Why the North is the Devil

By 

Joshua Dakup

Joshdakup@yahoo.com

The north is losing power, popularity and direction. It is in search of a leadership that understands the meaning of moral clarity and the suffering of its masses. The situation is worsened by its almost lack of presence in the media. The north seems not to appreciate the power media has in shaping what people think. This power reaches every Nigerian home and molds the mind of nearly every citizen, poor or rich, young and old, simple or sophisticated. Virtually everything we know, or think we know, about events outside our neighborhood comes to us via the media – daily newspaper, magazine, radio, television.

In a democracy, ’the people’ rule. They elect politicians by exercising their freedom of choice, and if they act contrary to their wishes and aspirations they can be sent packing by the vote of the people. Multipartism avail the people with ‘alternatives’, if one loses their confidence, they can support another. Thus is realised the democratic principle of: government of the people, by the people and for the people.

But we all know it is not that easy. Information is power. People take decisions based on it. It is what is required for them to use their votes other than by blind guesswork. The media has the greatest influence on `public opinion’ in which politicians have to operate, to which they have to defer and in which they dare not offend if they are to get elected or remain elected.

Take a look at the way and manner in which news coverage is handled. Which items are emphasized and which ones are de-emphasized –‘Toronto’ or ’Chicago’; the wordings of headlines - `we need a coup now’ instead of ‘Obasanjo’s actions are provocative’; the reporter’s selection of words, tone of voice, facial expressions and choice of illustrations. These affect the molding of our minds.

See what the media has done. It has manipulated the minds of the people into believing in power shift instead of believing in what a person has to offer irrespective of where he/she comes from. They did this by blaming all the country’s woes on the north, even when it is glaring that people from all nooks and crannies of the nation participated in plundering the economy. They have demonised the personalities of northern leaders in such a way that no amount of political advertising can overcome. While the personalities of some `tribal warlords’ are lionised and moralised as messiahs of some sort.

Our minds are again made to believe that an impeachment proceeding against the president would only truncate our hard earned democracy. When it is abundantly clear that Baba has violated some aspects of the constitution he swore to protect. One wonders if impeachment is not a peaceful way of removing a bad government. It was ‘too early’ when Nzeribe brought it as a petition, and now it is ‘too late’. No one is insisting that the allegations be investigated.

Let us go back to General Abubakar’s transition. The mind molders wanted us to see no good in anyone that has a military antecedent. But when oga Okikola climbed Aso Rock, he assumed the position of an infallible crusader. Just because he pacified a section that shapes ‘public opinion’. And remember, the Transparency International in which he is a co-founder has consistently been awarding him either gold or silver medal.

General Diya’s ‘phantom coup’ is another instance of the manipulative tendencies of the media. We were made to form a phantom opinion that there was no coup at all. Justice Chukwudifu Oputa’s panel has now laid the matter to rest.

Do anyone care to know why Gani’s unblemished image of a fearless and upright social crusader is now being transformed to that of an intolerant nuisance? Has it anything to with the ‘Chicago’ saga or his attack of the prodigal son’s misrule? Where are Gani’s co-advocates for a zero tolerance for corruption?

I am not trying to create an impression that in all cases northern leaders receive unfair media treatment. In fact, some of them deserve such bashings. But I cannot accept a situation in which the opinion molders indict a whole people while portraying their own as infallibles.

Many attempts were made by the north to establish some media houses. Take a look at a few; Hotline, Citizen, The Democrat, Daily Trust, City watch, The Broom, The rake, etcetera. Where are they? They are either undercirculated or they have disappeared. This is because most of them were founded on a poor intellectual base and or a strategic self, regional and religious interest. Which is why  extreme views are expressed in them, that even vendors don’t feel comfortable selling them. The media’s greed for sensation should not prevail over its obligation to the truth.

To free itself and the nation from these distortions and concoctions such as in ‘it’s better for a professional coupist to take over’, the north needs to invest heavily in the media, foundation on a principled intellectual base devoid of fanaticism and extremism.

 

Joshua  Dakup writes from Lagos