THE NECESSITY OF PROPER JOURNALISM IN NIGERIA
It is needless to say that journalism is a necessity to every nation, as it, in a way, helps run governments. The dispensing of information to the general public for daily consumption proves journalism is essential anywhere in the world.
Journalism is particularly essential in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, as it is infamous for corruption and crime. History has shown that those in powerful positions tend to go unpunished when light isn’t shone on their crimes. Corruption is one of the largest problems Nigeria has to deal with today and with the emergence of more and more journalists, it may be fought but by bit.
Nigeria is a country overrun with object poverty and mass illiteracy, which, before, one would see as an obstacle to effective journalism, but with the introduction of modern day technology and tools, journalists are able to reach out to different corners of the community. All over the country, crimes are committed by people of all sorts, and in a lot of cases, they tend to go scot-free, either by the cause of the lackluster judicial system or the complete lack of knowledge of such cases.
Without proper journalism, people can just do whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want, without fear of consequences. This applies especially to the wealthy and powerful, as they have the resources to defend themselves from public ridicule and exposure. Media houses and journalists themselves are being bribed and bought, so the publication of some news won’t even be 100% factual, but painted in a light to favor a particular party. This is to the detriment of the entire nation, for, when proper journalism work is carried out, and factual information is passed around to the general public, it provides room for the conjuring of solutions to problems in the society, removal of corrupt officials in power, etc.
Nigeria is a struggling nation which is being starved by those in power, who misappropriate and consume public funds for their own self-interest, refuse to pay the salaries of workers, and don’t do anything close to or related to what they’re actually supposed to be doing. This is as a result of not only ignorance of the general public, but majorly as a result of the poor government and judicial system in place in Nigeria. One can be caught and found guilty today of corruption and still manage to wriggle free tomorrow. But, time has shown that proper journalism work plays a major role in the advancement of a “better Nigeria”, if something like that is ever to be seen.
If any nation wants to truly thrive, they must ensure that their journalism sector is as strong as possible.
