At a discourse held today by Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), panellists emphasised that an unhindered space for press freedom would strengthen the country’s democracy.
The discourse, tagged ‘Media and Democracy: How Has Nigeria Fared’, was geared towards measuring how infringement on press freedom set the country back.
In her welcome address, Motunranyo Alaka, the center’s Chief Executive Officer, said democracy day is to awaken the role of media and how did the country fared in the last 24 years of democratic rule.
She acknowledged the role of media in ensuring accountability, saying, “investigation in government activities should be part of democratic development. The WSCIJ is confident that where accountability journalism thrives, democracy will work for the most vulnerable in the society.”
His in words, Dapo Olorunyomi, the publisher of Premium Times, said Nigeria’s democratic journey, cannot be discussed in isolation of the roles played by the media.
“One way of looking at where we are today is to reflect on how the media has functioned since independence, in the very difficult journey to building democracy in Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, the very idea of independence is by the labour of media, emphasizing that the press should be abreast of its responsibility today in order to ensure that the sanctity of democracy is retained.
Another panelist, Stella Din-Jacob, Director News, TVC News wondered if Nigeria’s media has continued to ride on the back of the past heroes and heroines who stood and endured all the challenges in ensuring Nigeria’s democratic growth.
According to her, the media in today’s democracy is under constant attack from those who doesn’t want them to carry out its constitutional duty of holding power to account.
“Democracy came and there are set of challenges where the work of a journalist was not made easier. If you are on a story, you could be sued because the person whom we have elected in government may not like it. A situation may warrant where certain pressures are employed to get you stand down the story,” she stated.
She, however, said despite the challenges, the journalists should consider themselves as watchdogs for the society.
She commended the media for holding firm to its purpose of holding power to account, urging men and women of the pen profession to uphold the principle of integrity, dedication to duty and ensure that what is meant for the vulnerable man gets to him.
Also, Mercy Abang, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hostwriters, said the media has impacted on Nigeria’s democratic journey.
She said the passage of Freedom of Information (FOI) Act is one of the milestone of media contributions to enrich democracy apart from advancement of citizen journalism.
Hafsat Abiola-Costello, daughter of Nigeria’s acclaimed icon of democracy — Chief MKO Abiola — said the media has stood for democracy to strive in Nigeria, acknowledging that the sacrifice made by the media can not be overemphasised.
Hafsat, who doubles as the founder of the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy, however, raised concern on the need to have economic model for journalists to stand out. She argued that if journalists are financially stable, no force can stop them from carrying out their duties.
Other panellists such as Patrick Allam from Space for Change, Tolu Ogunlesi, S.A Digital Media to former President Buhari also talked extensively about the role of media in ensuring democratic growth, especially with the advent of citizen journalism.
