Press Freedom, unpaid salaries and Nigerian media

Mr Dapo Olorunyomi

Dapo Olorunyomi: congratulated by Buhari on Press Freedom Award

Veteran journalist and Publisher of PREMIUM TIMES Dapo Olorunyomi at the event on Monday Nov. 4. Photo: Efunla Ayodele

By Taiwo Okanlawon

Press Freedom, unpaid salaries of journalists by media practitioners were burning issues at the public presentation of ‘Testimony To Courage’, Essays in honour of Dapo Olorunyomi, a veteran journalist and the publisher of Premium Times which held at NECA Hall, Ikeja Lagos recently.

The event was attended by renowned journalist and author, Kunle Ajibade; veteran journalist and writer, Richard Akinnola; Country Director, Amnesty International, Osai Ojigho; constitutional lawyer, Jiti Ogunye; civil rights activist and Executive Director, Enough is Enough Nigeria, Yemi Adamolekun among others.

Speakers at the event, including journalists, lawyers, authors and members of the civil society said press freedom was being tampered with in the country and called for urgent remedy.

Speaking at the even, President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Chris Isiguzo, said Nigerian journalists were facing tough times under the current dispensation.

He said, “this is not the best time to be a journalist in Nigeria in view of what is already going on, but we are not going to shy away from our duty of holding government accountable.

“The main ingredient of democracy is the media, free press, respect for rule of law, these are gradually taking a decline in our society but no matter what we are not going to allow political actors to derail this democracy, no matter what it takes, we will remain committed.”

Mr Dapo Olorunyomi and Senator Shehu Sani at the event. Photo: Efunla Ayodele

Isiguzo further said that lack of tools to work with and lack of remuneration made Nigerian journalists’ job arduous unlike in other climes.

“It is said that the media in Nigeria are not doing well but I always disagree with them. If we compare what is available to our contemporaries in other climes, you will agree with me that we remain the best not just in Africa, but one of the bests in the world.”

“It is only here that a journalist gets job and he will start working without working tools but even at that, we still remain committed. Many of our colleagues are still being owed arrears of salary,” he lamented.

Related News

Isiguzo, however, vowed that the union was ready to engage the media owners currently owing their workers using Alternative Dispute Resolution to make sure that their workers were being paid.

 

Dr Ogaga Ifowodo (left) and Mr Femi Falana. Photo: Efunla Ayodele

“You are not sure of your release if you’re arrested because court orders mean nothing to them and this can fester and grow as long as there are fear and silence and I think it is important for each and every one us to know that the future of our democracy is very important,” he said.

Olabisi Deji-Folutile, a former Editor, Saturday Punch and a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, said the country was in an era where criticism could be misinterpreted as hate speech.

“This is not the best of times for media and civil rights organization in Nigeria. For those who are out there, the fear is palpable. We are in an era where whatever constructive criticism could misinterpreted as hate speech and these have set a lot of people in fear. According to reports, 19 journalists are in various detentions across the nation of Nigeria,” she said.

Deji-Folutile further said every lover of democracy should be genuinely concerned about what is happening in Nigeria.

The chairman of the occasion, a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, accused Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Abuja Federal High Court of bias against his client, Omoyele Sowore, saying the judge had already sentenced Sowore and Bakare, without trial by confining their movement to Abuja.

He, however, noted that steps were being taken for the matter to be moved from the court and Abuja in particular since the alleged crime was not committed there.The lawyer said Nigeria had “gone to the dogs” and only the media could help.

The launch of the book. Photo: Efunla Ayodele

He stated, “Nobody has been given the kind of bail (condition) Sowore was given. All those who looted the treasury have never had their movement restricted. Sowore has been granted bail, but his movement has been restricted to Abuja. His family is in America. He does not live in Abuja. He has no house in Abuja. Yet, he has been asked to stay in Abuja. The trial may last for 10 years, but he cannot leave Abuja. It has never happened in Nigeria before. Sowore has been banned as a journalist from speaking. As a politician, he cannot address a rally until the case is determined. We don’t know how long it will last.”

Load more