By Okike Ezugwu
We have had many instances where an event was suspected of being twisted in the popular Nigerian media – allegedly against the South-East. Such incident–whether such impression was justified on each circumstance is a subject for a more elaborate debate–always had Igbo people complaining that their own people are not investing in the media. “The Lagos-Ibadan Press,” as the Nigerian media is cynically called, was at it again. We should learn to tell our own story; it was compulsorily further screamed. I am not a subscriber to the mania about an apocryphal outsider teleguiding and manipulating the Igbo people. But taking ownership of one’s own story is important, one must say, if you consider the enormous importance of the media in 21st century economy and diplomacy. The charge of media deficit in the South-East is also an evidence-based observation.
Some individuals are taking the call seriously. While I am not a professional media person, I am a keen observer of the industry, partly because it could be a force for much good, and more because it could also be a force for much evil. Paying attention places one in a position to know when a lie is being worked on the population–the intent, and prepares one, most importantly, for counter measures. This has been my attitude towards the media, an industry in which I would accidentally come to have many friends.
Ikenga Online is one such outlet boldly responding to the bugle. I have followed their publications for more than one year now. They have had their eyes primarily, from my observation, peeled for the South-East. After an appreciable period of observation, it was not hard seeing that the outlet is operating an ideal that is profoundly public-spirited and noble. And one thing going for the publishers here, professionally speaking, is that they are not being overwhelmed by their patriotic intent such as to develop blind spot for any viewpoint, opinion, or event which appears not to support their fundamental bias— which I should hasten to add is to be on the side of the people and hold public functionaries accountable. I think everybody should accept as a fact that the people are not always right, pitted against the state. The reason it is important to know when it becomes a war of blame or when greater public good demands that government efforts are supported. They have been balancing the scale pretty smartly.
To a good degree, their works are devoid of partisan bias or any obsessive fervor. Their method in collecting data has been fairly rigorous. One sees how they set out to stay apart from the disorderly jumble of blogging happening in Nigeria where the race is about who breaks a sensational piece of news first, for traffic. They are thorough and circumspect and reserve commendable respect for evidence. More to their credit, they have become a veritable platform for objective and critical voices in the Nigerian and South-Eastern affairs.
Consider for example, the historically momentous work Ikenga undertook accessing the tenures of the past governors of Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu states. While they have undertaken other investigative works which caused shifts in government policy, that work appears to be their finest hour— yet. I consider the work important academic material as it was based on verifiable and rigorously collected data, and not like an opinion a columnist writes from his chair after a good cup of hot coffee. Before this time, governance and politics in the South-East have been pathetically under-analyzed. Looking back, if you would take this as an instance, you would find little objective literature pertaining to what happened during the tenures of Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State and Sen. Orji Kalu of Abia state. Let this example be sufficient. The events, funny enough, are beginning to wear the air of some antiquity despite being very recent. What could be responsible for this if not the absences of a homegrown and industrious media which would have bequeathed the people with objective literature. Outside occasional opinion articles in News Watch and other national dailies, one finds little literature, how much more what one could consider truly objective. If Ikenga Online would stay committed and true to their cause, true to the near thankless job of objective journalism, they would do a great service to not only the people but also to history going into the future.
Afia TV is also filling the space left in broadcast journalism. One could stroll into their studio located in Enugu and grant interview over important topics and by so doing provoke the public. It is hard, at this point, pinning Afia to any ideological ground or partisan bias—like the potentially pretentious new bride in our proverb, their true color is not fully known. But it is important to sound a warning. Afia must not accept to become the stooge of any government or individual. I am not also advocating that it should be turned into an un-appeasable critic of government. I advocate, rather, a balance—defenders of state policies should be pitted against their opposers to stimulate healthy debates. Afia Tv, I can remember, got into public consciousness during the 2023 governorship election. Those who wanted to hear the Enugu governorship election results announced in real time were left stranded after they turned to the Arise and Channels TVs to find them focusing on other parts of the country. It was then whispered that there was a home-centric Tv broadcasting the results live. Afia did a great job reporting the drama which trailed that eventful election, and that remains their finest hour.
I understand, quite frankly, that the temptation for every piper to get a paymaster could be enormously mouthwatering. The cost is however colossal. Any day it becomes a concluded public opinion that any media outlet or house is bought over to become the propaganda machine of the state or even to relentlessly push the ideas or politics of an individual, such media becomes a walking corpse, merely taking stock of how much its funeral would cost. I love Afia. I don’t know the owners but I have been there to analyse law a couple of times. I love Ikenga too, and have contributed a number of opinion articles to them. I still want to love them tomorrow. For now, they are doing great job for the people and enriching the history of journalism, but they must not grow unmindful of the unquestioned fact that whatever politicians touch turns sour.
Okike Ezugwu, a lawyer and writer, can be reached via ezugwuokike@gmail.com
