This discourse is almost similar to what ardent readers read on this page last Sunday. Both pieces deal with the need for the media to pick up, once again, her agenda setting responsibility for the sake of our country. The first looked at the matter from a general perspective but in this outing we will try to speak in very specific terms. The emphasis given to the matter is vital. We got independence in 1960, and more than 60 years after, many believe it could have been better if we remained under colonial rule. The reason being that not much has been done by way of sustainable development.
Many countries that were at par with us at the time of independence like Brazil, China and India, to mention a few, have recorded giant leaps in national development. Malaysia that was coming to our country to buy palm oil and palm seedlings is today on the verge of stepping into the circle of the First World nations. Yet this is where we are at middle of the pack of Third World countries. Our case is all the more very painful when it is known that more than most countries, we are blessed in terms of population, land mass with abundant natural resources and quality human capital to go with it.
We all agree the main problem has been poor quality leadership, the problem has been identified and should be very easy to solve but in our case this has not been the case simply because all we do is to keep harping on the challenges, sometimes identify the problem and even the solution but nobody or group is courageous to lead the redemption move. We just sit back expecting those who created the problem to solve it. We forget that problems are hardly solved by the forces that created them. To solve the problem will require the application of a new force greater than the one that brought on the challenge.
Within this context there is need to bring in the sovereignty, who are the people, to dictate what should be and to ensure it is done. This is where the media in all formats come into the mix. The people may be tormented and really traumatized by developments around but if history is anything they are not likely to rise and fight except theY observe the rise of a positive vanguard who clearly understands the whole issues, what is at stake and what it will take to overthrow existing order and to have a new, progressive one put in place.
Under a democratic setting only two groups qualify to play this role and do so efficiently: they are the media and the Labour movement. Of the two, the media has the most potent ability as most of us already know the pen is mightier than the sword. Labour will mobilize the work force but media has capability to rouse the entire population in a given direction. Last week we saw a glimpse of the little efforts of the media producing some interesting results with members of the civil society organisations (CSOs) rising after a long period of inactivity to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to get away from what is becoming a lethargy to sign the new electoral bill. This is exactly what it ought to be all the time, especially over matters that are cardinal to proper development of our space and the human elements in it.
If one had his way the Nigeria Guild of Editors, Nigeria Union of Journalists and other allied media associations ought to keep a perfect relationship with the CSOs in the interest of proper development of our country. The relation seems not to be in place right now. We demand those concerned work on it and reach a working understanding. The country needs it.
The other point, and a very vital one, is that the media must be made to refrain from acts that give one a leading placement above others on account of platform or visibility gained by advantage of having more finance. It is time our media begin to change conventional grounds for grading candidates and creating new paradigms based on our peculiar circumstances and needs. If we pick from America and Britain which for decades have provided us examples, one thing to take away will be the fact that at the beginning of leadership selection process, what usually would matter may not be the deep pockets or platforms,
What stands out include aspirants grasp of the national issues, his ideology and personal positions. Sanders in the American presidential race had a rich resume, great personality and amazing vision, we came to know because the media gave him ample space but he couldn›t jell with the greater majority of his party members because they feared his thoughts good and favourable to average American, he was straying very close to socialism. But anyway they heard first before they could assess him because media gave him space to ventilate his ideas. It should be so here or even better, media should draw on ideas if we did the people would have known President Buhari would take us to the precipice on account of religious irredentism.
There is need for a return of Interview of the Week and more than four pages would be needed to place interviews with aspirants /candidates, where the media make them talk on specifics and intended policies and programs. Last time Buhari ran on three points agenda – fight corruption, build the economic and stemming insecurity. There were no specifics; so midway we begin to ask for democratization of policing, calling for state police, having increase in pump pricing of petrol, when the pathways ought to be settled matters before we went to the polls. Let public office seekers speak to us in very specific manner this time.
Finally, it has become imperative for the media to open pages dedicated to recalls, Nigerians should know past positions of office seekers on national issues. Kwakwanso former Kano state governor once went to Oyo State to harass a sitting governor over herders clashes, he also abandoned his party over disagreement on zoning the presidential seat, this was in 2015. Few years after he is criticizing the same government he worked to put in power, alleging their actions have almost torn the nation apart. He has formed a movement for a Nigeria and to him it is merit as zoning no longer makes sense. He and Atiku Abubakar shared near sentiment and acted similar even now.
I can›t judge but such positioning made known will help the citizens respond most appropriately. Media must open their platforms to all and pure news and public interest sessions must be separated from commercials. We must discourage media practitioners in the states from placing prices for media interactions with candidates. Such acts never helped anyone.