The Nigerian media and the process of democratization

Abstract

Nigeria, once considered the giant of Africa, was economically and politically dead. In this dark age of Nigerian history the approximately $150 billion earned from oil sales translated into crumbling infrastructure, and a three-fold increase in external debt. The period was also marked by 'arbitrary arrests and detentions, extrajudicial killings, corruption, excessive use of force, torture of detainees, harassment of journalists and democratic activists, arson attacks on media houses' ( Joseph, 1997: 137).To silence the news media, the pivot upon which civil society rotates in Nigeria, draconian laws were enacted by the government. These included Decree No. 4 of 1984, criminalizing press reports and written statements that exposed an officer of the military government to ridicule, and Offensive Publication (Proscription) Decree 35 of 1993 that empowered the president to ban or sanction any publication as he wished. Despite these restrictions journalists still found a way to continue operations and perform their role as the watchdog of Nigerian society. The focus of this article is on the political atmosphere in which the Nigerian news media, especially the print media, operated during the military rule, and how it set the tone and tenor for the democratization process, often by means of guerrilla journalism.

Exploring the Absence of Watchdog Journalism in Nigeria Broadcast Media

“…Through their style of writing and passion, they were able to bring some corrupt practices of the military government to light. According to Ojo (2007) during the military rule of General Ibrahim Babangida, there were talks and plans for transition. However, the dictator kept pushing it forward, as a result, the media (print), including Guardian, Concord, Punch and Tell magazine resorted to looking for official documents, interviewing public officials secretly as well as digging for classified documents in order to unravel the plans of the president.…”

On Bended Knees: Investigative Journalism and Changing Media Culture in Nigeria

“…Without this piece of investigative reporting, Mr Buhari may still be in the political scene today perhaps, occupying a front row among the elite club of morally challenged politicians pontificating about corruption in the country. It was in this period that investigative magazines such as Newswatch, Tell and The News rose to not only question the legitimacy of and the messianic posturing of the military but also provide pungent but cogent and objective factual evidence to counter some ill-thought government policies of the junta especially the economic programs based on International Monetary Fund goals (Ojo, 2007;Torwel, 2008).…”

“…The news magazines' informed analyses of the grave economic implications of a rise in petrol price forced Obasanjo to abandon its plan to increase fuel prices (Torwel, 2008). Whether during the military regimes of Generals Babaginda or Abubakar the news magazines were consistent in ensuring they held Government responsible for their actions (Ojo, 2007;Olukotun, 2006). Even at the peak of the tyranny of the iron-fist reign of the brutal Abacha regime, reckoned to be the "harshest, most kleptocratic regime in Nigeria's history," this newsweeklies especially News Watch, managed to "set a new standard for combative, investigative journalism" (Epku, 1990;Bourne 2018, p. 167).…”

The Transition from Yorùbá Metaphysics to Islamic Aesthetics in Ọláńrewájú Adépọ̀jù’s Poetry

“…Adéyínká Fọĺọŕunsọ́ adopts a similar outlook, degrading the significance of Adeṕọju's poetry and assailing his adherence to sociopolitical engagements and praise-singing. A considerable amount of literature has also investigated Adépọjù's contribution alongside other Yorùbá cultural producers regarding the popular struggle against military rule in Nigeria (Williams 1996, Haynes 2001, Oluḱọtuń 2002, Adaǵuńodò 2003, and Ojó 2007. More recent studies demonstrate that there is more to Adépọjù's poetry than many critical studies have recognized (Nnodim 2002, Okunoye 2010.…”