CHANNELS TV AND THE NATIONAL SHAME
Written by Saint-Olawale Jimoh
'It was a great surprise to me when I discovered that the ugliness I see
in others is but a reflection of my very nature'. -Anonymous
This piece is not intended to nail anyone, as a matter of fact, it is
not even a criticism rather, it is an observation, aimed at calling the
attention of the general public to the excesses of some of our
journalists and media houses. Channels Television has been voted the
best in Nigeria and Freedom Of Information (FOI) makes their
journalistic exploits more enabling for them but would the FOI have
covered or does it involve showcasing our shame?
For several months early last year, the most popular slogan in
Nigeria has been ‘my oga at the top’, a term generated from the
ill-fated interview granted by Mr Obafaiye Shem, the former Lagos State
Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to
Channels Television during its breakfast show on March 6, 2013.
Comedians and musicians can’t crack a joke or sing a line without
referring to it. T-shirts, baseball caps and movies have been inspired
by it. The situation was much that the wife of the victim was said to
have barged into the premises of the television station, asking what
they really stand to gain from over-publicizing her husband's mistake.
Those who watched the interview would agree that the Channels
Sunrise Daily interview team manipulated the situation. They clearly
knew the man did not know what the NSCDC’s website was based on his
first response, rather than change the subject, they resorted to
exploiting his ignorance.
While I am not totally in support of Mr Shem, I still believe that
those making the noise about the interview are not being fair to him.
How many of our National Assembly members know the country’s national
anthem, let alone its official website? Ijeoma Bristol, the current
Ambassador of Nigeria to Portugal, could not sing the national anthem
during her ambassadorial screening. When asked to explain the Geneva and
Vienna Conventions, she said she was “confused”. And yet, she was
confirmed by the senate. What is the real difference between him and
today’s youths who know a thousand websites addresses, but are
dumbfounded when asked for their house number? There are people out
there who are educated, but do not know how to send you a message on
their mobile phone. So tell me: is there a difference between such
people and Mr Shem as far as technology is concerned?
Before Mr Shem's saga, there was what Channels TV tagged 'River
State House Of Thugs,' a video clip that showed the violent and kangaroo
impeachment drama within the River State House Of Assembly complex in
which one lawmaker hit the on the head with House mace. The video clip
generated controversies and attracted several negative comments from the
international communities about our democratic system.
It would be recalled that on the 17th of September, 2008, the late
President Yar'Adua lenient as he was almost close down Channels when it
carried the news that "President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua may resign after
cabinet reshuffle, on health ground!" As expected, the local and
international broadcast media quickly picked up the story and broadcast
it to the whole world. Swiftly, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
disowned the story, while presidential spokesman at the time, Mr.
Olusegun Adeniyi, emphatically denied the rumour, saying it was the
handiwork of those who do not wish Nigeria well. Yet Channels TV was the
source of the news!
The latest this year from Channels Television is the one tagged
'there is God o'. A video clip about Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, the
first lady of this nation! Whoever watch the clip would acknowledge that
it's a calculated attempt to expose the woman's flaw. Channels had
already made their point when they only reported about Mrs Patience's
meeting with some concerned folks over Chibok abducted girls without the
woman's voice and the annoying video. Question is, why did Channels had
to go back and retrieve the video when they had said their news
successfully without it?
All these I consider too unprofessional for a media house that takes
pride in being the best in the land and a very low sort of comedy. More
than anything else, they have succeeded in generating further distrust
between journalists and general public who will surely think twice
before honouring invitations from them.
This Channels folks need to be reminded that there are better things
to do in enlightening, informing and educating the public rather than
making mockery of the first lady and turning same to national pastime.
It pride on being the best in the land yet the most incisive human-angle
stories regarding Chibok abduction was the one on the BBC website.
What happened to investigative reporting/journalism? Has Channels ever
taken up the challenge of researching how many people actually died in
Nyanya? What about Chibok girls, how many girls were genuinely abducted?
Do they have families? What are their names? We now live in a society
where newspapers and TV station rely on facebook postings by individuals
for news updates.
Nigerian newspapers and journalists have lost all sense of
responsibility and shame, people are now mere hustlers, jobbers looking
for rich and crooked sponsors at home and abroad, bullshit artists
turning tricks, beheading the truth for pennies from the West.
-Saint-Olawale Jimoh
Observers' Reflections Int'l
www.saint-olawalejimoh.blogspot.com
Friday 6 June 2014
Written by Saint-Olawale Jimoh
‘One man of courage makes a majority.’ - Andrew Jackson
The media today is awash with tales of successful people who created class for themselves in their chosen fields by virtue of their achievements. I am always skeptical about such stories most especially when it has got to do with individuals from rich families. If Femi Otedola today buys all the refineries in Nigeria, I would not be surprised and if tomorrow I read that Paddy Adenuga is the richest young Nigeria, it won't amaze me, they're all from extremely rich families.
You bring a story of a man who was born with a sliver spoon; who never tasted hardship, who studied under pleasure and attended one of the best universities in the world and you want me to toe his lines or envy him? No, we do not have the same conditions and owing to the difference in places of birth, we started the race of life at a different pace. Show me a man who was raised by parents who couldn't afford 3-square meal a day; who walked almost bare-footed to school and who wore same clothes for many years, yet made gold using these extant conditions and I will appreciate!
Mr Adeniyi Johnson Talabi was born on 3rd of April, 1959 in Ilese, at a time when our forefathers had fed their children with negative tales about western education. It was even some families' tradition not to invest in education because to then, education would make their children oppose their customs and traditional practices yet there was a little boy who despite this notions and impediments found that his fortune lies in same education and did everything humanly possible to realize his dreams.
He attended St Paul's Anglican Primary School, Ilese between 1965 to 1970 and Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu-Ode where he obtained S75 in 1974. He attended Methodist Teachers Training College, Sagamu for his Grade II certificate in 1974. He again proceeded to Tai-Solarin College Of Education, Ijebu-Ode in 1986 and University Of Ado Ekiti in 2003 for his degrees.
This man toiled hard to achieve all these. He blazes the trail and sets himself as a role model, not only for the youths, but importantly for his contemporaries. All my life, I have never privately sat side-by-side with this man, never! In fact, I can count on the finger of one hand the number of times I have set my eyes on him this year, yet news of his great deeds keep reaching me every now and then.
I am not going to make pretence of it at all. I have a fondness for him, his overwhelming humility, his sincerity of purpose, his dedication to duty and his remarkable gentlemanliness.
He is useful to mankind in all ramifications. At St Paul's Anglican Church, Ilese, where he's a pillar, he has been the secretary of the church's Harvest Committee since 1995. He is currently ACF President and Vicar's warden.
In service, he is the Treasurer of Ogun State Association Of Primary School Headteachers (COPSHON) till retirement; Ijebu Divisional Chairman, COPSHON from 2009 till retirement, Assistant Secretary, Odogbolu Zonal COPSHON between 2001 till 2007 and Chairman of Endwell Scheme Building Committee, Odogbolu.
Within the community, he is Vice President and co-founder of St Paul's Co-operative Multipurpose Society, Ilese; board member of Ijebu Central Cooperative Service Society (ICCSS) and Vice President, Olorunsogo Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited.
Mr Adeniyi is a recipient of many awards including Fellow Of the Teaching Industry (FTI) and Best Headteacher Award in Odogbolu which was presented to him by foremost industrialist and former Ogun State governorship aspirant, Rev Olajide Awosedo.
Above all, Mr Johnson Adeniyi Talabi possesses one thing that most of our leaders are lacking; a gift you cannot buy with money; you cannot learn it in school, it's simply humility! His humility is legendary; to me, he remains the most humble individual I have ever seen walking the surface of this earth.
-Saint-Olawale Jimoh
Observers' Reflections Int'l
www.saint-olawalejimoh.
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