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He expresses strong believe about it. Occasionally, he shows sorrow in order to explain
what he calls lack of integrity in the profession he once served as the President. Lanre
Ogundipe, former NUJ president from 1997 to 1999, speaks his mind without mincing
words. He simply detests the situation whereby anyone can call herself a journalist without
the necessary qualification. “Journalism is not a vocation but a profession,” he insists.
Applying anecdotes and retrospect, Ogundipe, former Pastor New Covenant Church
Budapest, talks about the roles of the press and what it must do to restore the glory of
yesteryears. He predicts danger in a situation where indicted politicians are now publishers.
Although he regrets that certain individuals have turned journalism into a cash and carry
venture while the Press Council fails to indict erring journalists, he is optimistic about the
press survival. Excerpt:


“The Nigerian Press Losing Its Glory”
By Hakeem Babalola

What do you think should be the roles of the fourth estate in a fragile democracy
like Nigeria?

The word fragile is subjective. But if you put it in a democracy set up in Nigeria, it will be
more subtle. If we have to define fragile, it means something that is breakable; things that
are not very strong. I sincerely believe democracy in Nigeria is strong, strong in the sense
that the players are the ones that should be up and clean. Democracy in Nigeria is not
different from what they’re practicing in (the) US or elsewhere. But the only difference is the
players. (Now) when we talk about that one and we move into the details, we would now
begin to identify rules being played by each of the sectors or the components that make the
entire things to work. It is not only the media; it is not only the press. We have the judiciary,
we have the executive, and we have the legislature and we have other aspects (of it). But in
sustaining the democracy in Nigeria, the media has to be very honest. The emphasis on
being very honest is that whatever we do, it must not be that (the) Nigerian press are only
on duty when they are being induced either monetarily, with appointment or whatever. You
see, being the fourth estate of the rank means the press is a social conscience of any
nation. Therefore, the press must divulge and purge itself of any elements that would corrupt
it for shouldering the responsibility of being a truly watchdog of the society and the
conscience of the nation. It is only when the press maintain that level that we could play an
active role in the sustenance of democracy. When the press (are) now becoming a
commercial thing….cash and carry sort of, there’s no role meant for the press in
maintaining or sustaining democracy. Because once your hand is soiled, there’s a popular
dictum that says he who goes to equity goes with a clean hand. I think we need to re-
phrase that dictum now: that he who goes to equity not only goes with a clean hand but
must go with a clear conscience.  When the press does not have a clear conscience, then
there’s no way that whatever you preach will be adhere to.   

In that case, should nation building be the priority of the press?

Like I said earlier, nation building is not solely the work of the press alone. We have other
components. Apart from those ones that are constitutionally recognised, other professional
bodies also have means of contributing to the nation’s development……

The question is should nation building be the priority of the press?

Yes, it should be its priority. This is because it is the fourth estate of the realm. Journalists
are also regarded as the social conscience of the nation. And if the social conscience of the
nation bestowed on the media by the role they are playing in any given society is soiled in
whatever form, it would be difficult for that nation to grow. Take for example the years we
were under the military in Nigeria. Thank God that we have few elements in the law
profession crying on top of their voices to make things known. Thank God that we have few
elements in the medical profession. Thank God we have them in other professions. People
that bore all these sorry things that the military has foot stamped on the nation. Go and
check the roles of the press in nation building. It is so strategic that you cannot undermine
the press when it comes to nation building. Once the press is compromise, it affects the
structure of that nation. And be it whatever, the press has a role in nation building.

But what if the press got the idea of nation building wrong?   In what form is that?

For instance, we’ve been having autocratic regimes in which the press either directly or
indirectly supported. Today, we are still facing the same problem  
The Nigerian media even during the pre-independence has championed whatever has
become of Nigeria nation up till date. Having said that, I do not even remember when the
media veered off its way to support any dictatorial regime in Nigeria. But as a matter of fact,
I would say that individual practitioners, not the media as a group now, individual
practitioners might have veered off their way in lending support to some of these autocratic
regimes. The media in Nigeria could not be accused of lending support to autocratic
regimes. I can mention on my finger tips many of the war we have waged against dictatorial
regimes in Nigeria.

Please do mention those wars

Ok, you would remember when Gowon was shifting dates of handing over to a
democratically elected government; it was the media that championed it. It was what led to
the 1975 coup that brought Murtala/Obasanjo regime into being. Though the media did not
participate in organising coups, but vehemently opposed to it. Of course most of us were
young then. I had not even become an active journalist during that period but I was a
prospective person eager to enter into the profession. But I remember what the media did
then. We knew the writings of Alade Odunewu, Ebenezer Williams, the late Abiodun Aloba,
Sam Amuka the publisher of Vanguard now. We knew the roles they played even when the
Shagari regime between 1979 and 1983 were becoming more notorious in swindling
government money. We knew the roles the Nigerian press played in spite of the hardship
they were forced to grasp with during the regime of Buhari/Idiagbon – under decree 4. The
Nigerian press never succumbed to that pressure. The battle was fought on a hard line.
Many of my colleagues went to prison. Tunde Thompson was imprisoned, Uduka Irabor was
sent to jail under the same decree. And even when Babangida came on the saddle,
preaching democracy to us – a military man preaching democracy to us! The Nigerian press
never blinked an eye in spite of the fact that many of our senior colleagues were real loaded
into supporting that regime. And that is why I said you can’t accuse the entire media of
complicity in supporting autocrat regimes. You may be able to single out individuals who let
credence to those illegitimate governments at any point in time. The Nigerian press has
stood by the Nigerian public all the time, even till now in spite of some misgivings apparent
in the practice.
 
Are you saying that journalism of yesteryears is the same as that of today in
Nigeria?

No, I am not saying that. You would be getting it wrong if you say that journalism of
yesteryears is the same practice that we have today. Thank God for the technology
advancement, thank God for the institutions of higher learning that we have ……our
graduates in mass communication, language arts and the rest of it. This is a good
improvement on what we had before. Because what we had before was just any dropout
finding succour in becoming a journalist. But in the last twenty years, things have changed.
We now have graduates becoming journalists. We have PHD holders who are journalists.
These are the positive sides. However if you look at the practice today, many things have
crept into the practice that were not there before. The kind of training we had when we were
court reporters was that you couldn’t make money in journalism but you can make name.
And we were well grounded in the integrity of the profession. What is paramount in our mind
is that we want to excel. It is not the issue of money. We have to be honest at this point.
The profession doesn’t have second hand value. You’re only remembered when you’re in
active duty. Once you’re thrown off duty, nobody remembers you. And I think that was what
the new generation in the practice saw.

What do you mean by the new generation?
I mean the new comers into the profession.

From when to when?

The advent of this something (new generation) became noticeable in the early 90’s but it
was not that obvious. Towards the late 90’s an average journalist would tell you that they
wanted to make money. And then they go out to do all sorts of things that we consider
abominable in the practice of the profession. Because if you pass through the likes of
Osoba, Sam Sam (Amuka Penu), Gbolabo Ogunsanwo, Tola Adeniyi, Yemi Farounbi and
the rest, you won’t be thinking that you want to go and compromise to get money. Because
you know if your boss gets to know in the office, you’ll be fired. Today, those who sit as
editors send reporters out to do all these nonsense. Mind you, there are editors and there
are editors. We know as of today many editors in Nigeria that would raise their heads come
rain come sunshine. But we have also seen that many mushroom news media
organisations have sprung up overnight.

Can you mention the names of these mushroom news media?

I won’t mention names. I won’t mention names. But we have seen that many mushroom
media organisations have sprung up overnight to say that they are media practitioners. And
these sets of people have corrupted the entire system. Imagine someone who wakes up
from the other side of his bed establishing a newspaper and recruiting journalists. Governors
indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are springing up both left and
right coming up with newspapers. And these are the people being rated as the best that
could happen. See, this is part of the abomination we are witnessing in the media practice.
So every structure has been thoroughly politicised.      

Is journalism a vocation or profession?

Well, Journalism is not a vocation. And I beg to disagree. Journalism is not a vocation.
Journalism is a profession. We had a running battle over this some years back. The fore
runners in the profession like I said allowed Tom, Dick and Harry free assess to come into
practice. Even the government looks down on journalists. I remember my days as the
president of NUJ. I took one of the ministers up. His name is Sarumi, information minister
under Obasanjo. Even in age, I am his senior. I left school before him. How could such
person now be looking down on me, calling me press boy? And I told him he had better
stopped that. I won’t take that one from anybody be you president of Nigeria. I am not a
press boy. And it’s because journalists can be called at any point for events. One idiot
could just pick up a phone saying, please can you give us coverage and journalists are
running there. Can you pick up your phone and call any medical doctor to come and meet
you? Can you call any lawyer that you’re having any event – without any prior notice? Can
you walk into any surveyor’s office and ask him to pick his gadgets to survey the land for
you? That is what our fore runners in the profession turned the thing into. I have a degree,
you have a degree so what makes a doctor better than a journalist? We were canvassing to
be treated like any other reputable professions. Journalists deserve to be treated like a
lawyer or a doctor.  Therefore, journalism is not a vocation, it’s a profession. Now I can go to
court and handle a case by myself. Does that make me a lawyer without going to any law
school? I can be versed in legal something or whatever. That does not make me a lawyer. I
don’t have a prerequisite to become a lawyer. I have to go to school and learn the trade. So
because you have flair for writing does that make you a journalist? I have seen many
columnists calling themselves journalists. Like my respected egbon, Lam Adesina would
call himself a journalist. He is not a journalist. He’s not. The mere fact that you can write
does not make you a journalist. We call them opinion or feature writers. But if you’re a
journalist, you must have a qualification, a prerequisite that qualifies you.

Like?    

HND OR OND in mass communication or a diploma from any recognised institution of
journalism – that is accredited by the technical board. So you can’t just come, and that was
why we said that without a prerequisite in mass communication or journalism or language
arts, you’re unqualified to become a journalist. But it’s only in journalism you see someone
with BA Arabic or BA Yoruba becoming a journalist. That is one of the fundamental issues
we have been fighting over years in setting out roles and objectives for the journalism
practice in Nigeria. So in that sense what makes you a journalist is to have a right
qualification  What makes you a journalist first and foremost is that you must have training,
training in journalism or mass communication. Not just BA UTC, or BA Kingsway or BA
Leventis (Laughter).

What about someone who doesn’t have the qualification but has been in journalism
for a long time?

Like I said, we have our forerunners in the profession who do not have basic prerequisites
but over the years they have practised and excelled in the profession. Yes, we acknowledge
them…we receive them…we regard them. Those are the forerunners. But let me tell you,
there’s no media organisation in Nigeria today that would employ someone who doesn’t
have a paper qualification in journalism. They won’t allow you to practice because you’ll
become a liability. Imagine you don’t know anything about syntax and figurative! Our tool is
the language. When you don’t have the command of the language, what are you going to
work with?

Then somebody who has BA in English could practice journalism since he has the tool you’
ve just mentioned Somebody who has BA in English could say I have BA in English. But if
you know you want to practice journalism, go for a post graduate diploma. For God sake, go
for a post graduate diploma. For having just BA in English does not qualify you to become a
journalist.

Now, is journalism an end onto itself or a stepping stone?
Well, we have many lawyers for example in the profession now. Prince Tony Momoh is one.
He is a journalist and a lawyer. My good friend in the Guardian, Gbadamosi, is also a
journalist before becoming a lawyer. We have Ranti Adeleti, a distinguished media man
before becoming a lawyer. It depends on individuals. Yusuf Olaniyonu, the editor of ThisDay
is a lawyer. Tunji Bello is a lawyer; he was the editor of the defunct National Concord. We
have array of them in the media profession.

Is it part of the ethics of the profession for a journalist to become government’s
spokesperson?  

Hum… one, every government wants relationship with the media. It needs an individual
within the press who could bridge the gap; someone to inform the entire public about its
programmes and events. There’s nothing bad in that. We have minister for health who is a
medical doctor because he knows that sector. It would be difficult for any governor to have
picked a layman like me to head the ministry of health. I may have a faint idea but I won’t be
able to handle many of the issues that would come – professionally.

So you support the idea of journalists being spokespersons for governors and presidents
Who else could have done that job if not the media man! It’s the media related issue. That’s
the essence of what I have been saying. It’s the media related office. Who else could have
been appointed? So a media man can be offered the job for as long as he is
competent.         
 
You were the NUJ national president between 1997 and 1999. Describe your
experience. Was your life in danger at any time? Did you at any time feel conflict
of interest? Why did you serve only 2 yrs?

Well, my life has always been like that from the onset even before I became the NUJ
national president. I have been an activist all along within the labour group. Even at the state
level when I was the chairman, some of the governors in my area of jurisdiction then found it
so difficult to relate with me. They thought I was hot-headed. And I was on the security
watch most of the time. But during my period of leadership as NUJ president which was
under the Abacha regime – and you know what that means.  When many people were
running away from the country, I was offered to be ferried out of the country but I refused to
be ferried out because I knew we were pursing a goal and I was committed to that goal.  
And we thank God that we were able to see it through.

And what was the goal?

Yes we were asking Abacha to leave. And as we had it God took him away from the place.

So your life was in danger
Oh yes, oh yes, there’s no doubt about that…there’s no doubt about that.

Can you mention a specific case when your life was in danger?
I don’t think I want to talk about that now. You would find some of these things in my
memoir later.

Do you think that Nigerian journalists are better than those they criticise? And what
should be the objective of writing?

One, I could not determine what should be the objective of writing. Neither would I suggest
that this particular something should be the objective of writing. But are Nigerian journalists
better than those they criticise? I would say no. Even some of the things we criticise others
of doing, we are worse…we are worse. I don’t want to bring it down to specifics. There’s a
part in the bible that says before you can remove specks from another man’s eyes, first
remove your own. And that is what I would also recommend to the journalism profession.
Most of the things we criticise others of doing, when we are given the privilege to make a
change we often throw such privilege to the dogs. So that is what I would say. We often
throw such privilege to the dogs.


Who are your role models?

My role models! I may run into problem in that. But I know that I have people that I admire.
But I would leave the issue of role model to some other day. But I have people that I admire.

What about those you can vouch for in the profession today?

In the press today, I still have a few people. When I say few and I mean few. We thank God
that people like our elder brother and our senior, Sam Amuka Pemu is still alive…Sam
Sam, the publisher of Vanguard, is one person in a million that I would forever doff out my
hat for. The man stand for anything you could call honesty. And that has been his life all
through. There are several others even among the new generation. We still have a few that
we can be proud of.    

Is it acceptable if journalists accept bribe, gratification or patronage as long as they
don’t suppress information?

Let me put it this way. For as long as you take gratification from any one, your sense of
judgement has been bought. Once you take any gratification from anybody, your sense of
judgement has been bought. Your conscience has been bought. We often make this joke in
the newsroom. When a colleague enters the newsroom and others are saying that this story
smells Gulder (beer) what they are saying invariably is that such colleague has received
gratification. One of my big ogas (Mr Felix Adenaike) would say, “Look, if you want to make
money in journalism, get out of that profession. You can’t make two things together in
journalism. Even up till now he often reminds me of this whenever I meet with him. If you
want to pick money pick money and if you want to pick a career, a name for yourself – pick
it. You can’t have money and make a name. But these days we have people who take both
left and right and still in the good reckoning. They are the ones people recognised. We have
them. We have them in the media.

  
Don’t you think the “CODE OF ETHICS FOR NIGERIAN JOURNALISTS” is outdated
judging from the way journalism is being practiced today in the country? For
example, Sec 8 (VIOLENCE) says “A journalist should not present or report acts of
violence, armed robberies, terrorist activities or vulgar display of wealth in a
manner that glorifies such acts in the eyes of the public”.

I think the code of ethics that we reviewed in 1997 or 1998 in Ilorin ought to have been
reviewed by now. Because that aspect you’re referring to has been defeated by the
reportage of violence in the media. When we came up with this submission in Ilorin in 1998,
what was at the back of our mind that time was to protect the interest of the nation; to
protect the life of the citizens; and not to endanger the life of our younger ones by exposing
them to these kinds of news item! It’s what was in our mind when we gathered in Ilorin to
enact this particular CODE OF ETHICS. But also let me bear my mind out on this so there
won’t be any ambiguity. The norms and practice of the profession have been thrown into the
waste bin for long. I remember when some of us were being recruited into the profession; we
were given what was called handbook. And I think every media organisation have its own
style, its own policy of news reporting. And we were taken through the rudimentary stages
of what the conduct…our conduct should be. But if we look at it in Nigeria today, we hire
people without proper initiation into the norms of the practice. Even those who sit as judges
at the newsroom – I call them judges because they are news editors. They are the
gatekeepers. But what is their experience? I am not questioning their education
background. What I’m saying is the kinds of experience gathered over the years to enable
them see the implication of such reports. What most of the editors are looking for now is
screaming banners. Oh, 25 die in Port-Harcourt; Eh, 45 people were kidnapped today. But
what are the implications of those reports in the larger society – including the youths?
These are some of the fundamental issues that we need to sit together and discuss. All the
stakeholders in the media: the Newspaper Proprietors, the Press Council, NUJ, and the
Guild of Editors. But some of these things have been turned into a political organisation now
– to serve individual self interest. People seek such posts to fend for themselves. Let’s go
back to the basis if at all we want to bequeath something on the coming generation.  

What about the Press Council?   
    
The press council was to serve as a watchdog of the media. What is their role? They were
just collecting government money without doing anything. If they have not been playing their
role as they ought to, then what is the government thinking? Why are they funding an
organisation that does not have an impact on the sector for which it was established? How
many journalists have been brought to trial? How many journalists have been brought to
book against the code of ethics in Nigeria? And if they said they have, let them mention any
of these journalists. And what was the reprimand? What was the punishment? I was not in
their good reckoning because they know that I can’t be bought. They even came up with the
idea that the government should register journalists who should practice. The Newspaper
Proprietors Association, the Guild of Editors under Remi Oyo supported the idea. In one of
our meetings in the vanguard (office) hosted by Sam Sam, they asked my opinion, and I
said that such proposal would not see the light of the day. For government to be registering
who should be journalists! But they would always have their way because, I am sorry, I don’t
intend to disparage anyone. I don’t know the focus of some of my colleagues concerning the
practice of journalism. It’s getting worse. It’s really getting worse. This is ten years
now…ten years in Ilorin and they have not re-visited that code of ethics.  

Former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, was once voted Man of the Year by the
Anambra Council of NUJ. I would like you to comment on this One,

Orji is a good friend. Orji in his own way might have contributed to the social development of
that state. Two, the parameters by which they are picking the man of the year I don’t know.
I don’t know whether Kalu has a case with the EFCC and now NUJ says he is the man of
the year. It is good to commend and to point out the noticeable good works being done by
the people. Do you know that by my own judgement man of the year might not even be
someone who had employed journalists? Man of the Year might be ordinary people who
have contributed meaningfully to the community or society in which he or she lives. Like I
said, we have our preferences. We give awards to people base on what we have seen them
doing as a contribution to the generality of the people not towards me as a benefit. Giving
award is not about money but integrity. Where does integrity lies in this case? How could
you declare someone who has been indicted and is in the law court the Man of the Year!
The court is yet to decide the case or pronounce him guilty. Are we not pre-empting the
court by giving him the award? And with this kind of a situation there’s a motive behind such
awards.

Do you think it is this kind of motive that is behind Thisday Newspaper’s awards?

Duke is my friend. I call him Duke. Duke is my friend. Not all things that glitter are gold. For
the mere fact that ThisDay is doing it does not mean it is right. For the fact that they are
doing it does not confirm the legitimacy of what is right. In those days giving awards was
about name not money; integrity not affluence. But today it’s jamboree which has
contributed little to the moral and social development. Yet we are talking about integrity. It is
not that we have not seen these things in the past but it was used to influence development
– on the positive side. We felt the impact in those days when Daily Sketch used to organise
similar event. What are the impacts being felt by these awards? What are the impacts?
What are the positive impacts? Journalism (in Nigeria) has abandoned its first love and we
need to go back to it. That is the truth. Integrity…integrity! Many newspapers are now
springing up by those who have looted the public treasury; hiring journalists to work for
them. A state governor who was alleged to have embezzled money and who is still standing
trial is now attending government functions as a newspaper proprietor. Don’t we have a
sense of shame? Where does integrity lies? IBB also wanted to find a relevant by coming
into the media but he could not. There’s no media organisation that could stand that of IBB
– Triple Heritage. But the Nigerian press shut him down in spite of the enormous money he
invested.

You said the media shut IBB down. Why is the same media unable to shut down ex-
governors now running newspapers?

That’s why I said the media could not be blame. It’s an individual thing. Behind Tinubu there’
s Dele Alake of this world. Are they not with him giving advice on what to do against the
press or to do in the press? What are we talking about? We are talking about moral
decadency in the media. It’s not from outside, it’s from within. When you have people who
are tainted from the head to toe with corruption and you’re talking about integrity, which
integrity are you talking about? Why do you think journalists are not being respected by the
government? Because they see us as hustlers! Give them money they are ready to do
anything.     

On the other hand, don’t you think they provide jobs for journalists?

Yes, they do give jobs to journalists but it is to protect their interests in the name of
practicing journalism.

What are the possible solutions to restore the integrity of the profession?
It’s a long journey. But they say a journey of one thousand miles start with a footstep. We
need to start somewhere. And that is why I suggested that all the stakeholders in the press
need to come together. We need to sit at a round table. We need to look into our past, see
what is in our present before we can now take a leap into the future. Without that I am
afraid…

With all this trouble, why are you not currently inside to restore the integrity of the
profession you once head?

I may not be in active practice for now but I am still in the profession. I am just taking what I
would call my sabbatical leave – from active practice. We would still bounce back into the
profession by the grace of God in no distant time. We are cooking something and by the
time we’re done with it, we would be back. This is the only profession I know. It is the only
work I have ever done in my life. I cannot start at this age now to go and learn carpentry or
to do any other thing. Whatever I have today I give God the glory. And I want to say that
journalism made me. You see, I am not the only person that is concerned about the space
of journalism. There are others who are also more concerned than I do; that are worried
about the space of journalism.

So we should be expecting something spectacular in this year or next year  
Oh, the time and the season belong to God. He makes everything possible in his own time.
I know the time will come.

As ex-NUJ president, do you honestly think that journalists will misuse or abuse the
Bill of Information if passed into law?

Who are the people looking at the bills? That is what we should look at. Who are the people
scrutinizing the bill? In the word of Shakespeare the evil that men do live after them. Why
are they afraid of FOI? If they are sure of themselves that there’s no skeleton in their
wardrobe, why are they afraid?

But their argument is that journalists will abuse it…

Why are they saying journalists will abuse it? You don’t preempt issues. Why are they
saying journalists will abuse it? Why don’t you pass it into law and let see how they will
abuse it? You are in public office and you are holding that office in trust – for the people.
People should ask you questions…they should ask you questions. If people who governed
this nation as a military men and the same set of people are now coming in flowing agbada
to say that journalists will abuse FOI, does it not tantamount to decree 4 again? Are they
not trying to bring decree 4 through the back door to gag the press so that the press would
not be able to perform his functions? And some of those presiding over it were ministers or
State governors before! They are people who should be called for questioning. But they are
afraid of their past. The issue should not be whether the press will abuse the bill or not. Why
are they looking at the negative side? Why are they not looking at the positive side? For
instance, that the public deserve to know about the trust placed in their hands? Although
journalists know how to get their information, but there are things that can happen in
discharging those functions if this act does not come into existence. If you go to ask for
information for example, a civil servant may say that he is not expected to attend to the
press. But if this bill is passed into law, then one can walk into any office and ask
questions. That is what they want to prevent. That is what they want to prevent. At least as
a journalist I can walk up to the senate and say Mr. Senate president sir, you have been in
the service for two or close to two years now, can you give us the stewardship of your
office? And in the course of doing that, I would now put one or two questions to him. But
they don’t want that. They want you to come through a process whereby you submit your
questions to them for them to have a ready answer to some of the things they want to say.

Do you support the removal of the immunity clause from the constitution?  
 
Yes. If you’re a public officer you must not be above the law. Why are you being protected
when you’re violating the spirit of the office you sworn to uphold? Why should that same
office now protect you from facing the law? I mean when you have violated every aspects of
the same oath of office you have taken. So why do you want the same office to shield you
from the law. Although I am not ruling out the possibility of some mischievous elements
trying to use the removal to throw one or two things, but the fact is not all Nigerians are
gullible. When someone is throwing one useless thing up there, many other people would
be ready to disagree with him. I won’t want to throw tantrum because I know that if I am not
careful it will bounce back to me. And the consequence will not be good enough, so why
would I engage on that?     
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