Prof. Shola Omotola, a former deputy vice chancellor of Federal University, Oye Ekiti, has urged media to confront authority with the truth.
According to Omotola, journalists need to speak truth to power and keep those in positions of control accountable to the people if real development is to coexist with democracy in Nigeria.
He said this while presenting a paper at the Senate Press Corps retreat, which took place over the weekend at the Al-Vari Hotel in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
This is because a number of public officials, including the National Assembly’s clerk, Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, have promised journalists covering the National Assembly that any information they require at any time will be made available to them in accordance with the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.
In his paper presentation titled “Developmental Impact of the Executive on Nigeria’s Democracy, 1999-2024,” Omotola stated that since May 1999, several elected federal governments have attempted to effect development across all sectors through the formulation and execution of policies, but have failed to eradicate or even significantly lessen poverty.
He claims that because successive administrations in Nigeria have failed to adequately address the issue of poverty among their citizens, development—a crucial facet of democracy—has been conspicuously absent from Nigeria over time.
“Thus, the retreat’s theme, “Democracy and Development: How far, So far, for Nigeria?” is quite appropriate, relevant, and persuasive.
Because democracy and development are intrinsically linked and require each other, journalists in Nigeria must speak truth to power in order to advance both.
“Achieving an acceptable standard of living and owning the necessities for a wholesome, well-balanced diet, housing, clothing, food, portable water, a clean environment, and other necessities is the essence of development.”
As the society’s watchdogs, journalists must periodically reveal all obstacles to these in Nigeria, including faulty policies, corruption, and other issues, he stated.
He did, however, add that Nigeria’s ability to maintain democracy for more than 24 years while still maintaining its national identity demonstrated that progress will undoubtedly ensue.
During the retreat, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accompanied by Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs Chairman Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC Ekiti South), declared that the Senate, under his direction, would not refuse any journalist access to information so they could disseminate it to the wider public as allowed by the Freedom of Information Act.
Additionally, Sani Magaji Tambawal, the clerk to the National Assembly, stated—represented by Mr. Ali Umar, secretary of research and information—that since democracy fosters a more favorable environment for development, the National Assembly’s management will continue to foster an environment that allows journalists to report with great objectivity and balance.