Nation
NGE Confab: Nigerians Insist On Proactive Media
As the Nigerian Guild of Editors Conference opens Wednesday at the Convention Centre, Okpanam Road, Asaba, the Delta State capital, a cross section of Nigerians has criticized the Nigerian media for abandoning its watchdog function.
Those who spoke to The Tide in an interview yesterday, blamed the media for being part of the crisis in the country.
A Port Harcourt-based social commentator, Pius Dukor, said that the Nigerian media has abandoned its social responsibility role in pursuit of self interest.
“As far as I am concerned, the media is no more an agenda setter. They only tell the story of those who always invite and pay them. They are no longer interested in the affairs of the masses”, he said.
Dukor also stressed the need for Editors to use the forthcoming conference to re-examine the role of the media and what it has done so far in nurturing the nation’s emerging democracy.
A community leader and politician, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, described Editors as vital elements in the society but stressed that they can only be relevant in the face of the current challenges in the country, if they are politically neutral.
Chukumele said that Editors must be people who live above board by refusing to be influenced by anyone in the society.
“The media is a critical segment of the society. Those who are in this sector must be people of integrity, not allowing every little thing to sway them from the truth”, he said.
Another respondent, Prince Fyneface Amaechi, however, blamed the alleged rot in the media on the society.
He said that a society where materialism is the order of the day is bound to be influenced by the media, stressing that every sector of the Nigerian society must be completely re-examined to give way to new value systems.
Prince Amaechi, who is a factional president of the Rivers Youth Movement (RYM), however, commended the Nigerian media for their relentless effort to change the society, and called for improvement in the condition of service for journalists in the country.
Prince William Chinwo, in his view, commended the media for its consistency in the reportage of events despite the challenges, and also charged Editors to use the opportunity provided by the forum to canvass for constitutional recognition of the media as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, and should be so recognized by the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary as equal stakeholders in the society.
Meanwhile, economic experts, ministers, governors and top businessmen are billed to come up with viable suggestions on how the nation can be weaned from its age-long dependence on crude oil as the major source of its income when editors storm Asaba from August 21 to 24 for their 9th All Nigerian Editors Conference.
The theme of the four-day conference, which will be chaired by renowned veteran journalist and former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba, is, “Nigeria Beyond Oil: Role of the Editor’’.
Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is expected to set the tone of the conference in a keynote address.
Ministers listed to speak on key issues that are germane to the diversification of the economy are those of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina, who will speak on “The Value Chain Roadmap’’; and Edem Duke,Tourism, “Oil Exhaustible, Tourism Inexhaustible”.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer,Access Bank; Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and Special Adviser to the President on Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Prof. Sylvester Monye, will deliver papers on “Financial Institutions In a Non-Oil Economy’’, and‘’Opportunities in Non-Oil Nigeria’’, respectively.
Moderators at the high-wire event include top-notch Nigerians, such as the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Eugene Juwah; and a former Editor of the DailyTimes, NDDC chief and former governorship candidate on the ticket of the PDP in
Abia State, Mr. Onyema Ugochukwu.
Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, will be in his elements when he mounts the rostrum to speak as the Special Guest while the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, who is special guest of honour, is expected to provide some food for thought in his remarks.
Apart from the host Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who will deliver the welcome address, other state governors from the northern and southern parts of the country will be on hand to offer their views on the path the nation should tread in order to shed its prolonged dependence on oil.
Cognisant of the fact that retirement is inevitable after a successful career as a journalist/editor, the guild set aside the last day of the conference for the expected 300 editors to brainstorm on “Life After
The Chair: The Editors’ Colloquium’’, a session to be facilitated by Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Daily Trust, Kabiru Yusuf, and chaired by Mr Ted Iwere, another notable journalist.
There will also be an investiture of new fellows and induction of new members of the Guild at a Gala Night to be organized by the Delta State Government to round off the event.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Nigerian Military is committed to facilitating sustainable food security in the country through the establishment of farms.
Musa said this in Abuja yesterday during the unveiling of the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products Logo.
He noted that the agricultural sector played crucial role in guaranteeing food security which was requisite for sustainable national security.
He said that the adverse impact of climate change, environmental degradation and conflict across some parts of the country had continuously threatened food security with dire consequences on national security.
According to him, to address this, the Defence Headquarters in May 2023, conceptualised the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative.
“This is with the aim of keying into the federal government’s efforts at addressing food security challenges in the country.
“The initiative which aligns with the ‘People Centric’ policy thrust of my leadership concept is aimed at creating job opportunities and enhancing rural infrastructural development while significantly contributing to food security in the Country.
“Considering the extensive consultation, planning and preparation made by the committee thus far, I am optimistic that the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative will have a positive transformative impact on host communities while enhancing national security.
“With similar initiatives replicated across the country, I envision a future characterised by modernised farming techniques in which the agricultural sector significantly contributes to economic growth and national development.”
The CDS enjoined all members of the Armed Forces and the general public to embrace the initiative and maximise its associated gains.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, for his sterling leadership and relentless pursuit of national peace, security and economic prosperity.
He also appreciated the efforts of members of the committee who worked assiduously to actualise the initiative.
Earlier, the Chairman, Defence Farms Committee,