Abdu Isa Kofarmata
3 November 2008
opinion
Recently I visited a police friend in his office in oneof the state police command headquarters. So many stickers and posters were placed inside his office to emphasize the importance of police in any society.
But the one that attracts my attention reads as follows "If you are dissatisfied with police, try a thug next time you are in trouble." What really amazed me was the option or alternative suggested by the writer to justify the importance of police in our society. Media Trust Limited owners and publishers of Weekly Trust, Daily Trust, Sunday Trust and Aminiya uses a slogan to emphasis the principles and ideals upon which their papers stand for which they want their audience to reflect upon: Trust Is A Burden. However, recent reports in the papers leave much to be desired and contradict this stand. It also indicates a departure in the way the papers treat issues in the country. This leaves many of us in confusion as to whether an alternative to the TRUST is now to be pursued with vigor.
In the Daily Trust of Tuesday October 28, on page 23, the management outlined the following policy for any reader who sought to air his view through any of their papers mentioned above: If there is any accusation against any person or organization such writer(s) must substantiate the claim with evidence which can stand before a court of law. For example if they claim that contract was inflated, they must show Media Trust relevant documents to back this up; The placement must be fully paid for; In the alternative we are prepared to enter into an indemnity agreement with who place such advertorial which will put the onus of proof squarely on them; We wish to assure our readers that we will not shy away from publishing their balanced criticisms of any government or individuals which is in the nature free exchange of ideas.
It is indeed a regrettable decision which might put the Media Trust and its papers in a very bleak perspective and on the road to a total collapse. Those decisions might as well relegate the newspapers to mere regional or tribal newspapers. Before we explore those highlighted guidelines, it imperative that we refresh our memory on what happened to other media houses in the north and southern part of the country. An honest observer in the media industry of Nigeria will agree with me that nothing destroys most of the northern newspapers and magazines more than sycophancy. From President Shehu Shagari through Babangida, Abacha and Abdulsalami, northern press abandon their responsibilities to venture into sycophancy, boot licking, protection of status quo and promotion of individuals under the cover of religion and regional sentiments. Within no time the very northern public that they sought to defend or to deceive abandoned the papers and pledged their patronage of the southern papers in order to have a balanced viewpoint as well as opportunity to bare their minds on national issues. It was through this action that we lost Citizen, Democrat, Reporter, Hotline and many more too numerous to mention.
The same applied to some sections of the southern press. Biased reporting, sycophancy and undue hatred affect their objectivity in analyzing issues. During the late General Sani Abacha's regime, a popular southern magazine took it upon itself to condemn any action of the government even if it was a good action or decision for the fact that a northerner was at the helm of affairs. Suddenly Abacha passed away and within no time Obasanjo was at the drivers' seat. The magazine gradually could not present anything to their readers as the situation was far worse than that of Abacha, and for the fact that it was their own (Obasanjo) that was piloting the affairs, no one should write, talk or complain. Within no time the paper lost credibility and confidence. Patronage was limited to the narrow minded people who can hardly see beyond their locality.
In the first policy guideline stated above, the Daily Trust has clearly revealed its inadequacies in standing the test of time. Therefore, it has proved to all sincere minds that they are all out to protect the current administration from criticisms even where the administration fails. Some examples can suffice here to point out where Trust papers digressed. During the President Obasanjo's administration, many accusations were often advanced on the pages of newspapers without documentary evidence (Trust inclusive) to prove, however to serve as a guide to relevant authority to further their investigation and to bring the issue to the public knowledge and discuss. The press has often served as prosecutors of the government and its officials in the court of public opinion. If the certificate forgery scandal that led to the removal of Alhaji Salisu Buhari from the post of Speaker of the House of Representative was subjected to the current Media Trust procedure of documentary evidence, he would have remained a speaker and all his likes would have been spared and encouraged to carry on with their forgery and falsifications.
Similarly, the recent N300 million scandals in the Federal Ministry of Health which led to the arrest and prosecution of ministers and a senator would not have occurred since the scandal was first alleged in the newspapers without documentary evidence. Recent fertilizer scandal in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture which involves the minister and some contractors was brought to the public knowledge by courageous pressmen. It is pertinent to note that if I have documentary evidence against any public official that can stand before the court of law, why should I need the service of Trust papers? It is rather logical to approach the court and swear an affidavit to substantiate my claim. The documentary evidence requested could not help the petitioner in anyway but would only help Media Trust to sell their papers. The press, as often believed by many rational observers, is a mirror of our society and chief prosecutor in the court of public opinion.
Many of the allegations leveled against the previous administration emanate from the pages of our national newspapers, Daily Trust in particular led the pack of those newspapers that prosecute past government officials in the public opinion court. The Media Trust was emphatic on the payment before any placement is carried out. Of course no one stops a private business undertaking to maximize revenue and profit but the way it was put and perceived by their esteem readers is that a marginalized and oppressed citizen has no sympathy from the Trust newspapers and therefore a common man especially in the north has no other opportunity to cry and air his view no matter his predicament and circumstances.
It is in our knowledge and that of Trust newspapers that wicked and tyrant traditional rulers, corrupt and dictatorial public officers in both states and federal ministries and agencies continue to exist in our system. But Media Trust expects their victims to scout for money just to attract public attention to their plight. All rational thinkers would believe with me in earnest that Trust is all out to protect the status quo and the current leadership, by extension to support the elites in their quest to emasculate and strangulate the defenseless, the weak and the voiceless in our society.
In the last part of the new policy statement, the management expressed their readiness to enter into any agreement which will put the onus of proof on the sponsors/authors of the perceived offensive write-ups. This clearly shows how lazy the paper is becoming. Investigative journalism is what is obtained in any civilized society. A good media house needs only a hint even if it is in form of rumor; the rest is entirely their business. The important role of the press in any civilized society is to instigate and attract public attention on issues which to all right thinking person are detrimental to the growth and development of a particular society. The burden of proof on matters related to this, rest squarely on the relevant government official or agency. Uncovering scandals, corruption, failures even private life of any individual who chooses to hold public office is a primary responsibility of the press while investigation and punishment that might arise there from rest squarely on the good and responsible leadership.
On a final note, I wish to reiterate to the Media Trust management that this singular action is what led to the collapse of many of our northern media houses; it is also one good reason that some of the southern papers could not withstand the situation during the last Obasanjo's administration. Therefore, it is better to retrace your steps, or, alternatively, you are on the sure road to collapse. If trust is a burden, why not try the opposite?
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