The Sun News On-line

The name Bala Dan Abu, might conjure the picture of a towering, tough talking journalist with a sound grasp of the journalism profession, in the mind of the new crop of reporters. Abu indeed has a towering pedigree, but he is in no way that tough character you had in mind.

A chance meeting with him in his office at Newswatch Publication promptly dispels that initial image of a hard guy. Abu, a native of Igalla land in Kogi State is the executive editor of Newswatch Magazine, a general interest cum political publication that registered its presence in the consciousness of Nigerian readers in the early 80’s.

Having weathered the storm of military regimes and other vices that militated against early journalism practice in the country for 27 years, he says he has fought the good fight, but is not ready to beat a retreat.

One thing gives him heartache, though, and that is the fact that veteran journalists are not reaping the fruit of their labour. His one dream for the profession is to see media practitioners respected as professionals and their reports taken with all honesty.

Turning point
A particular incident that happened in the early 70’s when I was a teacher marked the turning point in my profession, and charted a course for me in journalism. When I graduated as a Grade 11 teacher in 1973, I was posted to a village called Egwume in Dekina Local Government of Kogi State to teach. The day I received my first salary, which was N17 and some kobo, I decided to paint the town red with my friends. I dropped the N17 note and took the coins, and on the way out, I decided to ease my self in the pit toilet inside the school premises. Immediately I pulled my trouser, all the money fell into the toilet.

Then and there, I concluded teaching was not my calling. It was after the incident that I gained admission into the University of Lagos to study Mass Communication.
I started by sending articles to be published to New Nigeria Newspaper for publication. I also did holiday job with the publication. That was where I cut my teeth in journalism. Mr. Yakubu Mohammed, who was the then associate editor, was like a mentor to me. When I graduated, I was posted to the information department of the NYSC directorate. After my service, I received an appointment letter from New Nigeria Newspaper to work as a senior reporter. From there, I left with some senior colleagues to pioneer a publication in Kogi State called Nigeria Voice. From being the news editor, I rose to become the editor-in-chief of the publication. I left the paper when it transformed from weekly to daily, and after it had started carving a place for itself.

I joined Newswatch family in 1987. When the late May Ellen wanted to leave Quality Magazine, I was picked to replace her due to my editing experience. I was off the scene for a while to start a personal business and also floated a publication called Majesty Magazine. The publication folded up because of insufficient fund. I returned to Newswatch in 2002 as editor and rose to the post of executive editor. Since then, I have been in the media. Altogether I have spent 27 years in the media.

Journalism of my dream
What comes to my mind anytime I reflect on journalism of yore, is the fact that there are so many people in the media who are not interested in the profession. They are there not because they have the love for the job, but because they have nothing else to do. That unseriousness makes them not want to better their skill. They don’t even strive to educate themselves through periodical training. That is the reason they don’t go far in the profession.

Reporters must be more knowledgeable than the people they write for because over the years, readers have become more conscious of what their expectation of the media is. When I was offered several admissions after my A level, including opportunity to study law at Ahmadu Bello University, I chose Mass Communication. This was because at that time, I had seen people in the media who were successful. People like Yakubu Mohammed and Dan Agbese were role models to me. Ray Ekpu was one person I never thought I would meet. He was at the pinnacle of his career and looked larger than life to me. From the outset, I had a mindset to be nothing less than a journalist.

The driving force for us old journalists then was the by-line. There was this excitement that goes with seeing your name going alongside your story. The fact that people around the world read you is even more gratifying. That was what most of us treasured and still treasure in the profession. Otherwise, we would have gone to do other things. I had friends who left the media for a while, but came back because they couldn’t survive outside. The lure to come back is always there. For me, I don’t know what else I can do outside journalism.

I look forward to a time in journalism when reporters would be respected as professionals. I dream of a period when people would find it difficult to doubt or question the credibility of a journalist’s story. I want a situation where practitioners can be respected by policy makers, not a situation where we would be seen as not contributing meaningfully to the country’s development. Media profession in Nigeria is growing, but it is taking time.

The respect we want is beginning to come, though it would take time to get to the stage we expect. Look at the role the media played in the past to put an end to military rule, in asking for a corrupt free society and in backing agencies to fight corruption. The support EFCC is getting from the media is unsolicited. We have stood behind the agency because we believe it is charting a right course for the society.

The society is supposed to go in the direction of sanity. A route where there is justice and integrity on the part of people elected as leaders. That is the reason we are joining EFCC to crusade against faulty electoral practice. We feel happy that the judiciary is beginning to do the right thing by correcting some societal ills. It was the media that roused the consciousness of the people to ills perpetrated by those in government. The public now know that the media is an integral part of the developmental process. Our role is much more crucial than that of any other estate of the realm. Media practitioners would never be recognised until the society acknowledge the indispensable role of journalism in nation building.

No compelling law
The money this country is making from oil has been a matter of hot debate. Nigerians want to know where the money made from this sector goes to. Certainly, people are benefiting from it but access to information about their deeds are said to be classified. The Freedom of Information Bill, if passed into law, would give reporters the necessary backing to investigate any allegation that borders on overriding public interest. The only area that might not be covered by the bill is defence and security information.

The bill is crucial to journalism practice. It would be beneficial to the society and enhance the practice of the profession. Without the FOIB, journalism can never make progress. There is no law that compels public officers to divulge information involving their service to the public. The bill would make it mandatory for some aspects that have to do with the public to, as a matter of routine, be given to journalists. The bill is not a one way traffic. If passed, it would put more responsibility on media practitioners. The law would put in place a procedure for punishment. Public officers don’t have anything to fear. The law provides an avenue to seek redress if a media practitioner over exercises his power in the course of carrying out his duty. This country requires a legislation that can enhance the practice of journalism. The National Assembly would be doing the country good if it makes the bill functional. Anybody who stands in the way of that bill is against the interest and well being of Nigeria.

Loss of credibility
Over sensationalism has been a cause of worry for senior media practitioners. There have been attempts to over dramatize issues by publications. This is being done to either sell or attract attention to the paper. But I don’t blame them because many publications are in the market, jostling for space and readership that is passive. Disposable income is what publications survive on, but that is very low. No hungry man would want to read a newspaper. So, because patronage is dwindling, media houses tend to look for ways to survive. One of the survival games is to cast headlines that don’t have to do with a story. That is where Newswatch is different. The magazine has decided to remain on the side of truth and factual reporting. We are like a training house and have chosen to remain that way. Sensationalism makes journalism to lose credibility. We have to help ourselves by building a reputation.

Hero of journalism
Veteran journalists are the hero of the profession. They are people who have made significant contributions in the past, and have done their best to make journalism better. Some of them are tired, and the not too tired are still contributing one way or the other. The unfortunate thing about people called veteran journalists is the life they live after practice. This is because journalism before now did not make allowance for life after service.

Some of the media houses such people worked have been liquidated. So, who pays their gratuity and entitlement? The ones still existing don’t have the financial muscle to pay retirement benefits. Veterans in journalism, instead of retiring gracefully to a peaceful life, retire into penury. This tends to encourage corruption. Young journalists have started tilting towards materialism. They now want to make money at all means to provide for the rainy day. I want young reporters to be patient and see the profession in better and brighter perspective. They should not be despondent. Things would definitely change and the profession would become profitable.