X~Ray on Nigeria Media by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

The Nigeria media is daily becoming a laughing stock and I wonder what kind of professionals are coming into the industry.

On Wednesday October 22, 2014, I appeared on Radio 1's Business Today alongside Vice Chairman of the Lagos State Institute of Architect, Mrs. Titi Adeleye.

Before the start of the programme, I had a rap with the presenter (***), about her take on the topic we are about to discuss, HOUSING FOR ALL IN NIGERIA. What her own take about President Jonathan's low income housing estate is etc.

"AH", she replied, "I don't know o. Actually, I never prepared for this 'edition' really”. She ended her sentence with a mordant laugh and I just felt like wiping her grin face clean with a slap.

... Is this not a wasted effort, I mean my coming down from the Mainland part of Lagos to the Island for the programme?

The producer informed me about the programme 3 days before that day thus I went online, contacting colleagues/professionals just to get more than enough data and do justice to a scourge ravaging our land.

While the programme was on, several calls came in from far and wide, each making their grievances against government's clumsy attitude towards housing known and their wishes. But while this was going on, my mind continue to connect dots of how this will become a force for concerned bodies to reckon with.

A day later, I checked the station's website to see if there is an online version (text or audio download) so that I can work with something! None. The general new on the site is appalling with the last soccer update being about Di Maria’s £60 million transfer to Manchester United in August yet graces the sport page in October.

And then I looked at the broadcast media in general... What has been their input in the nation's building? What is media's role and how are they performing it?

The media is regarded as the eyes and ears of the people, the fourth estate of the realm. Seen by many as a body independent of interference, neutral to all so as to give a balance report of events irrespective of who, why, where or how.

Are Nigerian Media fulfilling these objectives?

Putting people in the know of things in Nigeria has been a function the media has chiefly been doing though what gets to the people is another matter. In the absent of an effective system of government, the media has become a tool of informing and misinforming the general public, a situation which confuses many as to which information to hold as genuine.

In place of these manipulations, Investigative journalism would have been the ideal solution yet the emergence of 234Next newspaper (a newspaper that trend more in Investigative journalism) was short-lived as it was shut down under shady circumstances.

The twist and chain thus make the industry do what it knows how to do best ~ promote.

Today, many presenters see their positions as venue to become celebrities thus the extra length of research, contacting the appropriate authority or follow up on a story/lead is never the case. A subject and all it leads/revelations ends the moment the episode is a wrap.

Once a programme is assigned to a presenter, he/she coin a marketable name for him/herself then follow his/her 'popularity' with weird performances on social media.

The hope of many is to gain popularity for star status, celebrity status or becoming marketable for endorsement etc.

So, where do these left the Nigeria Media industry?

In a manipulative hole, penetrable by the very rebels whom it ought to keep a keen eye on.