Nigerian Journalism : Thisday Newspaper, Tinubu, Fashola, and the Chagoury Tango.
August 18, 2008 by 
Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
The news that Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu the predecessor to Governor Fashola of Lagos State was hosted in Beirut by the cronies of late Gen. Sani Abacha, made front page in Thisday Newspaper after Thisday hosted her annual musical festival in Abuja. The report has it that using Hitech limited, the Chagoury are in control of over 60% of the total infrastructural development contracts in Lagos.
Since this news broke, the Lagos State government using The Nation Newspaper believed to be owned by Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu have engaged Thisday. It got to a ludicrous head when the Lagos State Governor returned the award given to him in February as the best Governor 2008 in infrastructural development. Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim also got the best governor in the environmental category. When these awards hit the airwave, my reaction was “why give 2008 award in the beginning of 2008?” More also why should a media house that ought to be a watch dog and an Oliver Twist, be giving an award to governors whose elections as at that time were seriously challenged and the courts were yet to rule.
Arising from the bashing by Thisday’s negative report on Lagos State, the Lagos State governor answered my query. Those awards are Greek gift given to solicit adverts and other concessions from the recipients. This was evident with the deluge of state government adverts that flooded Thisday after the award.
Thisday newspaper is not the only Nigerian media outfit involved in this unethical reportage. A newspaper led concurrently for three weeks with damning exposure of questionable award of pension by Gombe State House of Assembly to Governor Danjuma Goje. When adverts from Gombe State and friends of Gombe State started appearing in the pages of this newspaper and other newspapers, nothing was heard of the Goje pension saga.
This questionable journalism practice is also extended to corporate Nigeria. A GSM service provider gave tariff free lines to major columnists and editors. This Greek gift has ensured that this company does not get the truth about her reported. When any columnist or editor runs out of weekend cash, or money for staff salary, a not too favourable report is done, which is automatically followed by an advert or appearance on the cover of the weekend edition/centre page special report or pull out from the affected corporation or individual. This is how Nigerian media runs.
If not, why did Thisday report a story they have had in their shelf during the award ceremony, only to release it when they were denied right to host this year’s Thisday Music Festival in Lagos? The previous year’s was hosted in Lekki Lagos state.
Though this style of reporting common in Nigerian media is a shame, the issues raised by Thisday have not been addressed by Lagos State government. Was Hitech responsible for the Ijegun fire disaster? Has she and Lagos State government paid compensation to the family of those who lost their lives due to the negligence of Hitech?
Instead of following these leads and investigate the activities of the Chagoury during Abacha’s maximum dictatorship, another Nigerian newspaper has joined the fray. Nation Life in her Saturday August 16th 2008 Edition in page 52 took an upper cut at Thisday publisher Mr. Nduka Obaigbena. This week’s report is part (2) of what must have started last week. The rider reads How Thisday Publisher got into trouble in South Africa. To show the cowardice of the paper, the by-line of the story is merely by Our Reporter. This alleged incident happening in 2004. The report went ahead to claim that the publisher of Thisday has gone to “beg” Mr. Albert, (Gilbert) the head of the Chagoury family. With a graphic description of the conversation, one would have expected Nation Life to reveal the name of Bank’s MD that made the visit with Mr. Nduka and the serial number of the N20 milion cheque that was bounced. In case the publishers of Nation Life do not know, giving a dud cheque is a financial crime worthy of EFCC intervention.
In other climes, media expositions of crimes have led to the collapse of multi-national corporations and the resignation of government officials. But the Nigerian journalist, for a port of cold portage throws objectivity to the winds and sees no need for adequate investigative journalism.
The Abacha Henchmen Chagourys Take Over Lagos story of Thisday, was signed off thus “ This article is the first in Thisday series on state governments” Nigerians are sceptically waiting for the expose on other governors, provided they are also those that have been giving Thisday centre spread adverts.
| 2.5 |
Celtel: what’s not in a name
August 5, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
.“The fault dear Brutus is not in our stars, but in ourselves…” Julius Caesar
Any keen follower of the telecom sector in Nigeria sure would have lost count how many names preceded Celtel.
Seven years ago, when GSM zoomed into Nigeria, Econet was the second service provider to migrate from South Africa into virgin Nigeria air space. Not being able to provide quality service or march the continuous painting of the cities of Nigeria Yellow, the name was changed to Vodafone. As this was unfolded, the lack of research and in-depth understanding of commercial law practice in Nigeria, the name was speedily changed to Vmobile to beat passoff.
Since the rot is internal, like the odour that oozes out of a skunk, Vmobile could not turn around the mentality of the management of Econet who survived into Vmobile and a new name came on board, Celtel was born. Still the epileptic services continued.
On Monday August 4th, as part of the activities to mark 7 years of GSM operation in Nigeria, Nigerians woke up to the shock of a wrap around on major national dailies, heralding the birth of Zain. A closer reading, revealed that Celtel has changed its name to Zain. According to the CEO of Zain, Mr. Chris Gabriel, the rebranding of Celtel, will reposition Zain to offer innovative products and services and that they are confident that their customers across Africa will embrace the vibrant and colourful Zain identity.
One cannot but ask where Mr. Gabriel is coming from? What Nigerians want to embrace, is quality service and not colour; Nigerians want a complete call; a timely delivery of SMS and constant networking during a rain storm and above all, Nigerians don’t want network congestion during festival periods.
If any GSM service provider can provide these, there will be no need to rebrand. Good quality like hot popcorn needs no advert!
| 3.2 |
7 years of GSM Culture of Lies
July 26, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
When did you say any of these below? If you haven’t since the seven years of epileptic services by the GSM providers, the gates of heaven will be open at the mention of your obituary.
I am as guilty as a chocolate bar in the colony of ants. But I am trying to repent; where I cannot, may the LORD bless my soul and take me to the place in the hereafter he thinks is best for me; after all, I didn’t ask to be created. And if I am made for hell, sneaking into heaven will make me most uncomfortable. Don’t get too religious and more Catholic than the Pope, What offence did Esau not commit? As a squeamish foetus in the womb, God chose Jacob the swindler ahead of his elder brother. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened by God of Israel so that he can show his power via the plagues. Now you get my drift why I am not bothered about where I am going once I expire, so long as I have loved my neighbour, fought office holders to provide amenities to their constituencies and make my environment a little better than I met it.
Forgive me for the digression. It happens when I think of noise people about the hereafter.
Back to the GSM lies.
When GSM came into Nigeria, Nigerians domesticated its use and subsequently abused it. The poor services by all the Network providers, aid in the creation of a culture of lies among Nigerians.
Code name Global Street Madness, many Nigerians in a bid to show off; answer phone calls on the high way and where transported to the hereafter. Another group of GSM users, answer their calls in the most annoying fashion. In other to appear important to those around, the receiver repeats the caller’s questions. Are you saying the many has paid in the 20million? Tell him its 21 million or I will not do the job Mike tell Clara that am too much for that kind of joke, that she saw Aisha with my D&G handkerchief doesn’t mean we are dating (I hope those in this category have read Shakespeare’s Othello and see how uncommon a handkerchief is not) Oh why is this guy disturbing me na by force?
These two users above don’t bug me, as I know they are merely showing off. How can a man doing sakara over 20 million business be riding a rickety bus from Wuse market to Kubwa? Or Molue bus from Oshodi to Mile 2. If you want to jilt Clara, or give Aisha a gold plated tankwali, why announce it to the whole world in the name of receiving a GSM call? Why won’t the guy disturb you, after all you gave him your phone number? This group of show off is often to allow those around hear the cell phone’s ringing tone, see the make of the phone and ponder at the recipient’s deluded self worth.
All the holy books I have peeped into condemn lying. The GSM revolution has given religious a leeway to lie without accepting it’s a lie. How many times have you said I’m almost there when you are tens of kilometres away? Or deliberately shout I can’t hear you, the line is breaking, when you are hearing your debtor’s demand for refund? Or Mum, I am in school while you are in the arms of non biological uncle old enough to be your grandfather? Or switch off your call because you are in areas where you cannot account for? Call me back, I’m in a meeting, when you are loafing about.
The one I find most interesting and ingenious is picking up a person’s call and cutting it off after 10 seconds as though it’s a drop call by the service provider. Second to this, is to place the cell phone near a second hand generator and say, the plane is about to take off, I cannot hear you, I will call you once we are airborne. Need I to remind you that after hours, jet lag for a flight you never took will not allow you to call?
Apart from these caller receiver lies, another interesting lying department of GSM usage, is in the storing of contacts in the phone. The advanced ones, store names in plainly and tell you, if I have something to do with her, would I have stored her name like that? Watch it, its advance lying mechanism. It puts you the accuser on the defensive, for you want to give your guy a little credit that his skull is not stuffed with cotton wool.
The beginners in the trade, store their “sinning” partners names as an opposing sex’s name and prefix it with numbers, giving the impression that it is alternative number of the accomplice, meanwhile it is to differentiate Michael from Michel differentiate. So watch those numbers, “Uncle” and Un-cle are not the same person.
| 3.2 |
Quest for Arewa bloggers
June 2, 2008 by OCI · Leave a Comment
As colossal as Alan Greenspan, he retorts that ” He does not pretend to know all the answers…” I too do not pretend to know all the answers but from my vantage position as someone actively involved in Information society, I cannot but agree that the changing dynamics of todays’world is real; thus,one does not need a soothsayer to intone that the information age is here and the race is on.
Unlike the track and field, this race does not have the same starting point, but the good thing about it is there are chances of catching up with the beginners. That chance is emboldened by determination and proactive involvement of all participant; and the downside is that no commitment at all results in widening of the gap between conformer and no conformer or literate and illiterates. Therefore, it is perinent that no one is left behind in this digital and information age race.
What have Arewa and Blogging got to do with it (?) you may ask. I wish to clarify here that Arewa in this discuss is seen in context as the geographic North of Nigeria and the people therein. Blogging for beginners, is an online journal. It can be personal, group or company owned and as varied as its ownership so is the interest. In recent times, research indicates that blogs and online readership of news from blogs related sources has overtaken the traditional print media in places where access to internet is widespread; the role literacy pays in such senario is not overlooked too. The case of access and availabilty though an issue at the moment but it is not a hinderance to the venture.
Information and access to it plays a pivotal role in the life of a person or a group of persons. In recent past, there has been gabs by a few elements from Arewa that are feeling short changed by the progress being recorded by the other constituent parts of Nigeria. This progress evidently results from the desire of a people in question to change with the times including attendant technologies.
Unfortunately, the vibes from Arewa like in the time past have been complacent. This to the best of my ability is traceable to certain conditions precedent in the document that defines our unity which instead of recorgnising excellence it gives credence to medocrity. Hence, certain groups reliance of Federal character as a means of selection rather than continuous human improvement, personal development and proven abilities.
The information ages is here and blogs and blogging is hitting the blog waves and to date, I am yet to read any blog or heard any blogger writing from the geographic Arewa nor identify with it and its causes. As the world develops, information generation and circulation will be built more around citizens than the traditional media, it is pertinent that every group or people should be strategically positioned to taken advantage of the access and wide reach of the new and emerging media.
Blogs as a new media has a lot to contribute to democracy and empowerment of the citizenry; hence this is a clarion call to Arewa to rise up to the challenges of joining the information age race or risk being left behind; thus widening the already existing developmental gap and impending digital gap.
As a mark of support and encouragement by Which Way Nigeria to enthusaistic Arewa bloggers, we are inviting anyone to join us in Which Way Nigeria as co-writers for a period of apprenticeship. When you are confident enough and feel you can write and run a blog, we shall register for you a domain name (not blogger) of your choosing and customise it with a premium theme of your choice from Revolution Themes all paid for by Which Way Nigeria
This offer is open to any serious blogger that is willing to blog about Arewa; the people, the place and its common interest.
The quest has just began. What is your contribution towards this quest?
| 1.5 |
Bridging Africa’s Technological Gap
February 7, 2008 by OCI · Leave a Comment
Africa Needs to Bridge the Technological Gap to Compete.
Written By: Prof. Ali Mazrui, Chancellor of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture, Kenya.
There are five forms of technology. Technology of production seeks to tap the riches of nature and of the human mind. Sometimes the wealth produced can be replenished as in the case of agricultural production.
But there are cases where the wealth produced is depleted, as in the case of oil production and the harder minerals that we dig out of mother earth such as coal to gold, copper and diamonds.
Africa is rich in mineral wealth, but not rich enough in the technology, which digs it up. African oil producing countries need Western corporations and their engineers to prospect, dig, process, and even to market the oil. We may shortly be using Chinese mineral engineers as well.
Sudan is already turning to China for petroleum engineers. We need to close the technological gap as a continent, if we are ever to control our own resources.
12-year old Nigerian is a certified Java Programmer
June 25, 2007 by OCI · Leave a Comment
This news broke about two months ago, last April precisely.
It may no longer be news to most people that heard the news when it initially hit the headlines. Ask for me, it is re-assuring to know that despite the difficulties we have as a people and a nation coupled with the dilapidation that has become the bane of education in Nigeria; there remains a beacon of flashing light beyond the tunnel.
I accidentally came across the news while searching for information online. Honestly, I missed the news when it first broke; as I traced it backwards I was elated to discover that Guardian carried the news earlier. However, my source was Javalobby, their source in turn was Nigeria-German Business Group. In spite of the message and the messengers, my happiness is that given the same time and opportunity; we can go places and even do better than our avowed competitors. Read more
So! How Many are We?
January 11, 2007 by OCI · Leave a Comment
Within the week the National Council of State (NCS) adopted the result of last year’s population census. Earlier, the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) presented an advance copy of the census figures to the President at the villa.
While waiting for the the Senate and House of Rep. members to formally receive the report; there are uproars already about the figures. Also, more questions than answers are been asked.
Question?
Are we really 140M Nigerians?
Is Kano more populated than Lagos?
Are there more men than women in Nigeria? Read more
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