| ‘Today’s
journalists are scared because they see veterans living in
penury’
By TESSY OKOYE
Wednesday,
October 3, 2007
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Atobatele
Photo: SunNews Publishing
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Prince Adepoju Atobatele is one man who knows his onions
in journalism. Having worked in the print, electronic as well
as in the private sector as media manager for 30 years, he
can be said to have seen it all.
With every of his word dripping with nostalgia, Atobatele
who now runs an advertising/public relations consultancy outfit
he floated way back in 1986 confesses he still misses the
adrenaline that flows in the newsroom.
Hear him: “I must confess that I miss the newsroom madness.
It was like a commune, where there is no disparity. If a journalist
stays away from the newsroom for a day, he would feel something
special is happening there that he is missing. I still feel
that way sometimes. But to an extent, I am still in touch
with the reality and gimmicks of the newsroom environment.”
Humble beginning
I was born into the royal Atobatele family of Ila-Orangun
in Ila Local Government Area of Osun State in the early 40s.
I had my early education at St James’ African Church
Cathedral School, Idi-Ape, Abeokuta (1955- 1960). I then travelled
to Peki in the Volta Region of Ghana for my secondary and
post secondary education. After my Higher School Certificate
at Peki, I proceeded to the famous Ghana Institute of Journalism
Accra, which was established by the late President of Ghana,
Kwame Nkrumah to train special cadre of African journalists.
I bagged my MSc. Mass Communication, from the University of
Leipzig in Germany. I can say, off and on, I have put in 30
years into journalism.
Romance with journalism
It was by accident. My journalism career started in 1968 when
I won the first place in a nation-wide essay competition organised
by the Ghana Association of English Teachers. It was after
the competition that I proceeded to the famous Ghana Institute
of Journalism, Accra. When I came back to Nigeria, I enrolled
into the University of Lagos to study English Language. Then
Mass Communication department was new and it was known as
Institute of Mass Communication. It was actually a child of
accident born during the Nigerian civil war.
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka that was teaching Mass Communication
stopped and those who formed the nucleus, like Tony Momoh,
that could not finish their course had to move over to finish
at UNILAG. It was during that period that Professor Frank
Opubor spotted me and encouraged me to study Mass Communication
against the angst of John Pepper Clark.
Journey so far
I started active journalism in 1969 with the defunct Advanced
Newspaper own by the socialist and foremost party of Nigeria.
Our writing was agitative, because it was during the period
of apartheid and the late Pa Michael Imoudu and some others
were in the frontline of workers struggle.
I started then with Dapo Aderinola who was the editor of Sunday
Times, from where he moved to Punch Newspaper and African
Now magazine. From Advanced Newspaper, I crossed to the defunct
Express Newspaper, where I met and worked with veterans, like
Chief Ajibade Fashina-Thomas and Eddie Aderinokun, who were
guru in print journalism.
After about three years, I moved to electronic media, starting
with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). What you
now know as NTA, was under the same canopy with NBC. Bayo
Adewusi, Mark Emapore, who is now retired as a director from
NBC, and myself were the three young reporters that started
with the station.
At NBC, I had the opportunity to work with Joe Ebuwa, Patrick
Ogbomano and my then Controller of News, Chief Biola Olasope.
I also worked with veterans, like Victor Vulivi, who was referred
to as ‘Reporter of reporters.’ There was also
Prince Jide Akinbiyi who was a master in news writing and
editing. We were taught the hard way. At first, we thought
it was punishment, but later realised that they were giving
us real training.
We were taught to function independently. Then, broadcasters
were drilled thoroughly to pronounce all words and names.
If any broadcaster committed a blunder of mispronunciation,
they were logged and penalised in the next day’s editorial
conference.
Lazy approach
I am sorry to say that the standard of journalism has dropped
terribly. Journalists no longer have time to conduct research
on stories they want to write. Even at that, where are the
libraries? I was reading the column of a senior colleague
recently and discovered many distorted facts and dates. I
called his attention to it, and he was so elated and corrected
himself. But today, if a young journalist draws the attention
of his editor to such an observation, he would be in serious
trouble and possibly be victimised. But to get to that stage
requires sacrifice and the ability to read wide on issues
and events. What we have now is a lazy man’s approach
to news writing.
When you listen to newscasters of yester-year, you would love
to belong to the broadcast industry. When you listen to Martin
Okon, the golden voice of Africa, Ebuwa or Bode Alalade with
his good diction and typical African personality, you get
lost in the euphoria of broadcast. When you see someone like
Mike Enahoro on the screen with his Uromi attire, Alalade
with his agbada and hear Audu add a little style and colour
to end the news broadcast, you would ask what went wrong.
The departure of these professionals has made things to go
bad. The small girls paraded on the screen these days remove
glamour and seriousness from news broadcast.
Mentoring
What makes me sad is that I expected these professionals to
have groomed people who would take over from them. At the
same time, you can’t really blame them, because those
who were groomed prefer to take up political appointments.
For broadcast to regain its former glory, attention must be
paid to mentoring of tomorrow’s broadcasters. In our
time, you had to be groomed before facing the microphone.
You were also made to go through the rigour of news gathering
and writing. Although we initially kicked against that, today,
everybody is the better for it.
Mentoring is a must; that is if the younger ones are willing
to learn. Many young reporters just write and drop their stories
on the table of the news editor, believing it is the job of
the news editor to go through the story and make it publishable.
And later when their attention is drawn to a particular observation
or correction, they feel insulted. You can’t claim to
be a journalist until you have gone through the rudiment of
the profession. The mass communication theory must be there,
and the inverted pyramid must be your guide. Most veterans
who own media houses today learnt the hard way. The question
should be, are young journalists ready to accept a mentor?
When I was still a virile journalist, I returned from a week-long
assignment in Kenya only for me to meet an assignment log
that says I should proceed to Togo immediately to cover a
coup. If that were to be now, a journalist would have seen
it as victimisation. A good reporter must not refuse any beat
he is assigned, because it is an opportunity to develop intellectually.
Also because younger journalists are used to seeing many veterans
live in penury, they don’t want to make a career out
of the profession. They see journalism as a springboard to
another profession. I crave to see the commitment and devotion
that were the hallmark of the profession in our day.
Press freedom
If we don’t have a vibrant press, all these unholy acts
of the National Assembly would have been swept under the carpet.
Frank Barton, an author and director at the International
Press Institute, Kenya, said this about the Nigerian press:
“The press in Nigeria is just like the Nigerian people
beaming with life, determination and dedication to get what
they want”. That was about four decades ago and it is
still happening. I believe the rate Nigerian press is going,
sanity and respect would return to our public offices. We
are looking forward to a time when dignity is the key word.
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