Opinions

JOS, JOURNALISM AND THE PRIMACY OF A BEFITTING PRESS CENTRE

Published

3 years ago

October 28, 2021

News Net Global

Jos Main Market: Another Giant Leap for Lalong

JOS, JOURNALISM AND THE PRIMACY OF A BEFITTING PRESS CENTRE

BY CHRIS GYANG

When the final chronicles of Nigerian journalism are written, Jos, the Plateau State capital, will certainly occupy a key position – especially regarding the Middle Belt and Northern Nigeria. This is because, just as anywhere else in the world, the history of its media is also tied to the rich and sometimes tempestuous socio-political tapestry of the Middle Belt and Nigeria as a whole.

The AM arm of today’s Plateau Radio Television Corporation (PRTVC) started transmission in 1935 as a booster station of Radio Nigeria, Lagos – which was itself a relay station of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), London.

When Benue State was carved out of the then Benue-Plateau State in 1978, the AM radio station was re-named Plateau Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) that same year. It was also allocated frequencies as a full-fledged broadcasting house and subsequently taken over by the state government through Edict No. 4 of 1978 (see MEDIA, A Passion for Peace, A Commitment to Serve, THE PRTV PERSPECTIVE, 2005).

The legendary Joseph Dechi Gomwalk, of blessed memory, the first Military Governor of the then Benue-Plateau State (1967 – July 1975), would later build on this legacy by establishing The Nigeria Standard newspaper in June 1972 and later a television station – Benue Plateau Television (BPTV) – on February 25, 1975. This visionary leader was inspired by the urgent need to give the minority ethnic nationalities of the Middle Belt a voice of their own in the emerging Nigerian nation state.

Work on the television station had begun in the second half of 1973 with the construction of the studios while test transmission kicked-off in the middle of June 1974.

“But soon, the new television station would make a landmark breakthrough that would sign-post a major turning point in the history of television in Nigeria and the entire African continent. About five months after it was commissioned, BPTV became the first station in Africa to begin transmission in colour. This was later extended to its Mangun and Makurdi sub-stations.

However, in 1977, the Federal Military Government took over all state-owned television stations in the country through Decree No. 24 which established the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA). These are the antecedents of NTA Jos. Notwithstanding, that take-over, the late Professor Girgis Salama, an internationally renowned television expert and administrator who had been the catalyst for these innovative breakthroughs as the first General Manager of the illustrious BPTV, was undaunted, even upbeat.

In 1980, a planning committee was set up for the establishment of a state television station headed by Nde Gideon Barde, a seasoned journalist who had served meritoriously as the Chief Press Secretary to Joseph Gomwalk. On November 18, 1982, the Plateau Television (PTV) was commissioned by the late nationalist and leading politician, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. He had come to Jos to also attend that year’s Nigeria People’s Party (NPP) national convention which was held at the Jos Township Stadium.

Late Chief Solomon Daushep Lar, the first Executive Governor of Plateau State (popularly known as ‘The Emancipator’), had initiated this project, following in the footsteps of Joseph Gomwalk. In 1985, the then Military Governor of Plateau State, Navy Captain Samuel Atukum, merged PTV and the state-owned AM radio station, Plateau Radio Corporation, to form the current Plateau Radio Television Corporation (PRTVC).

During the inaugural board meeting of The Nigeria Standard newspapers on October 31, 1972, Gomwalk had stated: “I believe that it is in the interest of good government and healthy society that a variety of organs are available for the effective enlightenment of our people on matters affecting their lives locally, nationally, and internationally.” He charged the new publication’s journalists to “join resolutely in the fight to eradicate the ills of corruption, greed, sectionalism and ignorance that are causing so much harm and wastefulness in our society, while at the same time emphasizing the positive and integrative aspects of our national efforts” (see J.D. Gomwalk, A Man of Vision, by Chief Anthony Goyol). These words continued to serve as the beacons for not only that flagship newspaper but the broadcast stations as well.

The Nigeria Standard newspapers and PRTVC would become training grounds and launch-pads for journalists and other media professionals from other parts of the country. This is more so when it is realised that the former Benue-Plateau State is present-day Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Nasarawa and Plateau states. The measure of the influence and reach of these media organisations was the running battles the valiant journalists in The Nigeria Standard would later have with military juntas bent on silencing the media from defending the rights of Nigerians against the injustices of jack-boot tyranny.

In this respect, the travails of my mentor and boss in the profession, Mr. Jonathan Ishaku, are very intriguing and dramatic. In 1986, the then Colonel Onojah, who had just been posted to Plateau State as Military Administrator, immediately proceeded to sack Mr. Ishaku, who was Editor of The Nigeria Standard, and the General Manager of its parent publishing company, Mallam Rufai Ibrahim. Apparently, the outgoing state executive council had been having a long running battle with the duo whom they had accused of turning the newspapers in the stable into a ‘Communist Manifesto’.

Col. Onoja had been persuaded during his first state EXCO meeting to sack the two journalists. Later, the military governor realised that his decision did not go down well with most Plateau and Nigerian citizens. Mr. Ishaku was reinstated in January 1987.

But he would once more be relieved of his position in August of that same year! The tabloid had penned an editorial criticizing the General Babangida junta for unilaterally sacking the CEOs of some banks. This had infuriated Babangida who personally drew the attention of the Plateau State military administrator to the offensive piece during a meeting with other governors. Interestingly, Mr. Ishaku got to know about his dismissal on the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria’s 4.00 PM network news bulletin.

I also recall how a record number of six senior editors/members of the Editorial Board of The Nigeria Standard resigned to protest the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election widely believed to have been won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola. They had written an editorial condemning that decision. The Babangida administration applied all manner of arm-twisting methods to make them retract the publication but they stuck to their guns. But they would be vindicated some years later when all of them are unconditionally reinstated.

For Gomwalk, launching the then Benue-Plateau State into the media industry in the early 1970s was an act of profound defiance against entrenched interests deliberating working to confine his people to the sidelines of history and stunt their overall human development. These fearless journalists were doing no less. They were defying and confronting a more vicious and despotic order that had virtually succeeded in cowing the majority of Nigerians into submission.

Clearly, the media had put Plateau State, especially Jos, in the national spotlight and turned this part of Central Nigeria into the mecca of journalism in Northern Nigeria. Its centrality in the Middle Belt, the relatively high educational standards and hospitable nature of the people, the cosmopolitan mix of Jos and its salubrious weather combined to make journalism practice very conducive and flourishing for journalists and media practitioners from within and outside the country.

As a matter of fact, there was a time in the history of Nigeria when you could hardly find a journalist, media practitioner, politician, technocrat, bureaucrat, academic, human rights activist, etc, in the country who had not had a stint in (or indirectly influenced by) one of Jos’ media houses or the academic and other institutions they had attracted to the state.

THE PLACE OF THE PRESS CENTRE

Because of the unique nature of the work of journalists, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre (referred to variously in different parts of the world) has become a major fixture and embodiment of journalism practice.

The NUJ Press Centre is not only a place for the convergence, work and relaxation of journalists and other media practitioners, it’s also an open space for citizens to freely express and disseminate ideas, views and their democratic and civil rights – be it in a democratic or despotic dispensation.

It is also a source of revenue for the NUJ. Aside offices for NUJ officials and a hall for hosting press conferences and other public/union functions, also located at press centres are shops and offices which are rented out to individuals for the purposes of restaurants, business centres, bookshops, grocery stores, boutiques, etc.

This is one of the main sources of revenue for journalists. It allows them a level of financial autonomy and saves them from the shame of perpetually going cap in hand begging governments and individuals for funds to pay staff salaries, carry out maintenance of the Centre, fund their activities (such as workshops and advocacy) and attend meetings at the zonal and national levels, among others.

A leader imbued with uncommon foresight, the late Solomon Lar had anticipated all of these needs and obligations when he graciously donated the current Press Centre building to Plateau State journalists in 1982. Its strategic location at the iconic Hill Station Roundabout confers on it the added advantage of a prospective commercial and tourist monument.

THE GOVERNOR LALONG INTERVENTION

Over the years, successive NUJ leaderships in the state have struggled to upgrade this property, which was built in the 1960s, so as to fully tap its huge commercial and other potentials but to no avail.

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However, in December 2019, the Governor Simon Lalong administration decided to step into this long-standing gap. It launched into a major re-modeling of the Press Centre which has transformed it into an architectural masterpiece. The official NUJ offices, shops, commercial spaces and restaurant are now more spacious and tastefully laid out to enhance the comfort and pleasure of both journalists and other citizens that would converge therein for various purposes.

No doubt, the Plateau State NUJ Press Centre is on the cusps of becoming a major attraction that would become the envy of journalists all over the country. This would, in effect, redound to that illustrious history of journalism in the state painted above.

However, only a little more work needs to be done to render it whole. Our findings show that what is outstanding – painting, installation of fittings, landscaping and furnishing – would cost about N30 million. Having completed 90% of the work, Plateau journalists believe that this bit of it would be completed within the shortest time possible. As they hopefully look forward to its completion, they are optimistic that this would finally release to them those major revenue streams which had dried up since the commencement of the project in 2019.

The completion of this project will no doubt unleash the huge potentials of this Press Centre which had laid untapped in the past decades. And the credit for this would go, in great measure, to Governor Simon Bako Lalong.

In a democracy, the press is referred to, and serves as, the Fourth Estate of the Realm, after the other three arms of government – executive, legislature and judiciary. This underscores the critical role journalists play not only in governance but in the overall development of societies and countries. Also known as the watchdog of society, the media ensures that governments live to the terms of their social contract with the governed.

Viewed from the above perspective, these gigantic steps of the Governor Lalong administration towards giving journalists a befitting press centre is a worthy venture that will further nurture and sustain Nigeria’s democracy and promote the values that underpin it.

(GYANG is the Chairman of the N.G.O, Journalists Coalition for Citizens’ Rights Initiative – JCCRI. Email: info@jccri-online.org)

JOS, JOURNALISM AND THE PRIMACY OF A BEFITTING PRESS CENTRE

Opinions

THE BIU FORUM: FEW THINGS TO KNOW

Published

5 months ago

August 1, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

THE BIU FORUM: FEW THINGS TO KNOW.

By: A G Abubakar

The Biu Forum was a child of circumstances. It was born in response to the fall out from the August 1991 state creation exercise by the Babangida military regime which initially located Biu in Yobe but removed same after a couple of days. To push for a redress or for an answer, the Forum was initiated. Its drivers came from the entire spectrum of the present day Biu Emirate and Shani Chiefdom, who were then resident in Lagos, the former federal capital.The first meeting was held in October 1991 at Block 4, Flat 3, the Bar Beach Towers, Victoria Island.

The inaugural and subsequent meetings of the forum were attended by such personalities as Shettima Saleh, Saidu Pindar, Tahir A.Musa, PC Abdullahi Mohammed, Musa Yamta, Hassan Bdliya, John Balami, Audu Shettima, Sanda Usman, Adamu Abdullahi, Musa Shani, Major (now Gen) Usman, Muhammad Dili, Ahmed Kuru, Jibrin A.Jibrin, A.G.Abubakar (Convener along with Musa Yamta), Mamman Audu, Paul Mari, Ishaku Abdullahi, Sale Mari Maina, Major. Ibrahim Bantam, Samaila Mamman, Sule Usman, C.D.Gali, and many more. These foundation members nurtured the Forum for years in Lagos before the seat of government was formally moved to Abuja.

Some of them are of blessed memory (may the Almighty grant them His mercy, Ameen), though a lot more are still living. The major objective of the forum at inception was to build a unity of purpose to tackle the challenges facing Biu Emirate, particularly its excision from the then newly created Yobe State. Plus, the need to call for attention to the brazen discriminations visited upon Biu people in the state’s civil service, while also pursuing the creation of a Savannah State. Same, with extending moral and material supports to victims of natural disasters and others like the then Waka-Biu crisis.

It would be recalled that after the Babangida military government decided to split old the Borno State, late General Abacha, then the Chief of Army Staff and the defacto number “two” man, who happened to be of Borno extraction, was assigned to consult with the Shehu as well as other opinion leaders on the government’s proposal to curve out a new state out of Borno. Late Bunu Sherrif, a son of the soil (Goniri), who was then serving as Minister of Labour among others, was to serve as a facilitator. The rough edges were therefore smoothened.

Eventually, Yobe was created. The configuration of which comprised three emirates, namely Biu, Fika, and Bade. Borno and Bama emirates were to remain as the New Borno State. The number of local governments was equally balanced at 22 each. Now, it is lopsidedly 17 and 27 LGAs for Yobe and Borno, respectively.

Along the line, some forces opposed to the inclusion of Biu emerged. The first one was the supposed friction between the Emirs of Biu and Fika regarding the order of protocol. A smokescreen, however, because the real reason was that Fika Emirate was promised the State capital (precisely Potiskum), but that was if Biu wasn’t part of the equation. The other reason was that Biu and Borno Emirates had a historical tie that made the duo almost conjoined. This was also untenable in that Ngazargamo that served as the capital of the old Kanem-Borno was severed into Yobe State. In the end, Biu remains part of Borno.

This development polarised the citizens of Biu Emirate into two. The Elders were not so favourably disposed towards leaving Borno, while the larger youth groups were at home with Yobe.

The advantages they averred included the possibility of playing more dominant political and economic roles in the new state, given the fact that Biu used to hold and still holds the Deputy Governor portfolio in Borno. The emirates (Fika and Biu) equally serve as the manpower base of the region . State politics could turn out to be like Adamawa, where all ethnic groups and/or stripes of faith can become the number one citizen of the state. The Emir of Biu would naturally be the most senior, in addition.

Based on the foregoing, Biu made a case for inclusion or, better still, a re-inclusion into Yobe. A move that was resisted vehemently by certain quarters under the umbrella of BEDA. Others who lent their voices included the Birma, Galadima Stanley Balami, PC Ali Biu, and Alhaji Ibrahim Damchida, all of blessed memory.

The Biu citizens who were pushing for the readjustment initially got the support of His Royal Highness, the Revered Mai Umar, who gracefully endorsed the demand document titled, “A Call For the Adjustment of Biu Emirate into Yobe State.” Or rather agreed for the document to be endorsed on his behalf, which was done. However, under pressure from all corners, His Royal Highness had to reconsider his support, as the Emirate found itself in a difficult situation. It was this development and regardless of the push back that the Biu Forum was formed as an alternative platform to still pursue the inclusion of Biu and Shani into Yobe State.

A petition to the government, was subsequently produced and forwarded. And to get a wider publicity and forestall suppression the Forum’s document was sent to the press . The rested influencial national newspaper, the Sunday Concord of 6th October 1991 carried the entire document. Yours faithfully picked the bill.

One of the the committed and highly articulate members of the Forum at the time, Alh. Muhammed Shehu Birma had his relationship with his principal, the Hon. Minister, Bunu Sheriff strained because of his role and support. Alh. Birma was one of the Special Assistants to the Minister who worked tirelessly to obtain the concurrence of major stakeholders to buy into the Forum’s activities.

When the misunderstanding so created on account of the state creation seemed unabating, formal meetings were called by the late elder statesman Alh. Damcida at his Probyn road, Ikoyi, home to sort things out. The “family” gathering enjoyed the presence of late Dr.Saidu Muhammad, PC Ali Biu, A.G.Abubakar, Muhammad S.Birma, Amb. Saidu Pindar, Alhaji Madu Biu, Shettima Saleh, with apologies from Dr.Bukar Usman.

One of the resolutions that came out of the series of dialogues was an undertaking by Mallam to seek an audience with General Abacha for possible reconsideration of the petition. The outcome was the creation of Hawul and Kwaya Kusar LGAs, while Biu as a whole stayed in Borno State.

As time went on, moves got started to merge the activities of the Forum to those of the senior Biu Development Association, BDA. The BDA is now BEDA (Biu Emirate Development Association). The move never materialised and the activities of both slowed down. It took the efforts of patriots like Engineer Ibrahim Usman, Dan Masani Muhammad Ibrahim, Adamu Abdullahi, Amb. Saidu, Ibrahim M.Kwajaffah, Muhammad Buba, Mai Musti, Bukar Umar and a host of others to revive the Forum and keep it going.

So for all intents and purposes the Biu Forum was not a Biu Local Government outfit. It was initiated to protect and promote the interest of Biu and Shani Emirates. And indeed every Aburwa on the planet. How it became a Forum exclusively for Biu Local Government Area was maybe a later development to give the Forum a sharper focus. And maybe to ensure a seamless coexistence with the senior BEDA.This has been a short story of the now, 33-year old (1991 to –) initiative.

A.G.Abubakar agbarewa@gmail.com

THE BIU FORUM: FEW THINGS TO KNOW

Opinions

Nigeria: Why the youths must say “NO” to protest.

Published

5 months ago

July 16, 2024

News Net Global

Say "NO" to Protest

Nigeria: Why the youths must say “NO” to protest.

By: Dr. James Bwala

History should teach us lessons. And we have so many examples that are part of the history of some countries around us. Protests as being engineered and called for are never in the interest of the young Nigerian; rather, they are a way to further suppress and darken the future of young ones, and therefore, I see this as another evil rising on Nigeria, which I hope the youths will see as reasons not to be tempted to join those who do not mean well for them and for Nigeria. Those who want to cash in on the protest to their advantage are pushing their own evil interests to deny the young Nigerian his or her own hope for the future.

I followed many calls on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and listened to many voices calling on the Nigerian youths to join them on the days to demonstrate and show their displeasure to the government over hunger in the land. They claimed it was about a policy, and I did not really understand the truth about such claims. Some pointed to the issue of insecurity that people cannot go to their farms and blamed the present administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima, and on this too, they are not speculating on facts that are leading them to want to express anger through protest.

I could not understand why all the things they are pointing to have been on their doorsteps for over 10 years and they would not protest until now. Does it mean that their eyes are now open to the situation we all found ourselves in? I have lived in northeastern Nigeria, and I have seen situations created by insecurity where children, young men, and adults hold each other’s hands and cry out for help to have a drop of grain and for one cut of a handful of mold grain flour to go through their mouths and down their throats for the day, but they could not have the assurance of such a meal. No one came to the rescue; no one called for a protest, and the people built their resilience until the heavens brought succor.

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The situation in which certain individuals are coming to tell young Nigerians to protest or to demonstrate against the administration requires a deeper look into their motives. It may not be about hunger in the land afterwards, for we have endured many hungers and we did not protest, so why now? Politics is still in the play, and a few individuals—I mean, very few individuals—who are not happy with the Tinubu and Shettima administration are orchestrating the wind horses. Some young Nigerians may think otherwise, but believe me, there are many more evils behind the call for protest than what you are hearing on social media, and these are about destroying a whole lot of what you have hoped for.

I will suggest that no Nigerian youth should join or listen to calls from those who have sent their children abroad for you to continue to be their foot soldiers, and in the end, they achieve something and you achieve nothing. Take a look at the protests or demonstrations in the past. Not outside Nigeria, but within. Some of you have participated, and you are still on the street after that protest. Your peace and happiness have been taken. Those you fought for—have they come to salvage your situation? Unless you want to remain perpetually a fool on the street with very little to gain and no knowledge of what you are bargaining, then you may choose to go with the evil callers; otherwise, say ‘NO’ to protest as it is not actually in your interest.

This administration, which you are being instigated to demonstrate against, has won many battles in the last year. The latest in the Hope initiative are the achievements of the court ruling on local government autonomy. This government has achieved free imports for drugs and rice and brought peace through the establishment of the livestock ministry. These are a few achievements from the last six months. We have waited for eight years in hope through the Buhari administration, and no one has seen positive changes, but we waited. Herein, with the Tinubu and Shettima administrations, we are seeing the moves and the results. Can we not hold on to this renewed hope since we are seeing the changes coming?

Nigerian youths, let no one deceive us into doing their bid. They have places to go; we only have Nigeria, which is all we have. When they moved out, we remained here. They cannot come from Europe and America to ask us to set our houses on fire while they go back to their second homes and leave us in the shackles that we used our own hands to perpetuate their desires against us for their selfish and evil interests. No, we must not come to the level they want us to reach. We must rise with renewed hope and join this administration to build a Nigeria where peace and justice reign, just as we pledged to build in our re-engineering calls for a better tomorrow.

Dr. James BWALA, PhD, writes from Abuja.

Nigeria: Why the youths must say “NO” to protest.

Opinions

Why Borno residents should support the Zulum Administration

Published

9 months ago

April 9, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Why Borno residents should support the Zulum Administration

By: Yusuf Adamu

Unfortunately, the lack of electricity and shortage of water in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, have continued to turn some sections of the state against the government. While many are thinking it is the government job to provide electricity and water, a lot of people are not looking at the efforts the government is putting in during the phase of challenges from saboteurs and terrorists as it affects the issues of electricity in the state, particularly.

Borno State has been in darkness for the last two weeks, and the governor spoke with concern from faraway Saudi Arabia, where he went to worship, and he was informed of the electricity issue back home. Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has done tremendously well in ensuring that Borno State overcomes the issue of electricity, to the extent that he went beyond his jurisdiction to ensure that he solved the problem.

He went further to collaborate with the NNPC, which informed the setting of a gas plant in Maiduguri to support the epileptic power supply as a result of the continuous attacks on the electricity supply lines feeding Maiduguri. However, the activities of saboteurs, who would rather, out of their greed, overload the gas plant, have constantly resulted in the disruption of the gas plant’s capacity to provide adequate supply.

Rather than people condemning the government for some of this man-made distraction, I think the people of Borno State should pray for an end to the activities of terrorists and the saboteurs who continuously take advantage of the situation to speak ill of the government. If the opposition is speaking, we would understand, but when citizens say otherwise, we would like to remind them that the governor of Borno State has been doing everything possible to make Borno State great.

The collaboration with NNPC and the purchase of electric vehicles to ease pain for people are things to see and agree that the governor meant well for his people. This is aside from the numerous projects he was able to achieve in the state. We are also lucky to have the Vice President, who is our own and whose focus is also to see Borno State become great again.

Just yesterday, he was speaking on the issues affecting the state when he arrived in the state for the sallah celebration. He gave hope for a better Borno state and spoke well of the collaboration the federal government is having with Borno state to end the perennial challenges facing the state at the moment. Let us continue to uplift our leaders in prayer and support their dream of making Borno one of the best things that happens to its people in the current administration.

***Yusuf Adamu writes from Maiduguri and is the former political adviser to Kashim Shettima.

Why Borno residents should support the Zulum Administration