We must approach press freedom with clean hands – NUJ boss
In the 2021 World Freedom of Press Index recently released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Nigeria scored 39.69 points to place 120 out of 180 countries, a drop of 5 points from her 115 out of 180 in 2020. Reporting on the country, the organisation identifies Nigeria as one with a climate of permanent violence. The report further described Nigeria as one of West Africas most dangerous and difficult countries for Journalists.
In October 2020, Onifade Pelumi, a 20 year old intern was detailed by his media organisation to cover the invasion of a warehouse stocked with Covid-19 palliatives. He was arrested by the Police and taken away. A week later the body of young Pelumi was found in the mortuary. Till date, nothing concrete has been done to resolve this murder.
Two Journalists, Precious Owolabi and Alex Ogbu, were killed by live rounds in July 2019 and January 2020, respectively, when reporting demonstrations in Abuja. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.
Our own investigative Journalist Ibanga Isine, moved away from his home after threats over his work became intolerable. He is the Editor of The Next Edition, one of the country’s leading investigative news websites. Several of his sources have died since he began his investigations, the final of which was published on 23 January.
Lawal Abdullahi Izala, Babajaje Abu, and Hamza Abubakar were arrested in April 2020 by Katsina State Police for abusing President Buhari and Governor Aminu Bello Masari respectively in a viral social media video.
Additionally, in April 2020, a Court in Osogbo, Osun State detained Akinloye Saheed for a Facebook post in which he said that the State Government smuggled COVID-19 patients from outside the State to demand funds from the federal government.
Nigerian journalists, are grappling with the onerous provisions of the Cybercrime Act 2015, under which several Journalists have been prosecuted using the provisions of Section 24 of the Act that penalizes cyberstalking or messages that are false, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will, or needless anxiety to another.
It is against this background of increasing difficulties confronting our profession that we today celebrate yet another World Press Freedom Day, with the theme Information as a Public Good.
As we explore this theme today, we must remind each other that press freedom is a significant concern in Nigeria, since Section 39 of the Constitution states that it comes within the category of human rights codified in Chapter IV of the Constitution. The implication is that press freedom is an inalienable privilege that no Government should derogate from or restrict. We have been given a mandate that we must carry through with courage and honour.
As Journalists, we must realise that our work carries enormous weight. We are national opinion moulders and agenda setters. These are responsibilities that we cannot toy with. The nation is currently experiencing a plethora of challenges; we are in a nation in an undeclared war and this situation tasks our patriotism and professionalism. If information must be for public good, then we must utilise our strength to douse growing tension in our land. We must use the instrumentality of Journalism to promote national unity and cohesion in the face of growing spate of hate speech and incendiary discourse pervading our national space.
As we navigate the unfortunate situation of insecurity, worsening economic and social conditions, we must remain courageous to report, factually and truthfully. We must resist the temptation to become part of the malaise by becoming overtly emotional and pandering to our own primordial sentiments and emotions in our reports. Our Journalism must be for public good; a public good to inform, educate and yes, entertain in these very trying times. We must rekindle hope in our country’s ability to rise above the current dwindling situation we are facing and point the direction to progress in a nation desperately in need of patriotic leadership and citizenship.
In the Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, we shall continue to operate in decency and contribute to the peace and growth of our State. We shall not in doing this abdicate our responsibilities to hold to accountability those entrusted with leadership. In doing this, however, it must be within the dictates of our professional ethos, and the high ethical standards we have already set as a Council. We shall continue to explore ways and means to train and retrain our members to make them more competitive in a profession that has become increasingly more robust and dynamic.
The 2023 general election is around the corner. Political intrigues and media brinkmanship have already prematurely commenced. We shall in the weeks ahead begin to plan for a workshop to train and remind our members of aspects of political reporting with a view to producing reporters that are sensitive to reports that tend to defame; reports laced with inciting, insulting and debasing languages.
We shall be seeking the support and sponsorship for this workshop from our friends and stakeholders in the political process. The training, we hope, shall set the early tone to the type of political discourse we expect, to ensure that our State remains peaceful and stable.
We shall continue to partner the Akwa Ibom State Government to ensure that our State is properly, adequately, and positively reported. As major stakeholders in the Akwa Ibom Project, we shall take serious and sensitive approach to reporting violence, insecurity, and ethnic issues, with a view to build and not rip down.
We commend His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for his effort at peace building and development of the State. We are conscious of His Excellencys determination to industrialise the State and the recent positive steps taken in this regard, which include major achievements towards the actualisation of the Ibom Deep Seaport and the Fertiliser Manufacturing Plant in partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco. The Akwa Ibom State Council of the NUJ shall continue to support the Governor in ensuring that the current media and State Government relation remains cordial and productive. We sincerely thank the Governor for his personal interest in the affairs of the NUJ and pledge to always support the Government in delivering the benefits of governance to our people.
It is our desire to thank the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Mr. Moses F. Ekpo, MFR, himself a journalist of international repute for ever being there, supporting and encouraging us in so many ways.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists in the South South remains the luckiest of all the regions with the presence of Mr. Ephraim Inyangeyen as our Grand Patron. He is a pillar of support for all the Councils in the region and most especially to the Akwa Ibom State Council. His doors are always open for us to rush in, seek and obtain vital inspiration and advice. We thank you for your support.
To our energetic Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, ours is a basket of thanks for what you are doing for our Union, the State Information Chapel in the Ministry and the State Council. We solemnly promise to continue to partner you in the development-centred reportage of Government. Since you came on board, you have scored so many firsts. The first Commissioner for Information and Strategy to attend our Congresses regularly, the first Commissioner in that Ministry to sit through all our activities of our Press Week last year and the first Commissioner to sit and march with the NUJ over the weekend during the International Workers Day Celebration. That beautiful first position we took as the best Union during the march past is historic being the first ever in the history of our great Union . Thank you for always being there when we call.
We appreciate the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor for his support and encouragement.
Let me specially thank the Chairman of today’s occasion, Hon. Harrison Ekpo, State Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party, Akwa Ibom State , Chapter for being there for us. Your love and support to NUJ remains cherished. It will never be taken for granted.
Our Guest Lecturer, Dr. Herbert Batta, we look forward to your indepth analysis of this year’s theme. Thank you for accepting to be with us
We thank all our Guests, friends and stakeholders, who have in one way or the other contributed to the success of our journey so far in NUJ Akwa Ibom State Council.
I want to specially appreciate the Committee setup by the State Council led by Comrade Idongesit Ashameri for giving us a very successful and beautiful season of two great events the Workers Day and today’s events. We sincerely appreciate your handwork and the success story of this day.
To my amazing members of the State Working Committee and the State Executive Council, I cannot thank you enough for all your sacrifices. Our members have been most supportive and active. Together, we shall build the Journalism profession in Nigeria. We are committed to unapologetically defend the freedom of press and that of our fundamental right to disseminate information through the quality of our reports and the professionalism we bring to bear in our reportage.
I wish us a successful Press Freedom Day. Go as worthy ambassadors of our great profession, realising that as trained Journalists, you are the true vaccine against hate speech, falsehood, reckless speculations, irresponsible, sensational and tactless media terrorism that have become the order of the day. We must seek this freedom with clean hands.
God bless you all.
