The Nigerian Media- A sharp contrast between the readers and media houses
The Nigerian media? The thought of a body saddled with the responsibility of disseminating information comes to my mind; undoubtedly we cannot say we have not read a journal at some point.

Growing in Nigeria is a great privilege, I must confess! The age of media has grown to a wider spectrum that has cut across boundaries over the years. But for a country at 55! , there is more to be desired.

The Nigeria media comprises of the print and the electronic; in my own submission I think the print media has been the most devastating during this dispensation.

For about a year, I had being gathering key observations on the internet and other vices, journals, and in this light, I have also followed up responses from readers across the country.
The Nigeria readers have been a washed with numerous news about events, how it changes time and the effects on our populace.

Over the years, newspaper reports both on their online and printed platforms gave accounts of how public officers siphoned monies, while in office and the remarks from the public has been overwhelming. But there is more to be asked; the report sometimes is biased, slanderous and un-checked before dished out to the readers. This has led to legal tussle between the media house and affected persons, that is not to say these claims, are sometimes not substantial.

In 2015, a media outfit in a report ‘bourdillon’ exposed how Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, an ex governor in Lagos state diverted state owned properties to himself. The report was seen as revealing and investigative, one could imagine the exchange of vulgar words on the internet.

I stumbled on nairaland, a prominent online forum that publishes daily events on her front-page to sheer my understanding on this entire issue. The reactions of a cross section of nairalanders was terrible, un-solicitated; I was not surprised at the filing of 100 billion naira suit by the former against the media house (AIT vs. Asiwaju, ref: Google) 2016

In furtherance , I narrowed the Nigeria readers to basically three kinds, the elite group, the irrational group and the ‘jeun jeun’ group ; permit me for extracting a Yoruba , which means ( chop chop)… The ‘jeun jeun’ groups are the most favored, they see nothing wrong in the bad things, and they see right things, in a different light. They are in-consistent; they change in time and weather… The elite group gives objective remarks, while the irrational groups just see things the way they are, without much of investigation.

In this age, when a child of ten years old can log on to facebook, without so much of enlightenment on certain issues, would be seen dishing comments on national matters. The school of thought we should belong and join is that of objectivity, fairness and free of prejudice.

More so, we must begin to censor our comments on the internet, and newspaper materials to avoid any form of confrontations with state authorities, e.t.c

Early this year, a civil servant lost her job, because of what she posted on the internet about the state of economy in her state; there are so many other instances. I am a supporter of an objective reader and media house.

Nigerians must understand, a nation does not grow over-night, it is gradual. Media houses should do more of gate-keeping, in order not to dis-inform the public.
In addition, I suggest to whosoever feels social media or newspaper is the best platform to express his/her views to be more objective and avoid meddling issues. The essence of information is to educate and enlighten, whatever that surpasses that can distort the communicated message.

I clamor for ‘censorship’; newspaper contents , materials , comments should be properly regulated, to avoid causing a war or conflict, as it has being seen in the past and currently in some countries in the middle east and asia.

lastly, do you think the media has more role to play than the readers or should the readers take the role of the media? Sounds ironical!

I REMAIN YOURS TRULY
PAUL OHUNYON. Team lead, DMC
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