By Henry Ekpe
On Monday, May 3rd 2021, I was woken up by several phone calls about 7am from Newspaper Vendors, Distributors , Circulation Officers, and Newspaper Publishers in Imo State.
The story was that plain- clothed “Unknown Gunmen” had stormed Rotibi street, Owerri, the centre point of all Print Media coming into Imo State, and whisked away Vendors, leaving those lucky enough not be arrested to go into hiding.
These calls came to me because I am the Chairman of Imo Newspaper Publishers Association INPA, whom the arrested vendors do business with. The “Local Newspapers” in Imo are the engine room of Print Media business in the State, and the main stay of the Publishing sector in Imo.
Immediately after I got the calls, I swung into action by putting calls across to the Directorate of State Security Service, SSS, who said that the “Unknown Gunmen” were not their officers.
On further enquiries, I was told that they were not “Unknown Gunmen” as such, but real Police Men who are of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General’s office from Abuja.
Suddenly, the Imo State chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Chief Chris Akaraonye called me, asking if what he was hearing was true. Both of us began working on our Telephones, until we got the Imo State Police Commissioner, CP Abutu Yaro. A gentle man and thorough Bred Officer, who asked us to exercise patient as he would look into the matter immediately.
After sometime, we put calls across to the CP who told us that he has been fed with the real situation and promised that the vendors would be released.
And true to his words, the vendors were later released that day. However six were let off the hook, with one remaining.
We pleaded that all of them should be released, but were told that the last vendor cannot go home until his Publisher appears as it was alleged that his/her Newspaper has connection with the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
This was a surprising news which shocked both me and the NUJ chairman. How in the world can this be True! However, we kept persisting on the release of the last held vendor. Eventually he came out the next day.
But let me state here that apart from the Government of Imo State, the Newspaper Publishers in Imo employ the highest number of workers in the State. So, they are contributing immensely to the development and growth of Imo Economy.
From Reporters, Computer Operators, Lithographers, Newsprint Sellers, Printers, Circulation Officers, Agents, Advert Canvers, etc.
And nearly all the Newspaper Publishers in Imo State are well known personalities. All of them began as Reporters of Newspapers, from where they grew in the Profession to gain financial power to float own Newspapers. Some had Government appointments once in a while and returned to the Profession to be Publishers and Entrepreneurs in the State.
So, Imo Newspaper Publishers are not faceless. They have offices, families and relations in Imo State and can be easily traced and reached. Majority of them have lived in Imo State for over thirty years. Their identities and sources of income can be said to be open to scrutiny and therefore linking any of them with obnoxious and faceless organizations is the height of blackmail, mischief and wild allegation from the depth of hell.
That Imo Publishers are finding it hard to publish, and take care of family problems cannot for any reason lead them to engage in acts that are criminal. I vouch for them, much as no one is a saint.
Among the Imo Newspaper Publishers are respected Pastors, Evangelists, Businessmen, renowned Professionals, and even Government Appointees who are Patriots that decided to site their businesses in Imo than scamper outside the State like some others did.
Since last week this harassment started, I have been invited by Security Agencies three times. All bordered on allegation of what my Newspaper, TRUMPETA Publishes about Government of Imo State.
Media Houses all over the world are established to inform, entertain and educate the masses. A thorough Professional must followed the rules. And we have them in Trumpeta, with three veterans of over thirty years in the Business. That is the reason Trumpeta has no litigation against it till date.
But while doing this, the Media must maintain the ethics of the Profession, which include that when in doubt, don’t publish. The Media also has the right to set “Agenda” for Leaders of the society.
Therefore, it is not treason to comment on the activities of government, no matter whose ox was gored, or who was involved in the story provided it is fact.
The major target is the audience, the masses, who are being served the information, while it is the duty of every Government to guard itself, by living above board and working for the people.
For sure, Trumpeta Newspaper was not founded to antagonize any organization, Government, Group or individuals. It is only a fool that would contemplate that.
Therefore, using political power to intimidate a Newspaper, or harass their Publishers with heinous allegations is against the law of nature, as he who goes for equity must have clean hands; while that which you wish others must also to be done to you. This principle guides every God-fearing Professional too.
With this in mind, no journalist or Media House would indulge in falsehood because it will destroy such a Newspaper because the public who are the Patrons are not fools. When the Journalist did not get it right, the offended has the right to seek redress through Law, not through self help and intimidation, since two wrongs can never make a right.
But in most cases, journalism is a thankless job because of what the practitioners suffer in the hands of patrons. When they want to use you, they call you good, but when you remain resolute and maintain neutrality and serve the public you are marked for elimination.
For instance, before the Government of Governor Rochas Okorocha came to office, he made use of the Media, who sympathized with him, as his oratory swayed even his enemies.
But immediately he assumed office, and the Media in the State still remained with the masses, by informing them of Government activities and sticking to the truth, just as they did for Okorocha while he was seeking for power and he dubbed them anti-Government.
The administration banned Trumpeta Newspaper from Imo Government functions and entering Imo Government House for Eight years.
The regime later dragged TRUMPETA to Court for a publication on how workers of Roche Construction Company were molesting and maltreating Imo citizens on its payroll.
Thinking that Trumpeta will budge, we prepared our Lawyers, and witnesses with evidences and Government withdrew the matter from Court.
Mind you, the workers of Roche for which Trumpeta was being dragged to court, and for which we stood our ground, and spent our money, had no relationship with any of the Co-Publishers of Trumpeta or staff. But it was the Corporate Responsibility Trumpeta owed the public as the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
Indeed, how some politicians change when in office needs a thorough research on human behaviour and temperament.
When the current Imo Government led by Senator Hope Uzodinma was striving to gain power in 2019, Trumpeta in its policy in giving every one the right to air their views, was using all of their campaign materials. At times, they would wake us up in the midnight after close of work to put their materials, which the Newspaper obliged with all sense of responsibility.
But now office, and Trumpeta continued with its policies of informing, educating and entertaining the masses without biase the Newspaper has become an enemy. Today Trumpeta is dubbed an “Opposition Newspaper” and marked for annihilation. Wasn’t it an “opposition paper” when it was accepting materials from them during campaigns?
Trumpeta as a Newspaper is structured to outlast its Publishers, including Governments and regimes and therefore does no pander to News sectionalism, because there is a tomorrow.
So, those after the Newspaper should be objective in their judgment, by remembering that if the Newspaper was pandering to individual or group sentiment would it have been alive to give them the opportunity to air their own views, when they needed the Newspaper before ascending to political power?
There is no deliberate action or plan by the Newspapers in Imo State to work against any Government. They use Government press releases and cover their activities when invited. Newspapers in Imo are ready to render services to the Government and the masses.
It is the job of Government, through those incharge in such Departments, to brief the Media on Government plans and policies even as it is the job of the Journalists to put Government to task because they were put in office in Trust of the masses.
Journalists must continue to scrutinize the activities of Governments, whose Common Wealth they are spending unbehalf of the people.
Even Government Media outlets cannot survive if all they do is to massage the ego of people in Government spending the people’s money on their behalf. When they do the right one, Journalists write and as also when they do the wrong one. Journalists also decide what to publish since there are too many stories, and therefore cannot be teleguided. It is only paid Advertorials that Journalists can be compelled to publish.
Any Government official who does not want to be scrutinized has something hidden and should go and face his personal business. As long as one holds public position, they must be ready for criticisms. He who does not like heat must leave the kitchen.
On the security challenges in Imo, Newspapers based in the State are doing their best in the present circumstance. Journalists know what a peaceful environment offers both as Professionals and Businessmen. They know that peaceful and secured environment will encourage their businesses to flourish. Any one linking Imo Newspaper Publishers to any Terrorist Group is wicked and evil.
Our responsibility is to inform the masses, which is reporting the actions of others. We are not even the actors, but purveyors of News.
The Security Agencies while doing their jobs, should please differentiate between those carrying out their legitimate, authentic and Lawful assignments, from Hoodlums, Thugs and “Unknown Gunmen” causing Insecurity in the State.
