From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has thrown his weight behind the move by the leadership of Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), to sustain ethical practice and check quackery in the practice of journalism in the state.
He threw his support when the newly elected leadership of the union led by its chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, paid a courtesy visit to the palace and informed the monarch of his administration generate a compendium of qualified and practising journalists in the state for ethical checks.
The Oba frowned at journalism and news broadcasts, especially social media, mainly for commercial purposes.
“If you are able to successfully carry out this and the other things you have outlined, you have laid the foundation for your reelection and I appeal to your members to support your chairman. We are not against proper reporting but reporting things without cross-checking or if they report what is not correct because they are in a rush to please their bosses or make money as I hear some of them do especially in social media, is what we are not happy about. There must be discipline,” he said.
Earlier in his remark, Alenkhe disclosed that his administration has begun a total clean up of the profession in order to eradicate quackery and professional misconduct in the state, adding that Edo NUJ would collaborate with the monarch to develop the kingdom and the state through effective and accurate reportage.
He commended the Oba of Benin on the efforts he has put in since he ascended the throne to check cases of illegal migration and the ease with which people now develop their acquired land without harassment from hoodlums.
“We are going to have a compendium of only qualified and practising journalists in Edo State. We will use that to check quackery because it is not everybody that carries biro and jotter is a journalist.
“We also thank you for the peace in the kingdom, before now, we heard of forceful extortion as people try to build their houses but that has reduced and the ugly story of illegal migration and trafficking has also been reduced since you came. Most of our people now travel genuinely and engage in genuine business,” he added.