..Senatorial Aspirant ‘Ikezue’ Seeks Support of NUJ
By Uzo Ugwunze
Journalists have been
tasked to brace up to the essence of journalism as watchdogs of society, whose
roles include acting as checks by monitoring government, corporate, and
institutional activities to ensure accountability, transparency, and the
protection of democratic processes.
Speaking
during the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council Congress
in Awka on Thursday, Sir Victor Agusiobor, a Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of
Editors, who served as the Chairman of NUJ Anambra State Council for two
tenures, in his keynote address titled, ‘Essence of Journalism in the Society’,
differentiated journalism from public relations, truth-telling from news
writing, and event reporting from interpretative journalism.
He maintained that government will never get it
right or serve its purpose if professional media practitioners/journalists
refuse to depend on brown envelopes, but rather rise to the occasion by holding
public office holders accountable through investigative and interpretative
journalism.
According
to Agusiobor, “As a professional media practitioner, you cannot be serving the
essence of journalism when you publish undiluted puffery for government, when
you become just an explainer and apologist for government. You cannot be
serving the tenets of journalism when you become a lapdog instead of a
watchdog, looking for compensation and approval instead of growling at the
abuses of power.
“Interpretative
reporting is key. You cannot just throw plain facts to the people without
assisting them to understand the significance of a thing, policy, or event. To
push naked facts to the people without assisting them to comprehend, know the
background and significance of those facts. When we learn to write in order to
highlight the significance of a thing, we move into an area of journalism that
we need today - interpretative writing.
“Content
is key. Men of old left us the honorific that ‘the pen is mightier than the
sword’. What honorifics are we contributing to journalism today as the Fourth
Estate of the realm?
“People
older than us in the journalism profession understood that news is actually
different from truth. Harold Lasswell posits that the function of news is to
signalise an event, while the function of truth is to bring to light hidden
facts, set them in relation with each other, and make a picture of reality in
our heads.
“It is
no longer enough to report the facts truthfully; it is now necessary for us to
report the truth about the facts. For instance, if you meet a lying minister
and interview him for one hour, and you do a stenographic report of that
interview and send it out, the report is accurate but it did not serve the ends
of journalism.
“Let no
man confuse journalism with public relations. Men in power and men seeking
power want to hide all things. As a journalist, you should continue to unravel
while they keep hiding their wrongs. If you want to leave that position, leave
journalism,” said Agusiobor.
He
further advised media practitioners to form cooperatives to help themselves,
write books, and engage in other forms of business, saying that it would enable
them to avoid living at the mercy of brown envelopes or handouts from those at
the corridors of power, which have adverse effects on the essence of
journalism, thereby portraying journalists as lapdogs instead of watchdogs.
Moreover,
Venerable Sagacious Ikezue, an aspirant for the Anambra Central Senatorial
seat, during the congress solicited the support of NUJ Anambra State Council in
publicising his intentions and vision, saying that he is on a rescue mission
mandate.
Speaking
through his strong ally, Dr Okey Nwuche, the Anambra Central Senatorial seat
aspirant under the umbrella of the Labour Party, Ven. Sagacious Ikezue, told
journalists that his intention to vie for the position was driven by a reform
agenda anchored on integrity, service, and transformational leadership.
“Ikezue’s
ambition is more than a political pursuit; it represents a call to service and
a commitment to improving the welfare of the people through responsive
representation, progressive legislation, and purposeful leadership. It is a
rescue mission mandate.
“I am
an ardent Catholic, but look at an Anglican Venerable coming out to rescue
Anambra Central Senatorial District. I am above the level of playing religious
politics or supporting someone who is not qualified. I am going to support this
Anglican priest whom I have known for about 30 years now.
“I know
his pedigree, capability, and doggedness. He is the kind of person that Anambra
Central needs. If he gets into the Red Chamber, Anambra Central will no longer
lag behind anymore.
“Ven.
Ikezue is soliciting the support of NUJ Anambra State Council and has promised
to work with us if he becomes a senator,” he said.
Earlier
in his address, the Chairman of NUJ Anambra State Council, Comrade Odogwu Emeka
Odogwu, PhD, congratulated the appointment and reappointment of some political
office holders and commissioners who are friends of the union by His
Excellency, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, saying that their nominations could be traced
to their affinity with the NUJ Anambra chapter.
“Our
NUJ Man of the Year, Hon. Arc Okey Ezeobi, got a promotion to become
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, showing that the Man of the Year
Award brought him to further limelight.
“Some
of the appointees are friends of the NUJ. They have been of assistance to the
union in one way or another. Chukwuemeka Agbata of the ICT agency, ACTDA, Awka
Capital Territory Development Agency, Mr Osita Onuko, we also congratulate the
Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike. He has given us free medical care,
and our very own Dr Law Mefor, the Commissioner for Information.
“These
are people who remember that journalism is the neck towards improving societal
welfare and hang on it to showcase their activities.”
Odogwu
sought further partnership from the political office holders, urging them not
to forget the support from the union.
“Journalism,
as the Fourth Estate of the realm, is the only arm of government that is not
part of the government,” Odogwu said.
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