Protection Rights of Journalists of Africa and the 2010
Award in Mexico
10 December 2009
By
Saka Raji Audu
In February 2010, the
Protection Rights of Journalists of Africa will be
presenting award for the Best Journalist of the Year
2009 in Mexico. Already, the Association has
earnmarked or rather wished to nominate a
gate-crasher- in – journalism, a Kaduna based
controversial and notorious publisher of a moribund
newspaper, the Desert Herald in person of Mr. Tukur
Mamu as her recipient for the award of the Best
Journalist of the year 2009.
Whatever was the cretaria
used by the Association to arrive at her unpopular and
misguided nomination for such an award, it is
pertinent to observe without prejudice that if the
dream of the Association scales through without
replacement, it will simply amount to recognition of
deceit and mediocrity at the detriment of what
responsible journalism seeks to achieve in Nigeria in
particular and Africa in general. Unless and ofcourse,
the Protection Rights of Journalists of Africa wants
her existing reputation to be rubbished in the dustbin
of journalism, there is every reason why her decision
to nominate Mr. Tukur Mamu to be the Best Journalist
of the Year 2009 must be rescined and thrown to the
dogs.
It is on record that
Tukur Mamu crashed into the journalism profession
without the prerequisite qualification and cognisance
experience required of a reputable and responsible
journalist. This explains reason for the type of
journalism he practices in his Kaduna enclave. Apart
from his inconsequential Diploma certificate course in
Accounting, he has nothing else to indicate his
knowledge of journalism prior to his entry into the
profession due to what one can describe as the
Nigerian factor.
It would be recalled that
in the year 2009 alone, the publisher of the Desert
Herald carried so many controversial stories, none
of which has been established as fact. For instance,
he published a congratulatory advert, among many other
similar ones, praising himself on his questionable US
Congress award and purportedly attributed it to the
National President of the Nigerian Union of
Journalists, Comrade Garba Mohammed. This made- up
advert was refuted in the Daily Trust of July 28, 2009
by the NUJ president as embarrassing and unethical of
the profession and issued serious warning to the so
called publisher that lack an atom of training in the
journalism profession. This is not to talk about the
various fictions published as truth by the Kaduna
based Desert Herald.
Still, the Yobe awareness
Forum had in the Daily Trust of July 24, 2009
apologised for being misled by the Desert Herald's
stories against the Yobe government after reading in
many responsible newspapers about the evil
machinations and unprofessional activities of the
Desert Herald publisher. From the evidence before
Nigerians and the ones provided by the publisher of
the misinformed paper himself, it is clear that the
publisher lacks the competence for a responsible
journalism. This is evident in his medium contents
that are bedeviled with self- made stories devoid of
truth. This is also in addition to the fact that the
so called Editor –In-Chief lacks the ability to
adequately proof read his paper devoid of the
unpardonable grammatical errors that characterize his
moribund paper.
Some people may say that
the publisher and his laughable kind of newspaper are
of the views that grammar; ethical standards,
qualification and correct information do not matter in
journalism provided the publisher cum Editor-In-Chief
rakes millions of naira and becomes notorious through
blackmail and falsification of information. In this
case, whoever raises eyebrows against his journalistic
flaws should be regarded as being jealous. The many
questions begging for answers are how comes an
ordinary diploma holder in Accounting refers to
himself as an Accountant? How comes an accounts clerk
with no basic certificate in media or journalism
arrogate to himself Editor-In-Chief, deciding on
serious editorial contents of a supposed responsible
paper?
For instance, it is true
that the late Chief MKO Abiola was a renowned
chartered Accountant when he established the
Concord newspaper. But, knowing that he was not a
journalist, he resolved to hand over the management
and the journalistic administration to competent
professionals; and through out his life, he never
claimed to be a Publisher, let alone an
Editor-In-Chief. This explains why his paper was one
of the most objective and unbiased papers in the
world.
It is also on record that
prior to the establishment of the pilot newspaper, Dr.
Azikiwe had worked in several international media. He
did not just get up to establish the Pilot
newspaper out of quest for job or alternative to
staying idle as is the case with the Publisher of the
Desert Herald. Little wonder, therefore, why
with Diploma the Desert man established his
junk newspaper, devoid of extensive reading experience
in the profession.
Ordinarily, instead of
nominating Tukur Mamu as the Best Journalist of the
year 2009, he should rather be advised to acquire, at
least, a Diploma in journalism to save himself from
all these unethical write ups and resultant
embarrassment that he has been facing as a result of
his junk journalism. I address his journalism as junk
because of his most recent confession in his edition
of 13th -20th October, 2009,
Vol.1, No. 39 that the story he published against the
First Lady, Hajiya Turai Yar'adua was not only
un-objective, but also not investigated. This shows
his level of journalism. As an Editor-in-Chief as he
claims, he ought to have been sure that this high
class report was thoroughly investigated before going
to the press. This makes him different from other
experienced journalists and publishers of other media.
Further more, it is
obvious that he does not care to edit his articles
before being published as a result of his strange
entry into the journalism profession. Mamu lacks
professional knowledge of journalism. This informs why
his correspondents and reporters always write thrash
as news. Perhaps, Tukur Mamu does not bother to
acquaint himself with the journalistic style, manner
and nature of information given to the public. This is
why he lacks wide readership and adverts in the first
place. No one would like to associate oneself with
such newspaper whose news are inciting, blackmailing,
defamatory, malicious and mischievous.
Our minds are still fresh
on the arrest and detention of Tukur Mamu by the
Nigerian Police for his involvement in possession of
fake documents he uses against his perceived and
imaginary foes. Although the Protection Rights of
Journalists of Africa played significant role in his
release from detention, we know that in as much as the
right of true journalist in Africa must be protected
in discharge of their onerous duties, it would simply
amount to high level of injustice if a blackmailer as
Tukur Mamu that is destroying journalism profession in
Nigeria is being proposed to be honoured as the Best
Journalist of the year 2009 by the Protection Right of
Journalists of Africa. The implication is that there
is no reward for honesty and decency in journalism and
thus, every one should be aiming at dubious journalism
to get dubious award.
In view of the elaborate
explanations above, I hereby call on the Protection
Rights of Journalist of Africa not to ridicule her
Association. This can only be avoided if she drops the
nomination of Tukur Mamu as the Best Journalist for
the year 2009 in Mexico. There are competent and
responsible journalists in Nigeria, one of which
should be nominated to earn such prestigious award.
The grave mistake made, in the US Congress award this
year, should not be repeated in Mexico.
Finally, Journalism is a
profession that deserves respect, dignity and moral
decorum. The ethics of the profession must not be
disparaged or treated with impunity by giving award to
politically and self motivated man that has no love of
the profession at heart but how to malign, cajole and
arm-twist people including men of honour and integrity
in order to get money and notoriety. It all in this
retrospect that Mr. Tukur Mamu is not in any way
qualified for the Best journalist of the year 2009
slated in Mexico by the Protection Rights of
Journalists of Africa. A word, they say, is enough for
the wise.
Saka Raji Audu writes
from Kano and can be reached on his email: sakaraj@yahoo.com
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