By Omogbolahan Babawale
The general notion is that bad or negative news travels faster than any news that seems to promote a brand, personality, group and/or any entity, especially in a country like ours – Nigeria where the opposition in cahoots with the media dwell more in propagating bad or negative news about the country. It is not only grotesque but equally lugubriously bizarre that the enervating spirit with which people, particularly the media promotes sensational headlines that purport to present the image of the country in bad light appears to dwindle drastically when any good news or something positive happens in the country.
Then, one begins to wonder the true definition of patriotism. Sadly, in this part of the world, our people engage more in mouthing patriotism without actually acting it. The media revels in negative journalism for click-baits. This is what happens when a group is driven by their pockets, not love for the country – even when that negates the very essence (ethics) of their profession.
The media is said to be the fourth realm of the estate – acting in the interest of the nation and the people, balancing the sides of the divide. But in Nigeria today, our media outfit would rather opt for any sensational caption that would drag traffics to their portals to make money than protect the image and the national integrity of the country. Today, the Nigeria media reeks with odious and odoriferous ooze in fakery. They ‘wassail’ in propagating pseudo news – they even compete for it! It is that bad. Notable and hitherto reputable media platforms are now source of fake and unsubstantiated news. these days, they try to outwit one another in breaking fake news and/or damaging reportorial.
These folks are quick to forget the Rwadan ugly, yet saddening experience of the Hutsis and Tutsis where thousands of lives were lost, many properties in billions destroyed as a corollary of fake news. The humongous havoc Rwanda’s media wrecked on the country’s economy and future as a result of its propagation of fake news is better imagined than told. Yet, no lesson learnt by its Nigerian counterpart. What matters is the business side of it – let them make money as much as possible. Nigeria can go up in flames. Who cares?!
Today, the Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Interior, Hon. (Dr.) Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has been in the news consistently for the right reasons in the past 4 – 5 months. But the question is how many of Nigeria’s numerous news tabloids have spoken about his sterling performance since coming on board as one of the many appointees of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. The young Minister has continually shut the gullet of many naysayers who had written off this administration from the word, go! Surprisingly, or rather flabbergastingly (sic), prominent voices from the opposition have also alluded to the fact that Minister Tunji-Ojo is one of the best ‘lads’ in President Tinubu’s cabinet. Only few days ago, the ‘no gree for anybody’ Reno Omokri, former aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan not only wrote to commend HM Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo for his quality leadership, he did a video, following his experience at the Nigeria’s High Commission in London where he had gone to request the renewal of his passport. Omokri praised Minister Tunji-Ojo among others, described their action as commendable.
On his part, not once has he commended the Honourable Minister for the type of leadership deliverables he had so far brought to complement the Renewed Hope mandate of Mr. President. According to him – Hon. Daniel Bwala, the former spokesperson to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during the last presidential election has written to describe Minister Tunji-Ojo as one the very few shining stars among Mr. President’s cabinet members. Known for his assertive positions on national issues, Mr. Bwala did not mince words when he noted that Hon. Tunji-Ojo is actually projecting the Renewed Hope agenda of the Tinubu administration in many positive ways. Maybe it is one of the reasons some persons have described him as the ‘Poster Boy’ of the Tinubu presidency. But ask the Nigerian media how many of them have written on the several milestones of the Minister since his becoming a song on the lips of many Nigerians. How many of them, with questioning minds have even attempted to even conduct an interview with him? That is how to define patriotism in their own world.
For every good piece of information about the country, the media is blind. For every milestone the government or any of its appointees’ record, the Nigeria media is deaf and dumb. The only news that gives them ‘orgasm’ is the bad one. That is what readily increases their bank balances. They all desire a good and working country, but are not ready to be part of the change makers themselves. Sometimes, it takes foreigners to praise the country when they observe something uniquely different. Our media will rather amplify the bad news while playing down on the positive news coming out from the country. The Minister of Interior, Hon. Tunji-Ojo since assumption of office has been breaking shackles across all agencies under his ascendancy.
Only this week, Mr. President launched another initiative of his, the Expatriate Employment Levy (EEL) that would not only ensure near parity between expatriates and workers of Nigerian origin within the country, but also a non-discriminatory policy that equally would generate income for the country. Like his employer, Honourable Minister Tunji-Ojo has proven that he is equally a thinker.
But guess what? How many of our media platforms reported such a milestone – another first in the history of the country. A novel idea by the young minister. One can imagine if it were to be any negative news about the personage of the Minister, it would have made major headlines of most news tabloid, if not all of them. Such is the way our media platforms operate. How do we then ensure a country that is progressive, and opened to more development when the media has repeatedly shown its disdain for a progressive and better Nigeria? Little things, they say, matter.
For the discerning mind, the media should grow up and show patriotism, even if for its optics. It should thenceforth grow up from dashing out awards for the pecuniary benefits attached to it. We have a country to build and everybody must be ready to play their part. When we do not celebrate our best hands in order to encourage them to do more, the ‘pull him/her down’ (PHD) mentality that is peculiar to our media remains an anathema, a disservice to, not only the persons doing fantastically well but also our nation.
OMOGBOLAHAN L.A. BABAWALE
Public Affairs Analyst
Convener/Lead Resource Person
The Think-Tinubu Initiative (3TI)
[email protected]/[email protected]