Before Abike’s crucifixion
It was rather brave for her to make the transition into the murky waters of politics. But then, again, two terms or more later, she is teaching veteran politicians how to play the game – be on the side of the oppressed, be accountable to your constituency professionally and electorally. No wonder she has neither […]
It was rather brave for her to make the transition into the murky waters of politics. But then, again, two terms or more later, she is teaching veteran politicians how to play the game – be on the side of the oppressed, be accountable to your constituency professionally and electorally. No wonder she has neither lost election nor is embroiled in any vote stealing. Her mandates are never queried. Her earnings are spent on improving the lives of her constituents and long before lawmakers became contractors, this young lady embarked on projects that transformed the lives of her constituents. And for all that, she sought no under publicity either for her philanthropy or her altruism.
In legislation, Abike devotes her time to research and made sure that she brought bills that have social relevance. Yet she did not become a madam that could not be touched by the feelings of the infirmities of others. The much touted Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill that every lawmaker speaks on when they want media mileage is the exclusive brainchild of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, yet ever too dainty to lay personal claim she fights to keep it on the Bunsen burner of parliamentary discourse. For these, Abike Dabiri-Erewa is my own Journalism/Political Goodwill Ambassador Extra-Ordinary.
Sad that in the last few days, Abike must have become a lonely woman, as her impeccable record appeared to have been sullied by the controversial Media Council Bill, a dark horse with her imprimatur. Suddenly all the vipers and the adders in the media stratosphere are spurting their poison at her albeit for their selfish and self-centredness. They finally got a woman to vilify. What a shameful display of crash ignorance and selective amnesia of parliamentary politics. A bill in the reading stage is not a decree, it is a draft – a mere invitation to treat.
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa’s sin is that she did not call them to expensive clubs and court them with cognac and expensive wines – nothing more. For others, she is seeking a bill that exposes their rotten flank and they don’t want that, they have the medium and all she has is an impeccable reputation that they are trying so unsuccessfully to hack into and destroy. They fail. She may not have done the kind of consultation necessary, she may not have lobbied her colleagues and seniors in the profession; the bill itself may be a jumble of ideas, but they are a jumble of noble ideas. They are a cocktail of medications needed for an ailing industry to stay alive and stay relevant.
The journalism profession is in dire need of a dose of self introspection. No profession opens its flanks to charlatans with dubious cash and dubious intentions the way journalism has done in the past three decades. The watchdog needs to turn the mirror on itself and it has proven unable and unwilling to do so. Media ownership may be free it is not a license to ruin a noble profession and this jumble contains ingredients that addresses this fundamental flaw. Let’s seek it and apply it. A journalist may own a patent medicine store, but he needs a qualified nurse or pharmacist to register it and make it legit. Journalism allows any Bala, Bola or Chukwu to establish a new medium for his own selfish desire, recruit professionals or/and quacks, use and dump them the next day. What have these latter day defenders done about that? Nothing!
Media owners fix ridiculous pay and then fail to pay. They tell journalists to use their cards to make ends meet. What have these latter day apostles done about it, nothing! Most journalists are armed and dangerous doing damage to themselves and the profession Abike’s bill is the first effort by any professional to do something about this sorry state, she may not be totally right, she is NOT totally wrong. People who work for media houses are owed arrears of salaries that are left unpaid until they die, even tax deductions are not remitted to relevant authorities making it impossible for retirees to legally enter into business. I am waiting for the Ombudsman to address these issues.
Our profession benefits from other professionals crossing into it, but we must set standards to fully benefit. Who are the people condemning Mrs Erewa, they are those who are most guilty of the crimes that her bill seeks to address. How many reporters are complaining – very few, and perhaps in the presence of their oppressor editors and owners. We all owe it a duty to work on this bill and turn it into what we need and not to pretend that Abike has done the greatest damage to a profession she dedicated a good part of her life and still continues to cherish. We should work with her and those who have the interest of our profession to wrest it from the hands of charlatans and shylocks who have hijacked it from the true professionals and stop pointing accusing fingers on this poor woman. I can bet my last dime that she means well.