THERE’S NEED TO PROTECT VALUES, DON -

Professor Sunday Enessi Ododo General Manager/ Chief Executive Officer, National Theater, today, at the 13^th edition of the biennial conference and exhibition of Africa Broadcasters AFRICAST 2023, an event organised by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, presented a paper on: ‘Battle To Protect Cultural Values in a Fragmented Digital Ecosystem- The Industry Imperative’.

In his presentation, Prof. Ododo stated that “The battle to protect cultural values has become a pressing industry imperative in our ever-changing digital age. This is because the digital ecosystem is marked by it’s fragmentation, which offers opportunities and presents challenges for safe guarding Africa’s rich cultural heritage and values, particularly in the context of a nation like Nigeria.”

He further noted that with diverse tapestry of culture and traditions, Africa finds itself firmly ensconced in the digital age, adding that the digital ecosystem in Nigeria is rapidly expanding with multitude of platforms, social media, e-commerce websites and online content in which Nigeria’s rich cultural expression can flourish and also face distortion and challenges.

Prof. Ododo also pointed out that in the digital realm, the protection of cultural values in Nigeria and Africa requires a global perspective. He, therefore, called on policy makers to leverage free market democratic values in order to encourage the adoption of critical technologies, such as 5G and next generation networks, while, upholding cultural diversity and individual freedoms.

Highlighting the challenges to protecting cultural values caused by fragmentation, the speaker also noted that the battle to protect cultural values within the fragmented digital ecosystem present several significant challenges. These challenges, he said, arise from the very nature of digital fragmentation, which encompasses a multitude of platforms, technologies, and information channels, often operating independently.