Journalists deserve living wages, says IBB

Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (retd), yesterday called for living wages and better condition of service for journalists in Nigeria.

This was just as he donated N5 million to launch a book, NUJ: a History of Nigeria Press, written by Jola Ogun­lusi, former executive national secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The event, which held at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, was well-attended by eminent personalities, including Mr. Femi Adesina, President, Ni­geria Guild of Editors (NGE); Mallam Haruna Mohammed, Tayo Ekundayo, Ekiti State Commissioner for Informa­tion, who represented Gov­ernor Kayode Fayemi; Mr. Nasiru Saraki, Deputy President of NUJ; Alhaji Lateef Jakande, former governor of Lagos State; Professor Sam Oyovbaire, former Minister of Information and Culture, who represented General Baban­gida; Mr. Adebayo Adewale, Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State; friends and col­leagues of the author.

Noting that the launch of the book was historic, Babangida described the book as the first authentic history of the NUJ founded in 1955 as one of the key media organisations in the country. He described Ogunlu­si as the best man to have writ­ten such a book, adding: “The history of the NUJ cannot be written by any other better per­son than the author of the book. Not only was he not the oldest secretary of the union, he was also the longest serving secre­tary of the union, having spent 13 years.”

The former military presi­dent said journalists as watch­dogs of the society, were per­haps, the most important of all other social workers such as academics, script writers, pub­lic relations officers,  writers and others.

He commended the efforts of veteran journalists such as late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Macaulay and others, who were in the forefront of the struggle for independence, say­ing: “After independence those who succeeded them contin­ued the assignment of keep­ing those in power in check. As military president between 1985 and 1993, I can provide copious testimony of the power of journalists in keeping me in check during my tenure.”

Urging journalists to keep playing the role of check­ing people in government, he said: “Journalists are key to ensuring the progress, stability and good governance in any country. Journalists deserve living wages and good condi­tion of service. But however, in whatever situation we find our­selves, the ethics of that profes­sion demands that we report and comment fairly, accurately and objectively on all issues and individuals, especially in a time like this when we are experiencing a most challeng­ing time.

“We have never witnessed such crises that pose an enor­mous threat to our integrity as a nation like this before: The in­surgency of Boko Haram, kid­nappings and killings, armed robbery and sectarian crises among others.”

Reviewer of Ogunlusi’s book, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, who was the Manag­ing Director of New Nigeria newspapers when the author served as a journalist, said the book, though replete with er­rors of misspellings and others, tells an interesting and relative history of journalism in a very readable sense.