Delta State Commissioner for Technical Education, Rt. Hon. Pastor Joan Onyemaechi, popular known as Ada Anioma, has urged journalists to play professional roles expected of them to avert breach of peace, engage in fact check, be objective and neutral in their reportage at all times.
The former Director-General, Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, made the call on Monday March 11th 2024, in Asaba, while playing host to the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council ably led by its Chairman, Comrade Churchill Oyowe.
The erstwhile House of Representatives member said: “I don’t know how we got to the level where we are now, how we made journalism to lose its worth. Before, when you say I am a journalist, people sit up.
“Before now, when you say, journalist, they say be careful, otherwise, what you are doing, journalists will publish it.
“But now, they don’t even publish what it is, they publish from their imaginations and patronage. Somebody doesn’t like my face, they get somebody to write, it is even worst off now”.
She lamented that some journalists nowadays, publish first before getting across to hear from the other side whereas, the damage has been done.
According to her, “First and foremost, we really need to work on ourselves to make the profession still continue to enjoy the respect that ordinarily should be given to it”.
She decried that the patronage government was supposed to accord to the practice of the profession has dwindled due to the way journalism practice has deteriorated in society.
She said gone are the days where people just sit in the comfort of their houses and report hearsay.
She argued that rather than allow journalism to be discredited by government, individuals and other organizations, journalists should be unbiased in their reportage.
She further noted that when a journalist does thorough investigation before coming on air, such a reporter would be respected in the society.
“So, I think we should begin to see how we can get it right. If you get up now with your executive and say we want to bring back that confidence, of course, people will be very happy with you’.
Pastor Onyemaechi, whose love for the profession drove her to obtain Post Graduate in journalism, said: “It is still possible for us to get back to what we are supposed to be. If you want to say part of your meetings, we are making it as a rule and a policy, anybody who reports an item without verifying from the other side and it is confirmed not to be, so and so sanction, it is possible.
“With your executive, if you start it today that any journalist that goes to publish a one sided story will be suspended by the NUJ, you will see how you will bring back the trust.
“If you begin to address some of these issues, you will be so surprised that natural patronage will come to you. People will begin to say NUJ has changed, people will begin to read any story coming from you and have confidence”, she stressed.
Earlier, Chairman of the Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, assured her that the Union under his watch would entrench professionalism aimed at restoring the lost glory of the profession.
“As leaders we have come to say professionalism will be part and parcel of what we will embed in our members.
“We want to see how our members will be more professional and we know that, that is the best way to go growing Delta State because you cannot be in an environment and you are part of those destroying the environment, you will be destroyed as well.
“So, we want to become more responsible and we want to talk to our members on how they can be part of the MORE Agenda of lifting this State to greater height”, calling for support to entrench professionalism among members.
He called for support for the Union particularly the current leadership to enable her achieve set goals particularly making it Independent as the profession and its practitioners now go cap in hand.
