….Unveils workstation
By Williams Odunze
It was a beehive of activities at the Secretariat Complex of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Imo State Council along Port Harcourt Road as members in their numbers trooped out to participate in a seminar organized for both young and old practitioners with a view of enhancing effective journalism practice as regards to upholding the ethics of the profession.
Imo NUJ also used the occasion to unveil its Workstation where members can file their stories with free data and effective network using the latest ICT facility installed.
In his opening remarks, the state chairman of the Imo NUJ, Comrade Precious Nwadike said that the Workstation will be beneficial to members of the union with the current high rate of data subscription, Journalists can now easily file their stories without data or network obstruction.
He also expressed gratitude to members for standing firm in ensuring that journalism practice in the state was not being reduced to touting and willing tools to promote bad governance.
In a lecture delivered by the former chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Barr Lawrence Nwakaeti, dwelling on the theme, “Judiciary and The Role Of The Media In Deepening Nigerian Democracy,” remarked that both the media and the judiciary have crucial roles in safeguarding the nation’s democratic tenets from being ridiculed by unscrupulous politicians.
He said that by the virtue of 1999 Constitution As Amended, the media has a constitutional mandate to inform and enlightening the public on day to day activities of government other human institutions without any inhibition.
Nwakaeti asserted that the media is a powerful tool to use in holding public officers accountable and can also be used as agenda- setter by bringing up crucial issues for public debate.
The legal luminary emphasized that healthy democracy and instilling of democratic values and ethos can only be actualized through active media practice which can create avenue through which citizens can demand for accountability from their political leaders.
He pointed out that the creation of bodies such as, National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, and the Nigeria Press Council to regulate the operation of the media should not supersede the constitution through which the media derives its power.
The former NBA chairman of Owerri Branch observed that the creation of the regulatory bodies have hampered freedom of the media in carrying out its social responsibility to the people.
” I’m worried that the recent activities of the NBC run contrary to the provision of the constitution which clearly guarantees free speech.
“It is to be noted that the constitution is the principal law or grund norm in Nigeria and therefore, no piece of legislature can purport to run in conflict with the provisions of the constitution. when such happens or where there is likelihood of same, that law or piece of legislature will to the extent of that inconsistency be null and void, ” he said.
Nwakaeti maintained that he is of the considered view that NBC as presently constituted is not necessary vehicle in a constitutional democracy where free speech is guaranteed with necessary legal safeguard.
Contributing, the former chairman of NUJ, Imo State Council, Comrade Steve Uzoeshi said that journalists in Imo State are trying their best despite facing intimidation in the cause of their duty.
He said that the watchdog of the society also needs to be protected while carrying out their duty.
Uzoeshi asserted that it is regrettable to observe that only the fourth estate of the realm that does not receive allocation despite its crucial roles in building the nation.
In his remarks, a leader in Imo NUJ, Elder Lambert Ojukwu encouraged journalists especially, the upcoming ones to take journalism practice as a noble/ serious profession that can expose one to the wider world.
He said that a journalist must always be ready to go to prison in the course of the job but however, advised that the ethics of the profession must be tenaciously upheld by practitioners.
Ojukwu commended the guest lecturer for imparting new knowledge in minds of the members and requested that such seminar should be regular inorder to keep members updated.
Other contributors also emphasized the need to keep journalism practice sacred and ensure its values are upheld with utmost respect.
Highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Workstation and issuing of certificate(Media Diamond Member) to members in recognition of their steadfastness in resisting the sale of the union’s Press Centre along Owerri-Port Harcourt Road, Owerri.
