The Nation Newspaper

Tag: journalists

  • Journalists and the law

    Freedom of the press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticise and oppose”—George Orwell.

    Society and reporting are like a man and his shadow. The society needs a reporter, not for what he is, but for what he does. What he does is providing information, thereby creating knowledge. Knowledge is power, and journalism, through its activities, provides it.

    Every democratic society creates a conducive atmosphere for the practice of journalism through enactment of relevant laws. These laws are known as “press laws”. Section 39, sub-section 1 and 2, of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, states that “…every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression including to hold opinion and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference” and that “…every person shall be entitled to own, establish and operate a medium for information dissemination of information, ideas and opinion”. It is no doubt that these laws only exist on paper. The execution of these laws is a mirage. Over the years, a lot of journalists have suffered countless persecutions from both the government and individuals.

    These persecutions could take the form of kidnapping of journalists or outright killing. What is disturbing is that the perpetrators do not seem to recognise the distinction between an “aspiring reporter” and a “professional reporter. Once you publish a report considered pejorative, you might just be up for possible persecution.

    This reminds me of the plight of Emeka Onwudinjo, a second-year student of Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, who was recently expelled from school as a result of practising his desired profession—journalism.

    As I stumbled on the story in Daily Sun newspaper tagged: “Okopoly expels student for reporting news”, I couldn’t help but ask: what future does journalism hold for us in our country? How free are we in expressing our opinions?

    Is it a failed career for some endangered species? If all pleas by Emeka for the Rector, Prof Godwin Onu, to rescind his stance concerning the situation fail, it could mark the end of his dreams as a journalist. Even if he surmounts the courage to continue, the flame of journalism in him may have been reduced to a flicker. He will be daunted, and the tendency to approach journalism with fear would creep in. This gruesome decision can hinder the desire of other ardent young reporters in our country. Why should a student report factual stories and end up being battered or assaulted?

    Emeka’s case is one of many in the trajectory of reporters, who have borne the cross of reporting since the history of journalism in Nigeria. A part from Dele Giwa and others of his time, some pen pushers have lost their lives practicing the profession, including Sunday Gyang Bwede and Nathan S. Dabak both of The Light Bearer; Bayo Ohu, Chinedu Offaro and Tunde Oladepo of The Guardian; Samson Boyi, The Scope; Sam Nimfa Jan, Details; Okezie Amaruben, News Service; Emenche Akogwu, Channels TV; Zakariya Isa, NTA; Ikechukwu Udendu, Anambra News; Nasok Sallah, Highland FM; Edo Sule Ugbadgwu, The Nation; Ephraim Audu, Nasarawa State Broadcasting Service; Baguda Kaltho, The News; Bolade Fasasi, National Association of Women Journalists; Godwin Agbroko and Paul Abayomi Ogundeji both of ThisDay.

    To prevent more deaths, arrests, assaults, battery, and unjustified accusation of journalists, enforcement of press laws should be treated with a sense of duty. The complete execution of the stipulated laws protecting the press should be effected.

     

    Desmond, 200-Level Mass Comm., UNN

     

  • UBA, Journalism Clinic host social media summit for journalists

    UBA, Journalism Clinic host social media summit for journalists

    Everything Journalism – a group on the professional network, Linkedin.com – and its adjunct, The Journalism Clinic, in collaboration with United Bank for Africa (UBA) plc will on Thursday host a social media summit for journalists.

    Tagged “Functional Social Networking for Nigerian journalists” the summit is to boost the capacity of Nigerian journalists to maximally use the social media for news gathering, building online communities and engaging with their audiences.

    The programme will hold at the Amphitheatre, UBA House, 57 Marina, Lagos from 9am- 3pm.

    “We have seen the creative disruption happening in the media space. It is important that Nigerian media professionals get a clear understanding of this process and how to take advantage of it. We hope that by hosting this high profile discussion for the media, a clear path way will be mapped for the Nigerian media industry,” said Phillips Oduoza, MD/CEO UBA Plc while explaining why the bank decided to sponsor and host the event.

    Convener, Taiwo Obe, founder and moderator of the EveythingJournalism group and director of The Journalism Clinic, stated that at the end of the summit, not only would journalists “be more social-media friendly and savvy, media owners, a number of whom have indicated their participation at the summit, should also have the zeal to change their mindsets to operate more efficiently, and profitably, in the digital age.”
    The four key questions to be answered by a team of media professionals and scholars are: Does One Platform Suit All? What Does It Profit Us?; What Can You Teach Me About Social Media? and Ethics: Why It Matters in Social Networking?

    Does One Platform Suit All? will explore which social network is most suitable for news gathering, if such is tenable. This session has as panellists Ms Joke Kujenya, assistant editor, Investigations at The Nation and mentor of young journalists; Tolu Ogunlesi, a blogger and columnist; and  Pelu Awofeso, a travel writer and travel book author. Both Awofeso and Ogunlesi are past winners of the CNN-Multichoice African Journalist of the Year awards in different categories while Kujenya is the 2013 NMMA Power Reporter of the Year. Obe is session moderator.
    The panelists for “What Does It Profit Us?” are: Azubuike Ishiekwene, GMD, Leadership Newspapers and team leader of the first initiative by a Nigerian newspaper to charge its online readers; Dr Anderson Uvie-Emegbo, principal, Dymore Vision Consulting, a niche Pan African digital business management consulting firm operating in Nigeria and Kenya and Dotun Oladipo, who runs theeagleonline.com and former online editor of The Sun.

    This session, which will explore how media organisations can earn more revenues as evolving technologies continue to disrupt their businesses, will be moderated by Gbenga Adefaye, editor-in-chief and General Manager of Vanguard Newspapers which online portal is ranked #1 by global web analytics firm, Alexa.com.

    Have the institutions of higher learning in Nigeria offering journalism and mass communication updated their curricula to reflect the evolving technologies or any studies on the web economy? This is what the session on “What Can Teach You Me About Social Media?” will explore.

    The panelists are: Lekan Otufodunrin, managing editor, online, The Nation; Wale Ajayi, head, department of mass communication, Lagos State Polytechnic and a new media/multimedia journalism specialist and Qasim Akinreti, online journalist with the Voice of Nigeria, author, media trainer and consultant on multimedia platforms will discuss “What can you teach me about social media?” Prof Emevwo Biakolo, dean of faculty of the School of Media and Communication, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, is the moderator.
    Unlike the traditional media where there are hordes of gate-keepers whose duty is to keep off unwanted elements from publications and broadcasts, the social media is, more or less, an open field where it seems all you need is access to the Internet. This raises a lot of issues on ethics and standards. Panelists are: Dapo Olorunyomi, CEO/Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, the online newspaper and Shina Badaru, founder and editor of Technology Times and Yomi Omogbeja a trained online journalist, web designer and editor of AthleticsAfrica.
    Dr Pius Onobhayedo, an experienced information technology and new media professional and head of New Media Department, School of Media and Communication, Pan Atlantic University will do a round-up of the sessions with a view to recommending action plans for execution by the journalists and media owners. There will also be a presentation on UBA’s plc’s Advancements on e-commerce.
    The event is open to pre-registered participants.

  • NTA Staff, wife buried, brother slumps at grave side

    Symphatisers wept profusely Thursday as the remains of the staff of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Akure,the Ondo State Capital, late Alex Akinwale and his pregnant wife, Kehinde were buried   at his hometown, Ondo.

    Alex, 34, was a Pastor at Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and Chairman,NTA Akure Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalism (NUJ) before he died with four members of his family which include, wife, daughter, Pauline and his housemaid.

     Only his four year-old first child, Paul survived the crash, but presently recuperating at the hospital.

    His daughter and maid had been buried on Wednesday. They died last Saturday in an accident along Ondo-Akure road which involved the convoy of the State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi.

    The deceased was said to be coming from one of his brothers’ burial in Ondo town before the incident happened.

    A short service held for the couple at Orimolade Community Comprehensive High School in Ondo, turned into moment of tributes as friends, relatives and RCCG members bade the deceased farewell.

    Members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by Deputy National President, Rotimi Obamuwagun, Vice-President Zone B, Dele Atunbi and the State Chairman of NUJ, Akinfolayan Owanikin betrayed their emotions as they gave last respect to their departed colleague.

    There was a confusion at the grave side as his elder brother, identified as Wale slumped when corpses were about to be lowered into the grave.

    It took the intervention of sympathizers before he was revived.

    In his exhortation, Pastor Tunji Ademuluyi said the couple had gone and could only be remembered of what they have done when on earth.

    He described death as inevitable and as such would happen to all human beings, stressing that late Pastor Alex had done his best.

    Quoting copiously from I Thessalonians, 4vs 18, Ademuluyi described the deceased as humble persons who by now have joined Jesus Christ in the heaven above.

    His words, “we should weep no more because Pastor Alex and Wife have completed their missions on earth and the joyful aspect of it is that both of them have dedicated themselves in serving God.

    “Alex, who served under me as a junior Pastor was a diligent person and always happy to serve God.

    “We are all going to die but the time, how, where and when this will happen is was we do not know. I want all of us to prepare and ensure that we give our life to Christ before this final day.

    One of the deceased church member, Mrs. Adeniyi said Alex would be sorely missed, adding that he was a powerful preacher.

    The NUJ Deputy National President, Obamuwagun described their death as a rude shock to members of the pen’s profession.

    He advised NUJ members to key into the Insurance scheme so that those left in this kind of circumstance would be taken care off.

    Obamuwagun said “if by now our late Alex has registered for the Insurance scheme, the NUJ would have given the family member close to N2million and this would have been spent on the surviving son of the deceased. So we are urging our members to embrace this programme. We pray we will not lose any member of NUJ in Nigeria again.

    NUJ state Chairman, Owanikin said the deceased would be missed by journalists in the State.

    The NUJ Zone B has advocated for the dualization of Akure – Ondo-Ore highway.

    In a statement issued by Dele Atunbi the union said the move was necessary to reduce the carnages being recorded in that axis of the state.

    The union posited that many young promising Nigerians have lost their lives while plying the road in question.

    It stated that the dualization of the road is equally important due to the density of the vehicular movement as the only link road to Ore en route Lagos State from Ondo State.

    The union recalled that the accident that claimed the life of a former Deputy Governor of the State Late Barrister Afolabi Iyantan occurred on that road.

    It also hinged its advocacy for the dualisation of the road on its economic viability to the state in view of turning Ore to a mega city.

  • NUJ condemns Obadina’s killing

    The national secretariat and the Lagos state council of the Nigeria Union Journalists  (NUJ)  have condemned the gruesome murder of Deputy Editor, Newswatch on Saturday, Toyin Obadina.
    In a statement issued by its National Secretary, Comrade Shuaib Usman Leman, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), said the shooting of Obadina, by armed robbers, leading to his death, “was another sad reminder of the vulnerability of media professionals and this further heightens our concern for the safety of journalists”.

    Obadina was shot and fatally wounded by armed robbers last Friday night in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
    “While the NUJ condemns the continued killing of journalists in the country, it is no doubt that Obadina and many other journalists died because the Nigerian system over the years had failed to protect its citizens.
    “The death has yet again deprived the media of one of its illustrious journalists and it is very important to call on the Federal Government to take measures for effective protection of journalists because journalists, as the conscience of the nation cannot be subjected to constant fear and intimation by such impunity.
    “While we condole with the media family, we pray to God to grant the deceased eternal rest and the family the fortitude to bear the loss”, the statement read.
    The Chairman of Lagos NUJ, Deji Elumoye tasked the state government to live up to expectation, wondering what is happening to the billions of naira that has been saved into the state Security Trust Fund.
    While appreciating the Babatunde Fashola regime for his steadfastness against crime, Elumoye said there is need to do more in terms of security of lives and property.
    “It seems they have gone to sleep, criminals have gradually found their way back into the state. And I wonder what they are doing with billions of naira put in the Security Trust Fund”, Elumoye said.
    He also commiserated with Newswatch and Obadina’s family, while praying for the repose of the soul of the dead.

  • Sultan urges journalists on ethics

    Sultan urges journalists on ethics

    Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has urged journalists in the country to imbibe the culture of professionalism and strictly adhere to the ethics of the noble profession.

    Speaking in Sokoto at the 2013 merit award ceremony of the state-owned television station, Rima TV (RTV), the monarch said journalists should endeavour to practise the noble profession with decorum, patriotism and the fear of God.

    Abubakar who was represented by the Galadiman Gari, Alhaji Aliyu Attahiru, also stated that journalists should be free to report all aspects of our national life, but should also make objectivity their watchword.

    He said, ”the profession plays a key role in entrenching democracy and good governance.”

    The revered royal father, however,  promised to institute an annual  award at the station to further motivate its members of staff to be dedicated and hard working.

    Also, the state Head of Service, Alhaji Bature Shinkafi, said that the state government would continue to pay attention to the welfare and comfort of all journalists in the state.

    The General Manager of the station, Mr Wafee Ahmadu-Suka said that the annual event was sustained to motivate the workers of the station to uphold the standards of hard work, diligence and dedication.

    However, prizes worth over N 1 million were doled out to the award winners while the station also honoured some individuals for their outstanding contributions to the development of the station.

    The Special Assistant to Governor Aliyu Wamakko on Press Affairs, Mr Abubakar Dangusau, a veteran journalist, Mr Hassan Maccido, who is also the incumbent Secretary of the Teachers’ Service Board were among the recipients.

     

  • Akpabio advises journalists

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio has urged journalists to return to the glorious days of investigative journalism and responsible reportage, to achieve peace and progress.

    He spoke at an interactive session with reporters at the Governor’s Office, Uyo.

    Akpabio said: “Considering a recent news by the Community Pulse, headlined: ‘Ibibio lawmaker manhandled in Annang land’, I can say this publication and others from other local newspapers are inciting and can cause disunity.

    “So, there is need to urge you on responsible journalism.

    “You are custodians of the people’s conscience and they tend to read what you write. So, I encourage you to do everything possible to ensure harmony.”

  • SEC institutes award for journalists

    The Securities and Exchange Commission has instituted a capital market essay competition for eligible journalists covering the sector.

    The competition is open to practicing Nigeria journalists who are registered members of either the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) or the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE).

    Journalist reporting finance and the capital market in the print, broadcast and online media are also eligible to participate in the competition.

    “The competition cuts across print, TV, radio, and online medium, entries submitted between Monday 30th September and Thursday 31th October 2013 will be considered,” the organizers said.

    The competition focuses on news/feature essays that enlighten the investing public on any aspect of the capital market structure, institutions and operations and which has never been published or broadcasted in any local or international media.

    According to the organizers, all reports for the competition should be submitted in English language with maximum of 2000 words using A4 paper size, 1.5 lines spacing, Arial 12 as font and PDF format.

  • On the death of three journalists

    SIR: On Friday August 1, three officials of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) went the way of all flesh from a fatal auto crash. The road mishap that claimed the lives of the three journalists and left 10 others injured, occurred along Ilesha-Ibadan expressway, when one of the rear tyres of the bus conveying them to Ibadan and Lagos reportedly burst, causing it to veer off the road and somersault several times before crashing into the bush.

    The sad incident came as a great shock to Nigerians, as the media practitioners were returning home from Abuja to reunite with their different families, after attending a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NUJ.

    For the three newsmen, it was clearly a case of dying in active service to humanity. They died while fighting the cause of their colleagues in the pen profession. As a matter of fact, they wanted an improved working condition for Nigerian journalists. But alas, in the process of the struggle, they died!

    The three of them – Adolphus Okonkwo, Olatunde Oluwanike and Kafayat Odunsi must never be forgotten and the cause for which they died must continually be pursued with every vigour and vehemence.

    The torrents of reactions and condolence messages from prominent Nigerians and various groups in the country evidently showed how painful the incident was to all and sundry.

    There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigerian roads are death traps. Out of 193 countries ranked by World Health Organisation (WHO) in its research, Nigeria came 192, making it the second worst country globally in terms of number of deaths triggered off by road accidents.

    This was as quoted by the Chief Executive of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Osita Chidoka from a report of the WHO. Official statistics from the FRSC equally showed that an average of 11 people were killed in road accidents daily across Nigeria in 2012, and this translates to over 4,000 deaths. A total of 20, 752 people also sustained different degrees of injuries, an indication that an average of 56 people, were injured in road accidents on daily basis last year.

    I think something radical has to be done to reduce the rate at which precious lives are being lost via avoidable auto crash. Motorists must equally learn to be very cautious and mindful of others road users while driving. About 24 years ago at a tender age and in 2011, I lost my beloved father and uncle respectively to motor mishap. Less

    than a week before the accident that took the lives of these three fellow journalists, God actually saved my life from a similar incident around the same Ilesha-Ibadan highway, where one of the back tyres of the car I was driving with my neighbour inside blew out and it almost somersaulted.

    • Michael Jegede,

    Lagos

  • Ex-NUJ president, DAAR Communications mourn Journalists’ death

    Daar Communica-tions Plc, former Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) President Ndagene Akwu and the National Association of Judicial Correspondents (NAJUC), Lagos branch, have commiserated with the NUJ over the death of three journalists who were involved in an auto accident at the Osu axis of Ilesa, Osun State.

    Daar, in a statement by its Group Managing Director Tony Akiotu, on behalf of the management, said the media can remember the late journalists by continuing to hold onto the principles and ideals that they laboured and died for, including honesty of purpose and professionalism.

    The organisation also sympathised with those who sustained injuries in the accident, praying that Allah would heal them.

    “The incident is rather regrettable indeed most shocking. It is a colossal loss to the Nigerian media in particular and the nation in general.

    “May this ugly incident never ever occur again in the annals of our most treasured profession and in the history of our dear nation,” Daar said.

    Akwu described the loss as irreparable, praying that God should strengthen the family.

    He said: “That they were returning from a mission of ensuring better conditions of service for Nigerian journalists, particularly the business of safety insurance to assuage the inherent hazards in our day to day jobs makes their death and suffering in this dimension most saddening.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Journalists urged to embrace life insurance scheme

    The Cross River State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has urged journalists to embrace the NUJ Life Insurance Scheme.

    It said this would come in handy in case of an eventualities.

    In a statement by the union’s Chairman, Mr Ndoma Akpet, and Secretary Nsa Gill, the NUJ condoled with the families of the three journalists who died in a motor accident last Friday in Osun State.

    It prayed for quick recovery of those who injured in the accident.

    The union advised its members to observe the seven days of mourning, which ends on August 9, and wear black ribbons to mourn their departed colleagues.