6th May, 2015
By Tayo Ogunbiyi
“If it were left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” – Thomas Jefferson
The foregoing quotation from Thomas Jefferson, a former president of the United States, underscores the importance of the media in a democracy. The media is the lifeline of any nation. It provides not only information on what may affect the normal human being in his day-to-day functioning, but also by other features that keep him informed of developments, national and international. In Nigeria, the press has always been in the forefront of the nation’s democratic struggle. From the colonial era to the post-independence era, the press has been a major rallying point for the Nigerian people. It is to its credit that it has outlived many anti-people governments, though with many wounds and scars.
In the dark days of the military, when men of courage and honour were few, the press fought the military to a standstill. Considering the critical role of the press in a democracy, many have questioned the recent barring of Africa Independent Television, AIT, from covering the activities of Nigeria’s President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari. Bearing in mind how the press fared during his regime as a military dictator, many have thought and, perhaps, rightly so, that this might be the sign of things to come in the yet to be inaugurated Buhari-led government. It is, however, heartwarming that the President-elect and, indeed, his political party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, have both dissociated themselves from the alleged ban. According to a statement from General Buhari, he was neither consulted nor informed about the AIT barring, and only became aware of the matter after the public uproar it generated.
While one welcomes General Buhari and his party’s swift response to the AIT imbroglio, it is however, important to stress that gagging the press would not be in the best interest of any individual, organisation or government. Any attempt to gag the press is an affront on democracy. Restricting the press from performing its constitutional duty is completely against the spirit of liberty and the rule of law in a democracy. It would only amount to a slide into anarchy. If the media have trampled on the right of any individual or organisation in the discharge of its duty, there are constitutional ways of dealing with such. Taking recourse to constitutional means in addressing such would further help to strengthen democracy. However, in as much as the media plays a crucial role as the watchdog of the society and by implication the preserver of democracy, it behoves on the media to adhere strictly to ethical rules and conducts in the discharge of its functions. In a democracy, it is essential that the media exercises its duties with utmost responsibility. Democracy can only flourish with a responsible media. Being the watchdog of the society places huge responsibility on the media in terms of objectivity and non partisanship.
Though it is the right of every Nigerian to support a political party, the media must not be seen to operate in a manner that depict partiality. When this happens, democracy would be endangered. It is, perhaps, in this respect that one could probably affirm that the AIT erred. It is, for instance, a well known fact that the proprietor of AIT, Dr. Raymond Dopkesi, is a card carrying member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. It was even alleged during the recently concluded election by the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, that Dr. Dopkesi, in the company of some soldiers “attacked the electorate and disrupted elections at Auchi once they saw that the result being announced favoured APC and favoured Buhari”. Though the media mogul has come out to deny the allegation, it has however cast aspersion on the impartiality of his media organisation, AIT. Many have labelled the AIT as a PDP megaphone based on its perceived biased reportage of political developments in the country and the hate documentaries it aired against the President–elect, General Buhari, during the electioneering campaign.
As it has been earlier emphasised, Dr Dopkesi is backed by the constitution to support any political party of his choice. The snag, however, is that it would be unprofessional and immoral to turn a national network such as AIT into a propaganda platform of any of the country’s political parties. This is against the ethics of journalism. The documentaries aired on the AIT against General Buhari had quite a number of wrong and inaccurate information. For instance, the AIT documentary claimed that it was the Buhari administration that expelled Ghanaians from Nigeria. The truth, however, is that it was the Shehu Shagari administration that actually repatriated Ghanaians and other foreigners from Nigeria. Also, the issue of Gloria Okon disappearing under Buhari’s administration was also false as she disappeared under General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime. Also, the assertion that Fela’s mother died under Buhari was false because she died after Kalakuta republic was attacked by ‘unknown soldiers’ during Obasanjo’s government in 1978. One also wonders what the death of two of Buhari’s daughters has to do with a documentary of Buhari’s ability to rule Nigeria.
Expectedly, Dr. Dopkesi has come out in defence of his organization’s role in the just concluded general elections with a justification that Daar Communications, owners of AIT, is a commercial entity and therefore reserves the right to run anything it considers worthy of being televised. He said there is also a right of response available to anyone who feels strongly about any matter broadcast by the station. He said: “What is obviously very clear is the fact that AIT believes that the historical information about the President-elect that were run, were factually correct. Nothing was done to defame him or impinge on his character or integrity.” But then, based on the several inaccurate information contained in the said documentary, it is certain that Dr. Dopkesi was only being economical with the truth.
The Code of Ethics guiding the practice of journalism in Nigeria demands every journalist to ensure a strict adherence to the highest levels of ethics and professionalism in carrying out his duties. One of the main responsibilities of the press is to present and defend the truth as every scientific structure can only be sustained by the truth. When the media trade in lies and half truths, they only do so to the peril of the society. It is the sacred duty of the media to have a perception and a goal of standard morality and ethical revolution if their performance is to have the expected impact on the society it serves. This is the expectation of the citizenry, especially where morality and professionalism are allowed to dictate the pace.
•Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.