I have tremendous respect for Mr. Eze Anaba, the incumbent President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).
Ordinarily, I should have shared my views with him before making this intervention public. But once I do that, I would certainly be compelled to hear from the other side, and in the end, their opinions might end up diluting my intervention. So I will rely heavily on what is in the public domain to make my submission.
I have read The Nation’s position and I have also read that of the NGE. To be candid, because we are in an election season, I think the NGE should have been more circumspect in its choice of speakers for its conference. For instance, considering the public position of His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan on the current administration, his choice as Keynote Speaker was, in my view, an error of judgment for an association that is supposed to promote national unity and cohesion.
The Nation’s editorial claimed that Peter Obi and Pat Utomi were not originally listed as persons to address the conference. In the Guild’s statement, there was no strong and convincing evidence to show that it extended similar invitations to other presidential candidates. The argument that it invited the APC chairman, in my view, does not hold water. A party chairman is different from a presidential candidate. If the Guild did not extend the same type of invitation it extended to Obi to Atiku, Tinubu and others, then the Guild has not done enough in that regard. The Nation’s editorial too, was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Let me pause here for now.
Regardless, I want to appeal to both parties to remember that yes, the media is powerful, but media power must be used with wisdom. This is because, as research has shown, the power of the media is often mediated by broader social and political identities. People will judge the media and journalists by what they put out.
The NGE is a national association. Therefore, it should maintain that national outlook in all ramifications. If what is about to happen is not carefully and decisively addressed, I fear for the NGE. If care is not taken, this will be the beginning of the polarisation of the Guild. Once the Guild loses its respect, it will be very difficult to regain acceptability. Once that happens, the organic unity of journalism will be polarised. And once polarised, it becomes difficult to mend.
I don talk my own o!
