THE NIGERIAN PRESS: THE JOURNEY SO FAR OBETEN,PRINCE WOFAI DEPT.OF MASS COMMUNICATION,HERITAGE POLYTECHNIC,IKOT UDOTA EKET,AKWA IBOM STATE. Nigeria INTRODUCTION The sailing of Nigeria ship in politics from Colonial era have been in conjunction with some people who can be described as the Nation builder because of the role they have played in Nigeria political development among whom is the Press 1 ; who make good use of their institution to contribute immensely to development of Nigeria despite the fact that the political arena is unfriendly to them. The Press which is the bone of contention here makes judicious use of the institution to enhance nationalist struggle which later extend to different dispensation that we have been as well as different military era and currently democratic dispensation of ours which as a matter of fact; not a Child play. Men of the press were humiliated and victimized which even worst during Military era with slighted differentiation during Civilian era. Despite the above, the institution and its men were determined, as a result of which they faced the different challenges created by the political arena which make them to deserve our kudos. It is undisputable fact that given kudos to men of the press and the institution at large does not mean that 100% success were recorded by them because of the imperfect nature that is peculiar to human being coupled with the presence of some Shaft among them but determined members among them make it necessary. In lieu of the above, this paper beck to examine holistically with respect to all forms of government operated in this Country in relation to the performance of her constitutional role. The paper will also attempt to analyze the myriad of problems and challenges confronting the Nigerian Press and finally recommend a way forward toward achieving an independent Nigerian Press. Historical background and development of the Nigeria press in the political arena The historical background and development of the Nigerian Press commenced with the printing media on 3 rd December 1859 by a Christian Missionary named Reverend Henry Townsend who established the first Newspaper in Nigeria called “Iwe Iroyin fun awon Egba ati Yoruba” which literary means “A Newspaper for the Egba and Yoruba 2 Nations” {Ese Malemi, 1999} in today’s Abeokuta the Capital city of Ogun State to promote literacy and build up elites among the then EGBAs 3 and not with current serving political motive but as a matter of fact succeeding Newspapers choose contrary with an indelible footprint as far as political history of Nigeria is concerned. The demise of ‘Iwe Iroyin’ later resulted to the emergence of other Newspapers like Anglo-African, Lagos Time and Gold Coast Advertiser, Lagos Observer, The Eagle and Lagos Critic, The Mirror, The Nigerian Chronicle, The Lagos Standard, Lagos Weekly Record, African Messenger, The West African Pilot, Nigerian Tribune {Reuben Abati, 1998}. 1 According to Black’s Law Dictionary 8 th Edition at page 1223 the word ‘Press’ means the news media; print and broadcast news organization collectively . . . could refer to one or more subsets of media, defined either by function or form. Also Webster’s NewWorld Thesaurus in its New Revised Edition at pg. 584 perceived it synonymous as the Fourth Estate, Publishers, Publicists, Newsmen, Newspapermen, Journalists, Journalistic Writers, Editors, Correspondents, Political Writers, Columnists, Periodicals, Print Media, Periodical Press, Papers, Newspaper 2 The Egbas are those that currently grouped as Ogun Central Senatorial District of Nigeria while the then Yoruba Nation are those that currently constitutes South-West Region of Nigeria Page 2 9 ARO Olaide Ismail: Continental J. Sustainable Development 2 (1): 8 - 19, 2011 The era not only resulted to the emergence of Newspapers in Nigeria but also gave birth to an articulated vibrant and veteran journalists who made judicious use of this created institution {press} to fight Colonialist under nationalist struggle which gradually led to Nigeria Independence in 1960 and as a matter of fact, this has placed them in front role in Nigeria political arena since then. Corroborating this, M. H. Kukah {1999} 4 stated that journalism was the major vehicle through which the anti-colonial struggle in Nigeria was carried out. Many of the Major figures in this struggle are Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ernest Ikoli, Obafemi Awolowo, Anthony Enahoro, Dutse Mohammed Ali, Mokwugo Okoye to name but a few who were newspaper publishers, journalists, commentators and or editors. Their newspapers served as platform for mobilising the people, spreading nationalist awareness and for opposing the worst manifestation of colonial subjugation and the racialism which is customary to them. Also Fred Omu {1978} the pre- eminent historian of the Nigerian Press said the early Nigerian Press provided the most distinguished intellectual forum in Nigeria history. One in which the high standard of debate, discussion, the quality of thought and expression cannot fail to fascinate the modern reader. Interestingly, Nigerian Press moved beyond publication industry to electronic industry around 1932 when radio broadcasting was introduced as a relay of the British Empire service with the establishment of a Relay Station in Victoria Island {parts of today’s Lagos State} through which broadcasting were made to major Cities in Nigeria via wired-wireless called Radiofusion {‘Goke Raufu, 2003}. This was succeeded by Radio Nigeria which was established through Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation {NBC} incorporated and operates under Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation Ordinance of 1956 was subsequently divided along with 3 Regions we have in Nigeria then under the control of the concern Region and headquarter remain in Lagos. The regionalisation introduced then coupled with political bias of Radio Nigeria as well as inadequacy as regards coverage and availability of market to be exploited by commercial broadcasting inter alia instigated the then Western Region spearheaded by the Late Legend; Chief Obafemi Awolowo to inaugurate Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation {WNBC} around May 1959 and successfully went on air in the same year. The Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation {WNBC} was followed on 31 st October 1959 by Western Nigeria Television {WNTV} which as a matter of fact served as the first television station in Nigeria and Africa at large and later emulate by other Region around 1962. After the Independence, the Nigerian Press was so developed to the extent that so many Newspapers and Magazines were established, and electronics media such as WNTV, WNRC and NBC among others have been metamorphosed to Nigerian Television Authority {NTA} and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria {FRCN} with many stations across the Nation 5 as well as other stations owned by the State Governments. Although, private individuals were not empowered to own electronic media as it is for publishing counterparts. The interesting fact about Nigerian Press at this stage of our political development is that men of the press continuously playing their roles which appears as a threat to the selfish desires of some people in government who intend to monopolised and controlled the public space as a result of which instruments available in government were sagacious use to achieve their objectives. Not only that, men of the press move to the extent of informing the people that the primary motive of the Colonialist Successors were not different from the 4 Other Journalists that emerged then are Sir Kitoyi Ajasa, John Payne Jackson, Thomas Horatio Jackson, F. H Braithwaite, Akinwande Savage, Nelem Abam, Magaji Dambata, Babatunde Jose to name a few 5 Available FRCN Stations are Radio Nigeria 1 Ibadan, Radio Nigeria 1 Lagos, Radio Nigeria 2 Ibadan, Radio Nigeria 2 Lagos, Radio Nigeria 3 Lagos, Radio Nigeria Abuja, Radio Nigeria Enugu, Radio Nigeria Kaduna, Aso FM Abuja, Voice of Nigeria and other sub stations. While that of NTA are NTA Aba, NTA 12 Abeokuta, NTA Abuja, NTA Akure, NTA Awka, NTA Bauchi, NTA Benin, NTA Calabar, NTA 8 Enugu, NTA Ilorin, NTA 5 & 7 Ib
Posted on: Tue, 06 Aug 2013 17:30:44 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015