Reality

When Fashola held Mirror for Journalists
IN my days in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1980s, in the era of socialist conscientisation, I fell in love with a quotation pasted on the door of Professor Patrick Wilmot, a Pan African Lecturer and a thorn in the flesh of ex-military leader, General Ibrahim Babangida. According to the Jamaican-born radical lecturer, he holds mirror for people to see themselves. If they like what they see and they prefer to surrender to fatalism, that is their own choice. If they don’t like what they see and they decide to smash the mirror, it would not make any difference in their lives. Whatever action, indeed, they decide to take, the choice is theirs till eternity. It would, however, be helpful in the course of common good, if they engineer a process of changing a decadent society for better.
Some people in my category have incurable habit. Self-appraisal that has bearing on sincere declaration, is an invitation to others, not to make similar mistakes as life moves in cyclical order. Bad leadership is an invitation to bad media. Good leadership, except in a case of editing a media organisation with prejudice, is invitation to friendly media. Recently in Lagos, at the Biennial Conference of Nigeria Guild of Editors, the Governor of Lagos State Chief Babatunde Fashola did not want journalists who were more preoccupied with who became the guild’s president, to just enjoy the cosy atmosphere of Ikeja Airport Hotel and disappear without food for thought on the relationship between the media and the government. Fashola whose father once worked in Daily Times, held mirror for Nigerian journalists to examine themselves in consonance with the harm they are perceived to have done to their country.
If they don’t like what they see and smash the mirror, it would amount to self inflicted injuries rather than adding to the mega problems of Lagos. In all my years in the practice of this nomadic job, I have never got in touch with such surgical appraisal. He premised his thesis on a pedestal that Nigeria, as nation, is living under the tyranny of journalism which relies on the instrumentality of negativism. According to him, he was a kid in the 1960s when Ghanaians trooped to Nigeria to eke out a living. Today Ghana has recovered its lost-glory. The economy is picking up. Since J. J. Rawlings, otherwise known as Junior Jesus and his successor, President John Kuffour put the destiny of Ghana in the hands of its people with patriotic zeal, things are working. Indeed, today the man who mid-wifed independent Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah did not labour in vain. He feels contented in his grave. On the other hand, Nigeria’s economy has been in coma since 1980s.
Europeans and Americans are trooping to Ghana to enjoy its attractive tourist industry grounded on its beaches. The beaches in Nigeria are yet to be developed for tourism. They are largely reserved for pornographic engagements. In the estimation of Fashola, the media and the organized private sector must partner to achieve this measure of economic growth that disentangles Ghanaians from being miscreants on Nigerian streets. There can be “Ghanaians must go” any more.
The Chief Executive of the mega city noted with appreciable concern that there is “disjointed and disoriented relationship between Government and the media.” According to him, while the media antagonizes White House, American seat of power, whenever antagonism is necessary, it does not embark on “pull it down syndrome” when national interest is at stake. Fashola argued that there is what is called “knife-fear syndrome” in British society and several kids of Nigerian extraction have been killed, but that does not stop Nigerians from struggling round the clock to take refuge in the United Kingdom. Contrary to alarming headlines, Fashola maintained that infinitesimal number of Nigerians are criminals. Comparatively, he appraised the level of crimes in South Africa and what are being reported in Nigerian media and consequently affirmed that there are more perpetrators of violent crimes in the former apartheid enclave. Despite this unenvious indices of crime, the rest of the world is looking up to South Africa to play host to World Cup. In the Arab world, he said the fear of Al-Qaeda which has several Saudi-Arabians in its fold, has not stopped Muslims from all parts of the world from going to Mecca.
In his own estimation, he noted that over 2,000 first class medical doctors of Nigeiran extraction are working in Saudi Arabia. They were the architects of modern health institutions in the Islamic Holy land in spite of fear of anti-terrorism war. Nigerians, he said, now export the sick to Saudi-Arabia because the media regularly brand Nigeria as the country where evils thrive.
Fashola cited an example in Lagos where two policemen where killed by armed robbers but the deceased security agents successfully foiled bank robbery. “Instead of casting headline saying “Two gallant policemen foil bank robbery,” it was reported that robbers puts Lagos under siege. Fashola lamented that Nigerian journalists have virtually chased away foreign investors as banner headlines on pages of newspapers essentially dwell around kidnapping, armed robberies, epidemics, lionizing of Niger Delta militants and the creation impression that all Nigerians are criminals.
He submitted that Nigeria needs to be re-branded but journalists prefer to work on parallel line with government. Fashola came to the Biennial Delegate Conference with a bundle of newspaper cuttings which he believes were detrimental to the effort to liberate Nigeria from its socio-economic predicament.
For good or for ill, the media is powerful in the world where internet facilities have broken down the barriers of external communication. He has a strong case to content with.
Writing on the powers of the media in September 1987, the Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch, Mr. Dan Agbese said “for good or for ill, the press through the medium (print or electronic) imposes its views and opinions on the rest of the society. It dictates public taste. It dictates what is feat enough for public consumption.” James Ellies, an American media analyst said it more succinctly. According to him, “newspapers are the world’s mirror.”
As media practitioners, we believe bad news sells newspapers but that has denied the society the right to enjoy the benefit of social responsibilities. Fashola’s thought-provoking submission was premised on the pedestal that negative branding of Nigeria has to a large extent, kept foreign investors off the shores of Nigeria. The only snag in Fashola’s thesis is that South Africa for example, has records of inestimable crime rate, yet it is a haven for foreign investors.
Even as one would admit that journalisms harbours a lot of sensationalism, reckless publication and infinitesimal regard for social responsibilities, the reasons why things do not work in Nigeria border on corruption and attendant impunity, frequent power outage, poor transport facilities and the expensive content of presidentialism. The infrastructural development was reduced to the decadent level to the extent that a foremost tyre manufacturing company, Michellin, pulled out of Nigeria with the excuse that the cost of doing business in African’s most populous country is the highest in the world. There is no country where the cost of executing contract is as prodigious as obtained in Nigeria.
Violent crimes do scare investors in an economy that has poor level of infrastructure. How much has this country invested in crime detection and prevention? The police is making belated effort to reactivate its forensic laboratories. Nigeria is the only country among members of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that exports forensic experts to authenticate finger prints at murder scene. As fundamental as guns and ammunition to crime prevention, some police stations don’t have them.
State of art communication gadget is fundamental to crime control but the most populous black nation of the world is still contending with the ones inherited from Lugardian era. The level of traffic situation in Lagos alone coupled with disoriented security agents, does not enhance crime prevention.
I do agree that the media should re-examine itself particularly in area of self-destructive reports and divisive national agenda in its content but the indices of responsible leadership have greater roles to play. In a country where media practitioners are blamed for dramatizing reports on violent crimes, you could imagine the magnitude of theft recorded in Police Equipment Fund. The political class should think more about the survival of Nigeria rather than what they stand to gain from power struggle. I have not seen a responsible media organisation that does not celebrate Mahatmah Ghandi and the world renowned statesman, Dr. Nelson Mandela for selfless leadership. Socio-economic vices are reaching crescendo because only few people holding leadership positions are preoccupied with common good. Many of the so called statesmen are preoccupied with how to prosecute the next election. A selfless statesman thinks of the best value system for a decimated nation. A selfless leader thinks more of common good than the anxiety of who keeps him company after handing over power. The more responsible leaders we have, the more the environment will be conducive for foreign investors.

Chief Babatunde Fashola

From Our  Mail Box
Mr. Okpe, please give us details about Governor Idris versus Prince Abubakar Audu. We want to know why there are controversies over Governor Idris’ certificates.
Amade, 07087503792

Editor’s Note:
Mr. Amade, we have carried out extensive reports on the renewed gubernatorial tussle at the Tribunal. The lawyers of Governor Idris have unequivocally stated that all the certificates of the sitting Governor are intact. But the onus of proof on the allegations as stated in the petitions lies with the petitioners. The Governor’s legal team has said they would not supply the petitioners with the evidence to prosecute their own case. The Registrar of University of Abuja has also testified that the Governor was screened and he was adjudged by the senate of the institution to have passed all the examinations and duly awarded LLB. The case is left for the Tribunal to judge. We don‘t judge cases on pages of newspapers. That is extra-legal and prejudicial.
Thanks.

Editor, I have missed my favourite delight which is the Reality Column. I can’t find The Graphic to read in Abuja after I left Makurdi. Do something about it. Joe Tex: 08069619394
Editor’s Note:
We were circulating in Abuja until vendors demanded huge sums of money for launching. We shall satisfy Abuja readers when we raise such fund from the publisher.