By Ayodele Abere.
A guest lecturer and member, of the Peoples Alternative Political Movement (TPAPM), Professor Omotoye Olorode, said journalists had been selective in their reportage regarding security.
The professor of international repute made this submission in Ado-Ekiti, while delivering a paper at the annual public lecture and award presentation, of the Federated Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ekiti State Chapter.
Speaking on the theme: JOURNALISM, SECURITY, PARTY POLITICS AND ELECTION COVERAGE, THE WAY FORWARD, Professor Olorode who explained that matters bothering on security crisis have been generally dealt with in isolated, disjointed and non-holistic manner, noted that such shortcomings have created disabilities for both the media practitioners and their mass audience, adding that these must be traced to commercialism and intellectual unpreparedness.
According to the erudite scholar, journalists are contemplated as intellectuals, who must search relentlessly for the truth and disseminate same without the fear of where it will lead.
Speaking further, he said two major elements of what is referred to as “insecurity” need to be identified. Saying, they are directly related to the political economy, economic policies, political power, class, inequality, and particularly, growing deprivation among the masses.
“We are referring first to Social Insecurity – varieties of unemployment, lack of access to means for sustaining livelihood, pervasive ignorance etc. Secondly, we are referring to insecurity arising from plain criminality, armed robberies, banditry, ritual murders etc. and clashes of ethnic and communal groups arising from population including livestock movements and land disputes among neighboring communities arising from increasing ecological pressures, land seizures by the rich and the resultant landlessness across the country”.
Professor Olorode, said needless to say, only a political economy superintended by a pro-people ruling class can address these problems. On the contrary what the neo-liberal ruling class policies do is to exploit and intensify the variety of sources of insecurity. He added
“In the circumstances, what journalists, their organizations and other categories of intellectuals have to do, is to avail the masses of the victims of the ruling class economic and social order, the totality of their talents and their unalloyed commitment”. Said Olorode.
In his own submission, the Director of Media at the prestigious University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Mr. Ropo Ewenla, who was a moderator of the programme, said he has no aversion to all that Professor Olorode discussed on security issues and other matters as he stated that security matter goes beyond physical. Noting that somebody who couldn’t afford what to eat is equally suffering from social security which many might not consider as part of security matter.
Considering the theme of the Annual Lecture, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ekiti State Council, Comrade Rotimi Ojomoyela, represented by the State Secretary of the Council, Comrade Kayode Babatuyi, while declaring the programme open, said journalists as members of the fourth estate of the realm, it’s our primary responsibility to set agenda for government and promote programmes and activities that will enhance good governance and bridge the gap between government and the governed.
“Our union in recent times has recorded tremendous successes beyond our expectations particularly in the areas of infrastructure, training of journalists and fighting quacks”.
“Recently we set up a task force team against quacks which had swung into action with the aim of bringing sanity back to our profession”. The number one journalist in Ekiti State explained.
The Chairman, Federated Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the State Chairman of the Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (OMPAN), Ekiti State Chapter, Comrade Ayodele Abere, in his address stated that the theme of the lecture was carefully chosen, considering the importance of this season to the people of Ekiti State. He said, “this is election period in which journalists and security personnel usually have crucial roles to play as journalists will be out there to gather, process and disseminate accurate information to the masses. The security personnel will also be at alert to ensure that lives and property are well protected and that everything goes smoothly”.
Comrade Abere, further said that invitation was extended to the candidates of all the political parties that would be participating in the forthcoming governorship election in the State, including some politicians, groups and associations for them to be part of the programme to learn more and have useful information to take back home.
“You will agree with me that in this part of the world, we are still not getting so many things right. The operational system of many things that are working well for people of the Western worlds are still very shrouded to us here in Nigeria”.
“Hence the need to have a workable solutions to some of our problems for things to get better for us in this country. As journalists, are we actually practicing the profession the way we should? As security personnel, are we carrying out our duties and responsibilities as expected? As politicians, are we practicing politics according to the rules of the game? I’m sure we shall be getting feedback to these questions and make necessary corrections where needed”. Said Abere.
Corporate organisation and eminent personalities that have impacted positively on the society in one way or the other were honoured at the event. The award recipients were; Elizade University, conferred with Meritorious Award In Teaching Morals And Academics, Mrs
Aminat Ajibola a.k.a Aminloaded, who was conferred with Award Of The Best Media Entrepreneurial Personality, and Alhaja Bose Adedibu, who was conferred with the Award Of Excellence for Women Participation In Politics, Southwest Nigeria.
Present at the event were; representatives of the National Orientation Agency, Nigeria Labour Congress, Independent National Electoral Commission, Police, DSS, candidates of some of political parties participating in June 18, governorship election in the State, various groups and associations as well as leadership and members of other chapels of NUJ, Ekiti State.
