By Joyce ASUQUO
Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, FCT, Comrade Emma Ogbeche has said that journalists have continued to become the victim of the nation’s democratic struggle, as Nigeria marks it’s first anniversary of Democracy Day today, June 12.
Ogbeche speaking on the theme of the Democratic hangout with the theme, ” Media, Accountability and Democracy: The June 12 Story’ which featured a panel of discussants said that in the struggle for democracy the media is mentioned in passing in the forefront of the realization of June 12.
He said, ” Years after principal actors in the struggle have being recognized, but none have been appreciated when it comes to the media and democracy.”
He lamented that journalists are victims in all ramifications, ” economically we are backward, socially we are backward and politically we have not been taken into cognizance despite the fact that Chapter 22 of the Media which is to hold government accountable to the Nigerians.”
“20 years of Democracy, we can count the number of Journalists and media practitioners who have become casualties, gone to jail and even become destitute.”
Ogbeche however noted that despite these democratic challenges the media has remained focus in ensuring accountable and transparency in the process of governance.
One of the panelists, Barrister Esther Uzoma, assessing the media in the Democratic era said that the sad aspect of journalism practice in the struggle and sustainability of democracy is that Journalists die uncelebrated.
Sadly Journalists die uncelebrated. The tragedy really is the vulgarization of the rights of Journalists, she decried.
She noted that Journalists who were Comrades of the June 12 struggle died in active struggle, when there was hunger for news about happenings in the country.
She encouraged the media to continue to their mandate to shape the agenda for the country.
Another panelist, Comrade Timothy Elewere , reounting his experience during the June 12 struggle by Journalists and the media said that in those days he was responsible for holding forte the underground publishing and circulation of proscribed newspapers.
Elewere recounted, ” I took possession of all the proscribed newspapers and we had a way of selling them at that time, and government was surprised at how the papers were on the streets.
The theme of NUJ FCT Democracy Hangout, is Media, Accountability and Democracy: The June 12 Story.
