker, Wale Adedayo, Chief Press Secretary to the governor of Ogun State, in his lecture entitled, The media in a young democracy, noted that there are other institutions that are naturally expected to act as pillars for strengthening democracy in Nigeria and the most important of all is the mass media. He noted that without information, nothing can work. Thus, any society which claims to be democractic must concomitantly have vibrant mass media organisations.

He said: " Journalists in such a society must also have very high standards of training from the universities or polytechnics to the effect that the quality of their reports and ethical matters relating to the journalism profession are given priorities. Coming from a background of prolong military rule, the practice of journalism in Nigeria requires urgent attention so that we could match up with what obtains in other democracies. Our educational institutions have a responsibility to train journalists that will restore confidence to the public."

The challenge we have is to encourage the enactment of laws that will encourage the strengthening of our democratic institutions. Policemen and other law enforcement agents who perform their duties creditably should be rewarded, and not victimised. Bad eggs should be shown the way out. Judges should not be denied due entitlements because they give negative judgements to those holding political offices. Journalists should not be selective in the stories they write simply because they want to protect some special friends.

Professor Idowu Sobowale, Head of Department, Mass Communication, Olabisi Onabanjo University in his welcome address stated that this is the first of the series of lecture in the School of Communication and Information Sciences which is of immense significance. "There is no way that we can operate and achieve the best in the profession by staying in school alone which does not make one to know it all." Professor Sobowale enjoined the students to be willing to learn so that they can get the best from the lecture series which would be of immense help to them in future.