By ‘Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has said the biggest threat to Nigeria’s nascent democracy is the prevailing extreme monetization of politics and political process by political actors.
Abdullahi, who is a journalist and also a former national spokesman of the ruling All Prjgressives Congress, APC, made this assertion in a lecture titled: ‘Re-engaging the Media for Credible Democracy,’ which he delivered in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The occassion was the 2022 Annual Press Week celebrations of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Kwara State Council, where he stressed that politicians in Nigeria have nearly turned the political process in the country to a business transaction.
He averred that this ugly development had brought out all manners of people, irrespective of who they are, to canvass for elective offices, a situation that is capable of making the electorates poorer and miserable on the long run.
He said, “When politicians pay people to vote for them, the act has taken away capabilities of the people to decide who should govern them. And I think it is the same as soldiers using gun to be in power and politicians using power of dollars to be in power.”
Abdullahi also was of the opinion that likewise, the quality of journalism in the country is a reflection of the nation’s democracy, charging that journalism, his primary constituency, should be able to best deepen the nation’s democracy.
He added, “Journalists should be able play constitutional roles as enshrined in the nation’s Constitution. That is, media practitioners should be able to hold government accountable for adequate provision of education, job opportunity, security, corrupt practices and abuse of power.”
Abdullshi also posited that the constitutional rights of journalists are not sufficient to play expected roles in deepening the nation’s democracy, pointing out that it should be the ability and capability of journalists, to act in exercising these rights.
Also at the event, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, who spoke through Professor Wahab Egbewole; SAN, of the University of Ilorin Faculty of Law, called for a restructuring of journalism practice ahead of the 2023 elections.
He said, “Journalists are regarded as watchdogs, hence their roles in electioneering processes can’t be underestimated. We need to call attentions to what journalists should be doing for setting agenda for 2023.
“There is need for restructuring of journalism practice in Nigeria, because you must report what is seen and not what the news maker wants to be reported.
He added, “We also need to leverage on technology, because as journalists, you are working well, but other users of social media platforms are bastardizing the ethics of the profession.”
Prince Fagbemi also stressed the importance of journalists separating themselves from premodial sentiments beclouding the country like ethnicity and religion.
He averred, “Journalists also need to strive to maintain impartiality, independence and balance.”
Highlights of the Press Week celebrations include giving prestigious awards to
Governors AbdulRahman AbdulRazak of Kwara State and Isiaka Oyetola of Osun State. They were shortlisted by the Week’s Ceremony Committee and approved by congress of the Chapel.
