BY: Vitalis Ugoh, Calabar
Journalists have been advised to be objective and patriotic while carrying out their professional duties especially as it concerns national interest.
The advise was made recently by the Cross River state governor, Professor Ben Ayade while speaking at the 2022 Media Week of the Nigerian Union of Journalists( NUJ), Cross River state chapter.
He regretted the intrusion of citizen journalism or social media into the mainstream journalism saying the situation has greatly diluted the noble journalism profession.
Held at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar, with the theme, “2023 General Elections, the Nigerian Project and the Media”, the NUJ media Week attracted several prominent Nigerians including human rights Lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome who was the keynote speaker, former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom, Mike Igini, retired Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi, presidential candidate of the AAC, Sowere among others.
According to Ayade, “today, you see young people and their only job is to come on social media to destroy the good works of the government.
“The media as it is today, particularly the new media is the application of the internet to deliver mass.
information. You have the responsibility for the proper education of the masses. Truth itself is not an absolute criterion for the basis for which you would denigrate every other consideration”
Continuing, the governor argued that “a journalist must realise that a message even if it is true when passed out can cause a conflagration in the society.
“You must therefore, show a measure of discretion. It is that discretion that gives you the maturity to be able to talk to the public and address the issues. It is only in Nigeria that any failed politician can become a journalist. “Journalism requires a lot of maturity, education and emotional poise, a spirit of fairness and the fear of God
“A balance of purpose, public education goes beyond the truth. The truth may heal wounds but sometimes it could also expand wounds”
The Cross River state number one citizens paid glowing tribute to journalists, describing the profession and its practitioners as noble.
His words: “Journalism brings out the best and vitality of someone who is in public office, it sharpens the conscience of those in public office and lets you know the society is working.
“The greatest people of all time are journalists because you can’t be a journalist if you are not very intelligent. You can’t be an activist if you are not very articulate.
“The characteristics that make you a journalist are even more demanding than what it takes to be President of Nigeria.
“And so I look at journalists with the highest level of respect, whose power is the pen and if we say the power of the pen is mightier than the gun. If that is true, then you should know as a journalist that your pen can do enough to set a nation on fire”
Earlier in his presentation, Ozekhome made case for a new constitution for Nigeria and total restructuring of the country saying that was the only way Nigeria would get back on its feet to become a united and progressive country.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, urged journalists to live up to their calling if they must continue to be regarded as societal watchdogs.
Chairman of the Cross River chapter of the NUJ, Gil Nsa in his welcome address said the theme of the Media Week was deliberately chosen to reflect the urgency of inclusive participation in next year’s general election because “no profession, individual, organisations or people can afford to stay aloof, without getting involved in the political process toward 2023 General Elections”.
He described journalism as the most engaging and demanding profession.
