Sirajo urges journalists to uphold role as watchdog of society
By Felicia Nwosu
Mukhtar Sirajo, President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, has charged Nigerian journalists not to dance to the gallery, but to continue to uphold their role as the watchdog of society by ensuring that they educate, inform and enlighten the populace on their right to be politically conscious in demanding for accountability from political leaders. He urged them to ensure that professionalism is the hallmark of their practice, backed up with high ethical standards in the discharge of their duties.
Mr. Sirajo stated this in Lagos, during the maiden edition of Nigeria Union of Journalists Annual Milestone Recognition of Media Icons in Nigeria, with the theme: “The Role of the Media in the 2023 General Elections.”
“The Nigerian journalist has every reason to beat his chest and hold his head high because journalism takes its pride of place in the scheme of things. Are we educating our people to be able to ask our leaders the necessary questions, or are we just following the politicians with whatever drum they play, we dance to their tune?
“From my observation, whatever the politicians say is what we take. We don’t hold them accountable; we don’t ask them the necessary questions. I believe the role the media is supposed to play should not just be on 2023 general elections alone, it should go beyond the elections,” he stated.
The NIPR leader challenged journalists to take the bull by the horns by ensuring that the mandate of the people is protected and preserved through their roles.
“These politicians have already been there and they want to come again. Ask them what they have done with the mandate that we gave them before? I think this is part of the role that I expect the 21st century media to play. If this is an indictment, we should take it in good faith and try to see what we can do, because this country has no business being where it is at the moment. Ordinarily, with the kind of potential that we have, we are supposed to be up there competing with the best. But we have remained a toddler at 62 simply because we have failed to find our bearings. We have failed to find the essence of why we are a nation,” the PR expert lamented.
Mr. Sirajo also emphasised the need to hasten up with actions to ensure that history does not repeat itself, but that the citizens are well-informed to make the right choice in leadership.
“One thing that actually disturbs me is when you sit with leaders or people who were leaders. If you sit down with them and align the situation of the country, they will agree with you that this is the problem and this is the solution. When you see them talking outside, they say completely different things; things that are at variance with what you have privately discussed with them. Why, because the solution is not likely to benefit them personally. I think we need to begin to take our leaders to task,” he suggested.
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