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Tag: Press freedom

  • Daybreak reporter, Akpabio, Kaduna, kebbi Govs, others bags NUJ 2025 Press Freedom, Good Governance Awards

    Daybreak reporter, Akpabio, Kaduna, kebbi Govs, others bags NUJ 2025 Press Freedom, Good Governance Awards

    By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

    The daybreak online kaduna Correspondent, Mr. Idibia Gabriel has again bagged another Press Freedom Awards of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    Mr. Idibia who bagged the Award along with Eleven others at the NUJ Press Freedom and Good Governance Awards 2025, in Abuja on Saturday, also received same Award in 2024.

    The Senate President Senator Godswil Akpabio and Governors of Kaduna, Kebbi states and Nine others company heads were also among the awardees which includes Arch. Sunny S.T Echono, Educative Secretary Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Dr. Emem Omokaro (PhD), Award Pioneer Director General National Senior Citizens Centre, National Bureau of Statistic (NBS), and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL).

    While Mr. Idibia Gabriel, and five other journalists were presented with Torch Bearers of Press Freedom Awards, Senator Godswil Akpabio, kaduna and Kebbi Governors were presented with Legislative Transformation and Effeciency, Peace building and development, and Education respectfully.

    Accordingly, Pacesetters Leadership, Energy Effeciency and Sustainability, Innovative Leadership and Transparency, goes for other companies and parastatal heads.

    In an address at the World Press Freedom Day 2025 event organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Abuja on Saturday., Senate President, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, called on Nigerian journalists to uphold responsible and ethical journalism, and warned against the dangers of misinformation.

    Delivering a keynote titled “Voices, Vision, and the Vigilance of Truth: The Role of the Legislature and the Press in Nation Building,” Akpabio stressed that access to accurate information is the bedrock of democracy.

    “A nation without information is like a blindfolded captain,” he said, saying “Citizens who are denied access to information cannot hold their leaders accountable.”

    Addressing the event’s theme, “The Legislature, right to Information, and the Challenges of Nation Building in Nigeria,” Akpabio described the legislature as the nation’s “microphone,” where citizens’ concerns are transformed into laws and policies.

    He underscored that the right to information is not a privilege but a fundamental right, calling it “the oxygen that keeps democracy breathing.”

    Akpabio emphasized that nation-building requires collective effort, urging Nigerians to rally behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to navigate the country’s challenges.

    He hailed journalists as “guardians of memory and interpreters of meaning,” charging them to remain beacons of truth while upholding professional ethics and guarding against quackery.

    “Democracy is deepened not by ballots alone but by dialogue,” Akpabio concluded, urging the media to foster open conversations that strengthen the nation.

    Earlier, NUJ President, Comrade Hassan Yahya Abdullahi, reaffirmed the union’s commitment to ethical journalism, protection of press freedom, and accountability in governance.

    He noted that World Press Freedom Day honors not only the principles of free speech but also the resilience of journalists who face harassment, threats, and imprisonment in the line of duty.

    Abdullahi called for safer working conditions and praised the federal government’s commitment to free speech, urging that promises be matched with concrete action.

    The event also featured the NUJ’s annual awards, honoring other notable brave journalists who faced attacks and threats, individuals and organizations:

    The recipients in the Torchbearer category award includes; Jide Oyekunle of Daily Independent Newspaper and Secretary NUJ FCT Council, Idibia Gabriel a journalist with Daily Times Newspaper, Matthew Ochei a reporter with The Punch newspaper, Lucy Ezeliore , Deputy Feature Editor Pointer newspaper , Ibrahim Isha of TVC News and Ibrahim Ayuba Isah of TVC News.

    The recipients for the Good Governance Award category are ; Senator Godswill Akpabio, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Nasir Idris, Executive Secretary Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Arc. Sunny S.T. Echocho, Director General National Senior Citizens Center, Dr. Emem Omokaro.

    Others are ; National Bureau of Statistics ( NBS ), Julius Berger and Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited ( NNPCL ).

    Speaking, Mr idibia who commended the organiser of the event said the Award would serve as motivation to respected journalists to puting their very best informing educating the society adequately.

  • “Press freedom” never a fig leaf of fake news

    By Zhong Sheng

    China’s broadcasting regulator National Radio and Television Administration recently made an announcement on pulling BBC World News off the air in the country for serious content violation. The NRTA will not accept the broadcast application of BBC World News this year.

    Such decision is legitimate and reasonable. However, some British politicians are still encouraging fake news and calling black white, which further exposed their serious ideological prejudices against China.

    The explanation from the British side is totally unfounded. Earlier this month, Britain’s communications regulator Ofcom revoked the license of CGTN to broadcast in Britain, citing the Chinese media outlet’s “political nature.” It seriously damaged the reputation of Chinese media and disturbed normal cultural exchanges between the two countries. The British side was the first to infringe upon the interests of Chinese media, so it is in no position to point its fingers at the righteous act of China to safeguard national interests and the authenticity of news. Playing the innocent and hyping the so-called press freedom only reveals the hypocrisy of the British side.

    Press freedom is never a fig leaf of fake news. Pulling BBC World News off the air in China was what the British side asked for. For a while, BBC has viciously made hypes about COVID-19, as well as anti-terrorism and de-extremism in China’s Xinjiang. Its reports totally ignored facts and the moral principles of journalism. By calling white black and fabricating stories, it particularly demonized China.

    Even after its fake news was unmasked, BBC even described itself as “the world’s most trusted international news broadcaster,” which further fueled the anger of the 1.4 billion Chinese people.

    Both the brutal suppression from the UK against Chinese media and the rumors fabricated by BBC in its reports on China are stemmed from the deeply rooted political prejudices of certain British people against China.

    British scholar Martin Jacques believes BBC pursued a Cold War agenda to darken the name of China.

    It’s noteworthy that when the public of Western countries, including the UK, are criticizing the decreasing credibility of Western media, some British politicians are still ignoring the authenticity of news by cooking up fake stories about China. It fully exposed their distorted values and morality.

    No country shall tolerate fake news. The Chinese government and Chinese people will never welcome the news broadcasters that viciously attack and slander China. Those who ignore this point and go against the 1.4 billion Chinese people, as well as human conscience and justice will only overreach and pay the piper.

    (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)