By Jude Atupulazi
Days ago some journalists in Anambra State under the aegis of Correspondents’ Chapel, threatened to boycott the activities of the Anambra State Government over what they called its shutting out of the media and failure to carry the media along.
They alleged that what happened under this administration was that government would hold an event without inviting the media and then later issue press statements for the media to use, thus denying them the opportunity of getting firsthand information and seeking clarifications had they been there.
There was also a further claim that these days, journalists who insist on attending Soludo’s functions are barred from taking pictures with their phones, something last seen during the Regime of Willie Obiano.
Before now, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Anambra State Council, Dr Emeka Odogwu, had released a bombshell that Soludo hated Journalists. He alluded to Soludo’s shutting down of the only state owned print media, the National Light Newspapers, as proof of the governor’s disdain for the press, as well as his refusal to attend any function by NUJ despite several invitations.
It is difficult not to believe both the Correspondents’ Chapel and Dr Odogwu, based on what has been seen so far on how Soludo relates with the media. In fact, during the Obiano Regime, I was saying it was the worst in government/press relations but I didn’t know that the worst was coming.
What I’m going to say about Soludo hasn’t anything to do with his competence or performance as governor. In fact, all indices point to the fact that Soludo will do well in terms of infrastructural development, just like any committed governor. Thus, I am just going to restrict my write up to how he relates with my constituency, the media.
Whatever my constituency is seeing now, did not come to me as a surprise, anyway. Long before Soludo came aboard as governor of the state, I had written on this page, while analyzing those who had indicated interest then to run for the office, that Soludo, though eminently qualified, had a hubris which was pride that bordered on arrogance.
This is a trait that will always bring him into conflict with people who do not want to be intimidated. Anyone who knows the press knows they are the last group anyone can try to intimidate for even in the days of military dictatorship in the country, the press held its ground through the likes of Dele Giwa.
After that write up, I was met by a close confidant of Soludo who came to my office and told me that my views about Soludo were wrong. I had given him the benefit of the doubt but today I don’t think my initial doubts have been dispelled. Indeed, I dare say that the Soludo Regime’s relationship with the media is the worst yet in the History of this state.
Since he came in, he has shown disdain for the press and it is on record that his regime is the first to renege on the monthly stipend of ten thousand Naira given to accredited journalists. He first owed over ten months arrears on coming in and instead of clearing it, jumped and started from where it ended. Now, it has been stopped again for no discernible reasons.
Mind you, it is not that that amount solves any problem, because other states pay more, but the fact that it, is his regime that started defaulting in payment of the stipend and then stopping it says much about what he thinks about the press. From the days of the military administrators to civilian governors, journalists had always been provided a bus to accompany the governor to important functions and they had always been invited to press briefings.
But none of this happens now. The governor’s convoy only moves with those called press corps, being a small group of journalists from largely state owned media houses and a select few whose services are paid for by the government and whose reports are always skewed in favour of the government. In other words, the governor only moves about with those he feels comfortable with and who he can control.
Although it also was the case during Obiano’s Regime, Obiano occasionally briefed the press through his commissioners. He also hosted the journalists twice; once in his Aguleri Home and the other time at the Governor’s Lodge after a tour of some projects. Beyond that, Obiano shut the press out and at a stage, one could not use one’s phone to take pictures and it was a daunting task for a journalist to enter the Governor’s Lodge.
I remember the day I had gone to cover an event for which the then Provost of the College of Education, Technical, Umunze, had specifically invited me but I was stopped by Obiano’s aides from taking shots with my phone. Yet my client wanted me to use the pictures of the event. I was lucky to get some pictures from a member of the governor’s press crew. What was Obiano hiding? Only he knew.
Now, Soludo has followed suit. While I cannot honestly authenticate the allegation about his ban on the use of phones to take pictures at his events, I do however know that his relationship with the press is non-existent. In fact, the regimes that had the best relationship with journalists were that of Peter Obi and Chinwoke Mbadinuju.
While Mbadinuju had a personal relationship with journalists, Obi had his, as a government. The regime of Chris Ngige took journalists to functions too, paid stipends like others, but at a stage began to segregate, with journalists believed not to be loyal excluded from joining their colleagues for events. But even at that, Ngige’s Regime wasn’t too bad for the media.
Back to the present government, many journalists are yet to enter the Governor’s Lodge because no business brings them there. No matter the nature of any event, such as the celebration of Soludo’s Two Years in office, the press is shut out.
At the said celebration of two years in office, there was nothing that looked like an invitation extended to any local journalist. Thus, most of the time, reports by journalists are only based on what they were given as press statements from government sources.
Some believe that it has something to do with Soludo’s persona which is seen as largely domineering. In fact, it is alleged that at Executive Council Meetings, he more or less dominates proceedings with Commissioners and Special Advisers hardly making inputs.
The feeling is that the governor knows it all and thus handles the meetings in a teacher-student manner, where the teacher (which he is) talks and the students listens.
I have not been to any Executive Council Meetings to authenticate this but I have been getting snippets of information from insiders that such is the case.
But then, my beef with some journalists, including the Correspondents’ Chapel, is that they have no need to complain of not being carried along. I know that some Commissioners still grant interviews when approached and since there are many ministries handling various duties of governance, information can be sought from them.
If they fail to cooperate, the journalists know what to do. At least I know a few Commissioners who have been interacting with me whenever such was needed. I would have been more worried if I wasn’t being obliged by them; after all, everything must not come from Soludo’s mouth as they say.
Yet, the governor needs to up his game in the area of relating with journalists. The shutting of the state owned media house was painful to journalists as those who were thrown out felt like fish out of water, despite some of them being absorbed in relevant ministries.
I think Soludo should listen more and show more humility. Past governors like Mbadinuju, Ngige and Obi knew many journalists very well. Obi, even attended the wedding and funeral ceremonies of journalists and sent delegations where he could not attend. When he left office, all accredited journalists were given various amounts of money to thank them for their efforts, even though the money given may not have been too much.
Obi at a time bought computer laptops for journalists and engaged some as part of government as local government transition members. Obiano also appointed many journalists as Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants and Obiano was seen as a man with a kind heart, even if he wasn’t in control of his government.
Soludo has done none of these; instead, he shut down the only state owned media house. This, surely, is no way to court the press and based on the allegations that he is not press friendly, I’d say that he is guilty as charged. He simply has to change the narrative.
