Today is World Press Freedom Day. It is a day proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on December 1993 through a recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference held in Windhoek Namibia in 1991.
Journalists face various challenges in the discharge of their duties. Many journalists have been killed in line of duties, while many others have mysteriously disappeared.
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and key in promoting justice, equity and fairness in the society.
If journalists are not safe and free to investigate and write stories, freedom of expression and free media are at risk. It was the late elder statesman and first President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, a journalist, who said that the concept of true national freedom is the “ability to reserve to ourselves and to our posterity the right to know, think, hold opinions and pursue our own good in our own way without denying or depriving others their right to do so.”
Freedom is to the press what oxygen is to the human being. As purveyor of information and moulder of opinion, the Nigerian press has contributed immensely to the growth and development of the country. Again, as the point-man of the defenseless and voice of the down trodden, the resilience and vibrancy of the Nigerian media during the dark days of dictatorial leadership in the country, when military rulers tried to crush the press for more than three decades, made it one of the most courageous and determined realm in Africa.
international relations.
According to the late Catholic Pontiff, Pope John Paul the second, “the media have enormous potential for promoting peace and building bridges between peoples and breaking the fatal circle of violence.” Time has come to appreciate the Journalists as a true watch-dog of the society and an important unit of the super-structure who have fundamental roles towards reshaping the society.
Since Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations Charter on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Africa Charter of Human and People’s Rights, it is necessary to remove all hurdles against press freedom to enhance freedom of expression, which is important clause under the fundamental human rights.
In addition, efforts should be made to actualize the various pledges towards improved welfare and working conditions for Nigerian Journalists to enable them compare favourably with their counter-parts in other parts of the world. Special Media Salary Scale is very vital at this point in time. The organized private sector could assist by contributing towards putting in place structures like press centers, vehicles and other facilities that enhance the work of journalists.
Journalists, on their part, should be guided by the ethics of the profession and represent public trust for the service of the common good. Above all, the Federal Government should reopen investigation into the murder of late founder and Editor in Chief of Newswatch Magazine Dele Giwa and other journalists whose deaths have remained unsolved.
The struggle continues.
Written by PAUL EZEOKE
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