ARE JOURNALISTS IN NIGERIA WRITING FOR FOVOUR OR FREEDOM?

 

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

(English) ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

                                  Call: +2348037346939  E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

ARE JOURNALISTS IN NIGERIA WRITING FOR FOVOUR OR FREEDOM?

No one with common sense that is not aware that the Nigerian media are no longer ethically thorough in their traditional roles to the society. Every enlightened mind in the country knows that the media shoulder the traditional responsibility of informing, educating, and entertaining the public. But, the media in the present day Nigeria appear to be in the web of the old saying, “one, who pays the piper, calls the tone.” It is common knowledge that no government owned media, state or federal, that holds out any form of criticism against the government in power for fear of losing anything of interest. This is often hinged on the spurious book of professionalism. One wonders if professionalism forbids constructive criticisms that make for good governance and healthy society. If not for a few recently licensed private media houses in the country, the situation would have been total information lopsidedness. Kudos to a few media houses in the country that are yet up and doing.

Here, the print media in Nigeria are, however, commended for some measure of objectivity in reportage than their electronic counterparts, as a quick look at the pages of the Nigerian newspapers and magazines would convince one that it is only the print media in the country that somehow portray the ideals of the profession. But, like the saying, “in every twelve, there is a Judas,” some print media outfits in the nation are also caught in the web of compromise, and so, sing unholy praise of powers that be, for want of government patronage.

For instance, in Imo State, just a few weeks after the inauguration of the present administration (of Ikedi Ohakim), there were turns of courtesy calls on some print media houses by the officials of the government in the state. The results of such visits are today reflected on pages of the newspapers which were beneficiaries of the visits. Thus, one notices un-warranted “praise-singing and biased information dissemination on the pages of such newspapers and magazines. This is a great disservice to the society.

Worst still, is the devotion of most columns by newspaper columnists to the adoration of politicians and the government in power for want of favour. In other words, such columns are designed to draw government attention to the desire(s) of the writer, which may be “political appointment” or any other kind of favour. Unfortunately, such “favour-seeking columnists out-number those with genuine intention in media industry.

Furthermore, the recently alleged money laundering scam levelled against the Imo State governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, if found to be false before GOD and man, is another form of the human flaw in the journalism profession. This, in turn buttresses the point that there is junk journalism which seeks to tarnish the image of the innocent ones. But, if the allegation and others turn to be true before GOD, and is/are washed away by human intrigues as a cover-up, then those who published it are justified before GOD for being the good watch-dogs of the society.

Finally, journalistic writing should offer the society freedom and not oppression. But when journalists embark on “favour seeking” writing(s), instead of writing to free the people from socio-economic darkness by constructively showing the government the duties it owes to the peoples, as well as pointing to the people what to do within the frame-work of the law, to get the government perform optimally, then the watch-dog role of the media becomes crucified. May GOD resurrect the Nigerian media from negative influences that mar the profession, Amen!