The Consul General of United States consulate in Nigeria, Mr Joffery Hawkins, has charged practicsing journalists in the country to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by social media to improve their career.

The Consul  General, who was addressing journalists during the closing ceremony of a training organised by the consulate in conjunction with the school of media and communication (SMC), Pan-African University at SMC Lagos, said that the social media is an important tool for journalism practice.

Hawkins, who described Nigerians journalists as active species reiterated the need for the participants to use the knowledge gotten from the training to improve their practice.

He said the training with the theme: “Best Journalism Practice In The Digital Age” was the consulate’s way of marking the World International Women History month in March, stressing that the leadership of journalism profession in Nigeria is dominated by the  males, adding that there is the need for the female journalists to work harder to climb to the top of the profession in the country.

Also speaking, the resource person, Lucinda Fleesen from Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland, said Nigerian journalists have better chances than people in the other countries.

Fleeson maintained that journalists should remain professionals at all times, stating “I am impressed by your intelligence and the zeal to improve in your profession.”

The new president of Nigerian Guide of Editors, Femi Adesina, commended the consulate and Pan-African University for its effort in organising the training which will lead to an improvement in the profession.

Adesina stated that training is top in his agenda towards improving the skills of journalists, which he said was achieved during the training.