‘Do Not Take The Media For Granted, You Need Them’ – Akinfeleye Tells President Tinubu

A professor of communication, Ralph Akinfeleye, has urged the Nigerian government, categorically mentioning the President, not to take the media for granted.

Akinfeleye highlighted the importance of the media industry to government officials at all levels during a recent event.

He urged that the media should not be overlooked in the pursuit of sustainable national development.

Naija News reports that this statement was echoed by Chris Isiguzo, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), who encouraged media professionals to act as constructive contributors rather than detractors amidst the current economic, political, and social challenges facing the nation.

Their remarks were made during the third edition of the annual recognition event for media icons in Nigeria, themed ‘Media Legends: Inspiring Generations’, which took place yesterday in Lagos.

As the chairman of the occasion, Akinfeleye highlighted the responsibilities outlined in Chapter Two of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 22, which empower journalists to hold the government accountable to the populace.

He said: “So, it’s a unique, iconic obligation for the journalist how do we go about beyond inverted pyramid, substructure? It then means that we should serve not only as agenda setters or gatekeepers but we must bark and necessarily be able to bite when we are supposed to bite.

“But which way for Nigerian journalists as we go into this system, my idea is that we should continue to do what practice, journalism of conscience, journalism of peace, journalism of development, journalism that we serve and give highly worthy signals to the contemporary issues going on in this country, like cases of kidnapping, banditry, cyber, crime and many more.

“We should play the role of mediator. We should be able to call the government to action. We should also support the move to create an enabling environment by trying to elevate this national security problem.

“Therefore, I challenge our policymakers, our governors and President and the like to help us in the thing about the inspiration of the state police, without prejudice to the national police, they are not going to wipe them away. They will work together. That is how it’s done in other democracies, and ours cannot be the same, except we are practising adulterated democracy.

You Need The Press More

Akinfeleye stressed that the president would need the media more to assist him in curbing many excesses.

He said: “In doing so, we must understand the role of the press as a matter of fact, the other name for democracy is a free press. President, please don’t take the press for granted. It is very difficult to take the press for granted. We are partners in progress.

“Please don’t leave the press alone. They will assist you to get sustainable development. Sometimes they will worry you. Yes, that’s part of the training with the newsroom, but you can understand them.”

“You will need them more than they need you, in many cases. They can assist you to stop the excesses of the so-called social media, which in many times has turned to social disaster in our system.”

On his part, the NUJ president said: “The media has always been the heartbeat of democracy, the voice that ensures accountability and transparency in governance.

“We are the watchdogs of the public interests, holding power to account while ensuring that the people’s voices are not drowned in the noise of politics and partisanship.”