By Gabriel Ameh
ABUJA — Nigerian journalist Michael Onjewu has called for stronger media cooperation between China and Africa, saying greater engagement and firsthand reporting can help counter stereotypes and present a more objective picture of the relationship between both regions.
Onjewu said the media plays a strategic role in shaping how countries and their people are perceived globally, describing it as both “the eye and the mirror” through which societies see and understand one another.
According to him, weak or limited media engagement can allow negative stereotypes about countries to persist, while stronger cooperation between African and Chinese journalists can help provide a more balanced understanding of their relationship.
“The role of the media cannot be overemphasized,” Onjewu said, stressing that journalists have a responsibility to provide accurate and objective accounts of developments.
He argued that media cooperation should go beyond official statements and conferences to include direct engagement with communities and people on the ground.
Onjewu urged journalists from Africa and China to travel, visit different cities and provinces, interact with local communities and experience the realities they report.
“As a journalist, if you want to be objective, come to China,” he said, encouraging African journalists to visit Chinese cities and provinces to gain firsthand experience.
He noted that such exchanges could help journalists better understand the social, economic and cultural realities of both sides, ultimately producing stories that move beyond stereotypes.
The call comes amid growing efforts to strengthen China-Africa media exchanges and improve mutual understanding through journalism.
Onjewu maintained that firsthand experience remains essential to responsible reporting, arguing that journalists who engage directly with communities are better positioned to tell nuanced and accurate stories about the China-Africa relationship.
