Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the fund-raising for the national secretariat of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), held in Abuja yesterday, the former governor lamented that the media is fast losing its non-partisan posture and shirking in its onerous commitment to uphold the truth always.
“While a section of the media has performed creditably well, a growing section besotted with power, often crossing the line. The lines have been crossed. The newsrooms have become shopping centres, where interests shop for the most pliable editor or reporter to push their points of view or story.
“Investigative knack is gone. The fire of patriotism continues to be extinguished and that of professionalism is now only a flicker. Journalism has become not just a danger to itself as a profession, but now inflicts harm to the republic by knowingly feeding the people half-truths, innuendos and outright falsehood. When reporting and reality are too far apart, journalism has ceased and propaganda has begun. A nation awash in propaganda is a nation dry and devoid of democracy much like a desert is devoid of water,” Tinubu stated.
The former governor, who had earlier commended journalists for the courageous roles they played in enthroning democracy in the country, warned them of the dwindling influence of the media in the quest for a new Nigeria.
“NGE has the responsibility to ensure that our media leaders are held to the highest standard. It must lead the crusade side by side with the NUJ (Nigeria Union of Journalists) to tackle this problem. Once an editor is upright, it will be difficult for his reporters to compromise,” the former governor noted.
Welcoming guests to the ground-breaking ceremony, NGE president, who is also the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief (MD/EIC) of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Femi Adesina, extolled the founding fathers of Nigerian journalism and NGE’s past leaders, saying the proposed secretariat called Editors’ House, was an advancement of their vision.
“The Good Book talks of some people planting and others coming to reap the harvest. That, indeed, is a similitude of what is happening today. Successive leadership of the NGE had conceived the idea of this secretariat, indeed, drew up the architectural plan, our own in the present exco was just to bite the bullet by moving the idea forward.
“When we asked our colleagues to vote us into various offices at our convention at Ibadan, Oyo State in March, last year, we also promised to ensure that the dream of having a national secretariat for our association would no longer be deferred. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, that dream is on the way to becoming reality through this event tonight,” Adesina said.
Commending members of his executive as well as guests for their unrelenting support, the NGE president stated that with the building of the NGE secretariat, the echelon of the media industry would no longer go cap in hand for support in holding its programmes.
“These structures will go a long way to position the NGE for economic independence, as part of the secretariat will be put to commercial use.
“We then would not need to go cap in hand to public and private concerns, before we can hold our programmes. The portion of the structures we will retain for our use will equally be equipped with the best in terms of equipment and facilities that will enhance our profession,” Adesina assured.
Source: Sun
No comments:
Post a Comment