RSNC To Partner Wikimedia In Documenting N’Delta 

The Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC) has pledged partnership with Wikimedia, an international online encyclopedia and knowledge platform to document stories of Niger Delta.

Acting General Manager of RSNC, Mrs Stella Gbaraba, made the pledge while playing host to the team leader and organiser of ‘Wiki Loves Africa Rites and Rituals’, Solomon Dappa, in her office at the weekend.

She said the corporation was ready to partner in selling and rebranding the Niger Delta to the world.

“In The Tide, our doors are open for collaboration to put the South South in positive light,” she assured.

Gbaraba said The Tide, as the oldest surviving state owned newspaper in the country, has a rich library and repository of records that will boost and enrich the narratives about the Niger Delta.

Earlier, Dappa said the project by Wikimedia has been ongoing in other parts of the country, but that his team took it as a challenge to change the narrative.

“Before now, Niger Delta has been in the news for the wrong reasons” he said, “but with this we can change the narrative through cultures and values of the people”, Dappa stated.

The award winning photographer disclosed that his team seeks collaboration with high profile mediums to ensure that every story written and sent out is genuine and verified, saying Wikimedia is a unique online knowledge platform that relies on factual stories.

Meanwhile, Dappa has urged youths in Rivers State to exploit the potentials in Wikimedia to sell Niger Delta positively to the world.

He gave the charge during a one-day training tagged ‘Rites and Rituals – Wikimedia Loves Africa’ held at the weekend in Port Harcourt.

Dappa, who was the coordinator of the event, said the event was aimed at educating the youths in the region on how to change the image of Niger Delta through narratives on culture and values of the people.

He said, “In Wikimedia, we believe it’s not something one person can do alone. So, we need to engage young people to contribute and benefit from the Wikimedia space”.

He said once positive narratives are presented about the Niger Delta, it will be easy to transform the region.

On why the event was organised, he said, “The Niger Delta is the least represented and documented in the Wikimedia”.

Some participants at the event expressed appreciation for the opportunity, stating that the programme has empowered them to impact positively.

One of the trainees, Biodeinminabo Kombonimi, said the training aligns with his goals and activities in projecting his community, Bille, with its rich cultural heritage.

Kombonimi said he would utilize the knowledge he acquired to promote culture and other activities of his community and Rivers State.

For Sarah Cookey, the programme has opened new opportunities in selling her culture to the outside world.

She said, “This will help me share stories and contribute more to the Niger Delta.”

On her part, Belema Vincent Dei said the training has equiped her with skills on research and knowledge sharing on Wikimedia.

While lauding Wiki Loves Africa for the opportunity given to her, she promised to showcase more positive narratives about her community in the coming years.

By: Kevin Nengia