Henry Uche, Lagos
Experts across board have stated that the vibrancy of any economy is to a large extent determined by its vibrant media operations, observing that no country can make a headway when the media is intimidated or suppressed.
In a webinar organised by Nigerian-South African Chamber of Commerce, the experts called on the Federal Government to allow the expertise of the organised private sector (OPS) to prevail in critical sectors of the economy as it is in telecommunications, banking, for instance.
Speaking on the theme, “The Press & The Nigerian Economy”, a guess speaker and Publisher, Business Day Newspaper, Frank Aigbogun, maintained that the media must pursue the truth no matter whose ox is gored.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to lead by example by engaging the media face to face, adding that the media must report what the public ‘need’ to hear and see and not what they ‘want’ to hear and see.
‘We must report the truth whether positive or negative; that alone will set us free, as the Holy Book puts it. The world is hopeless without the media; since journalism is a calling, we must not forget that we will report back to our creator one day,’ he said.
The Group Managing Director of ad agency, SO&U, Udeme Ufot, in his remarks, cautioned the media on unfounded reportage, saying that it drives investors away. He argued that media should not be insensitive to the impact it makes on society.
‘Capital is a coward, it flies for safety to safer climes; therefore, government should see the media as a partner not as an enemy and there should be social harmony,’ he stated.
A financial analyst, Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, reminded newsmen that trusted reportage is sine quo non for sound decision making, policy design and planning, and that media must not be daunted to expose evil.
She tasked the media to continue to hold on to the tenets, principles and ethics of the profession with the goal of improving society.
‘The media must not go after what sells the paper but what impacts the society positively because that is what is most important,’ she advised.