May 3 has been earmarked by the United Nations as a day to celebrate and promote freedom of the press.
World Press Freedom day is for the support of media professionals on the issues of press freedom and personal ethics. It is a day of remembrance of those journalists who lost their lives in the pursuit of a story.
The struggle for the control of the press in Nigeria is a dilemma that outlived her existence since the days of the colonial masters.
From 1858 to 1960, the Nigerian press was privately owned. However, this did not guarantee the freedom of speech since the majority of newspaper owners were actively involved in politics. These newspapers tend to protect most of the time, regional interest.
In 1961, the government started an operation to gain control of the press.
In the year 1978, the Nigerian government created the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) for the control of electronic media such as television and radio.
It is true that at this time, electronic media was predominantly owned by privates, the government was able to influence activity and content through the News Agency of Nigeria.
The objective is to conceal sensitive and needed information from the public.
Meanwhile, in May 28, 2011, former President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law the freedom of information act. This is after the longest debate in the history of Nigeria.
The law was passed to promote credible public access to government information in order to ensure transparency and accountability.
Since then, its justifiable implementation is yet to see a daylight.
According to Apuke Destiny (2016), even though press freedom is guaranteed in the constitution of Nigeria, it is only a mere say as there are techniques used by government to boycott what has been enshrined in the constitution.
Painfully, It is in a bid to break the jinx of humiliation of the press that so many journalists have lost their lives in the field.
The reported cases of assault (beating, arrest and even murder) of journalists in Nigeria have witnessed tremendous increase. In 2019, 19 journalists were assaulted while in 2020, the cases sky rocketed to 51.
Political office holders, influential citizens and as well the government have always been the monster that constitute night mare for journalists in Nigeria.
These top placed figures go all out in their way to attack and surpress hardworking journalists just to achieve their dirty interest even if it means life extinction.
It would be recalled in August 2020 of how a former minister of aviation, Femi Fani Kayode rained public abuses and insults on a journalist who was just performing his duty during a tour visit by the former minister to Cross River State.
Nevertheless, it remains commendable that Mr Kayode stooped down his ego and apologized not just to the journalist but to the community of journalists and Nigerians by extension.
Again on October 2020, the National Broadcasting Commission, sanctioned Africa Independent Television, AIT, Arise TV and Channels TV for what it calls a gross violation of the broadcast code, top of which is the use of unverifiable online video footages of #End SARS Protest on the social media.
The development which didn’t go down well with Nigerians was vehemently opposed by the socio-economic right and accountability project (SERAP), the Nigerian Union of journalists among others.
NBC had no other option than to deny it’s earlier move to penalize the media houses.
As the world marks a press freedom day today, it is a solemn call on the government, organizations, institutions, corporate bodies to deeply reflect on the journey of quest for unhindered access to information and heroes who have fallen in the course of this fight.
Nigerians are entitled to hold their political, educational, religious and traditional leaders accountable through the tool of information.
It is Caluin Coolidge who said, “The freedom of the human mind is recognized in the right to free speech and press”.
Happy World Press Freedom Day to all Journalists.
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