Gbolahan Balogun
The Ruwanzafi Deck of the National Association of Seadogs, also known as the Pyrates Confraternity has urged media practitioners in the country to brace up to the challenges of their duties, calling for greater enhancement of media-government relations to improve the legal environment for freedom of expression.
The Nigerian press today, more than at any other times is caught between the sacred duties imposed by the callings and survival in the faces of economic crunches and the security challenges posed by the job.
But unfortunately, the well-being and survival of democracy depend on the journalists’ propensity to speak truth to power and expose the lies of people in government as well as individuals.
The association in a statement marking this year’s International Democracy Day, Thursday, in Ilorin said it could never be truer, as captured by the United Nations' theme for the year’s celebration that more than ever, democratic principles are more under threat and thus the need to focus on the importance of media freedom to democracy, peace, and delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The theme, in every sense, speaks to the state of the nation and the media systems that have characterised governance in Nigeria, even more of recent”, the association observes.
The Deck Capoon, Engineer Adeolu Sayomi said Nigeria has a vibrant and pluralistic press, albeit constrained, that have been able to keep the public informed on matters of public interest, observing that it is a key ingredient to democracy.
He however noted that there are growing attempts to silence journalists and the fact that government and key political players are growing brazen by the day.
He said “the seeming freedom inherent in the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act has become almost pyrrhic as the legal instruments that gave it has also put obstacles in the ways of the journalists, for its use. It does not seem that the FOI Act is worth celebrating”
“Most states in Nigeria, if the Act is domesticated at all, have not given half-full vent to its implementation, but are rather quick to give fangs to the Public Protection Act, POPA, which protects states actors”
The Capoon said the National Association of Seadogs, as a major stakeholder in every fight against impunity and injustice, remains at the vanguard of every coordination framework to protect the journalists and fight aggression towards journalism.
“I am reiterating the message of Antonio Guterres the Secretary General of the United during the last World Press Freedom Day, and urging, as he did, that governments, media organisations and everyone, to support the work of the media in speaking truth to power, exposing lies, and building strong resilient institutions and societies” The statement concluded.
Comments powered by CComment