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Journalism in Nigeria: My Fears By Suleyman bin Muhammad Odapu Is it a Crime to be a Journalist? Is it a criminal act to get to the source in order to report accurately? Is it a crime to go about doing one's lawful duty? I can hear you say "IT IS NOT A CRIME'' this is certainly what is expected. Recent happenings in Nigeria however are proving your answer not only old fashion but wrong. Journalism we were taught deals with reporting of events accurately it involves meeting the source of the information. Journalism or mass communications is what keeps a society going. The constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria gives journalists the right to report events, but in reality Nigerian journalist have been manhandled, each time they try to perform their lawful duty. Victimization of journalists in Nigeria is not new, and the Nigerian security more than any segment of the society have been perpetuating this diabolic act. Commenting on press freedom, we can not forget what S.A Ekwele wrote: 'The most glaring case most be that of Miniere Amakiri whose reporting of 1973 was thought to embarrassed the governor of Rivers state. . An overzealous security officer clamped him into gaol after shaving his head and administering a number of strokes of the cane' imagine this! We cannot forget in a hurry that a journalist was killed in 1986 using a letter bomb. On a lighter note, some say Dele Giwa could not differentiate between a letter bomb and a love letter, while I better leave that for the Ali Babas .on this I prefer to keep mute so as not spoil some body's 2007 plans or else I may get mine, perhaps e mail bomb. For; we are in the 'IT' age. I have been inspired to write on this because of the kind of treatment journalists are in to now in this country. As one who has so much admiration and love for this elevated profession of journalism and as a cherub with patriotic feelings for Nigeria, I have got to speak. YES! Speak for; no country can develop in this millennium without viable free media. First it was Muhammad Labbo of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Headquarters with his cameraman, men of the Nigeria police for no offence but trying to get an eye witness account of a fight between men of the Nigeria police and men of the Nigeria air force. Mr. Akintunde Akinleye,a journalist with the the daily independent news paper was asked a million dollar question .the question was very simple . Why do you choose to be a journalist? Simple right? But Mr.Akin tuned Akinleye could only answer the question after medical treatment. It was the coronation of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan. Every body that some body in Lagos state was there and as you know the battle for 2007 is starting in 2003 very important people (V.I.P) out side the Yoruba race were also at the occasion. Off course Turaki Atiku Abubakar was there. If vice president Atiku Abubakar did not stole the show at the occasion, his security did. Security attached to the vice president gave Akintunde Akinleye the beating of his life. Even the blind could see the poor the journalist beaten, because of the intensity of the beaten. I expect reactions not only from the Nigerian Union of Journalists (N.U.J) but, also from Human Rights Organizations and International Union of Journalists, this is because the incidence was not hidden it took place in full glare of the public in broad day light and before local and international media. Akintunde Akinleye was almost murdered in front of the state box mounted for Atiku Abubakar. In Nasarawa state journalists have their own tale to give too. Staff of Radio Nigeria (precious FM) Lafia. Were beaten by students. The students have lost in an election that ushered in a new National exco of Nasarawa State Students Association (Nassa) and since they could not fight the battle with the fellow students, at the battle ground (convention) they easy prey the students thought was journalists, simply because the journalist told the naked truth. In the case of Nasarawa state the police did not beat the journalist, but they allowed the perpetuators to go just like that. If the beaten of the journalist is nothing, the destruction caused by the students in the premises of 'Precious FM' is something. Ever where in the country journalist are under threat every body is threatening, including students and on campus students journalist also have tales of maltreatment to tell. With the way things are going, journalist in radio, television and newspaper have had theirs, who knows, next might be webmasters. No society is free and truly democratic except that with freedom of press. MY FEARS is that if this act continues there shall come a time when people will not like to join the profession and the few in the profession may consider their lives first before the need of the people to know. Leaving the perpetrators to go unpunished, is indirectly inviting others to do the diabolic act to journalist. It is high time the Nigeria union of journalists, Nigerian guild of editors, mass communicating students association (macosa) and other relevant associations say NO! To this maltreatment of journalist. Suleyman bin Muhammad Odapu is of the Writers' collective and a 300 level student of Mass communications department, Bayero University, Kano. |