By BANNERNEWS Reporter
The Head of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, University of Calabar (UNICAL), Dr. Ukam I. Ngwu, Esq., has blamed the rising wave of fake news and quackery in Nigeria’s media space on the growing invasion of the profession by unqualified persons.
Dr. Ngwu made the assertion during an orientation programme organised by the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies for newly admitted students, held on January 4, 2026, at the University of Calabar International Conference Centre.
He lamented that accurate, credible and reliable information had become increasingly scarce in the country, warning that the trend poses serious threats to societal development and democratic governance.
According to him, the erosion of professional standards in journalism has allowed misinformation to thrive, thereby undermining public trust in the media.
The university don urged students, particularly those in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, to take full advantage of their academic training to acquire the knowledge, ethics and technical competence required to restore professionalism to the media sector.
He said the responsibility of rebuilding public confidence in journalism rests largely on the next generation of trained practitioners.
Dr. Ngwu also called for stricter regulation of Nigeria’s media space, advocating legislation that would address the growing porosity in journalism practice.
He stressed that journalism should be restricted to licensed and properly trained professionals in order to curb quackery and effectively combat the spread of fake news.
Unqualified Practitioners Driving Fake News, Media Quackery — UNICAL Don
