By Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi
Kaduna, Northwestern Nigeria— The Kaduna state government has denied journalists access to cover the Northern Governors Forum’s meeting in Sir Kashim House (Government House) at the weekend.
Journalists who expressed their displeasure over the sad development said that the development is the first in history since the return of democracy in 1999.
Just as they added that the sad situation is an indication that the mother body of journalists, the NUJ, is fast becoming a weak body that can no longer protect the rights and interests of its members in the face of molestation and denial of their duty.
The over 40 journalists who were denied access to the venue of the meeting berated the actions of the Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Musa, who also claimed to be a professional journalist.
They added that his action was uncalled for, unprofessional, and unacceptable for keeping his colleagues in the hot sun for almost two hours without any remorse.
The affected journalists, who are both from international and local media, said that they were disappointed by the actions of the press secretary and the leadership of the Kaduna State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), who kept mute while their members were facing the humiliation.
They, however, reminded the CPS that his action amounted to disloyalty against his boss and, by extension, the Kaduna state government, adding that he should remember that no medium in journalism is greater than the other. Many examples abound that small newspapers and radio have contributed to the downfall of many governments in the past because they were ignored by those who were given the responsibility to manage the affairs of the press.
In this context, those whose official duty is to promote the welfare of journalists should not see themselves as an authority above their colleagues but rather as partners in the success of their paymasters.
The journalists also argued that the CPS lacks the capacity to angle the media apparatus of a state like Kaduna, adding that since his assumption of office, he has displayed incompetence in his role as the CPS by not giving adequate publicity to his principal and also causing division amongst journalists.
The aggrieved journalist. ists therefore challenged the Kaduna NUJ Council leadership to state clearly its alleged involvement in the selection of a few journalists who were allowed access to the venue of the assignment.
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