Media important to society – German envoy

The envoy made the remarks yesterday in Abuja at a roundtable on “Free media in a free society-Reality or illusion in Nigeria?” organised by a German Foundation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS). While lauding Nigeria for having a “very lively and active media scene” the ambassador said the media is key in promoting democracy and awareness […]

The envoy made the remarks yesterday in Abuja at a roundtable on “Free media in a free society-Reality or illusion in Nigeria?” organised by a German Foundation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).
While lauding Nigeria for having a “very lively and active media scene” the ambassador said the media is key in promoting democracy and awareness among citizens.
KAS Country Representative Mrs. Hildegard Behrendt-Kogozi called for the proper protection of the media and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that cover serious areas of governance. She said while Nigeria could be free in many areas, there are some cultural instances that needed to be discarded. In a paper “The legal and political stand of journalists” by the National Secretary, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Mallam Shuaibu Leman said from 1999 to date, Nigeria could have plundered if not for the resilience of the media and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). He said for no reason, the media have been unwittingly criticised the society for what it has done or failed to do. Leman said it is always difficult to understand the relationship between the media and government because while the government tries to work in secrecy, the media want to hold it accountable to the people which create friction.