By Joke Kujenya
I HAVE watched Nigerian journalism at its best and at its most fragile. Over the last three decades, I have been privileged to sit in newsrooms where every decision carried weight, not just for the stories we told, but for the lives affected by them.
I have seen where some journalists choose courage over comfort, compromise over principle, and sometimes, tragically, the opposite.
This is my personal reflection on what media ethics in Nigeria has looked like over thirty years: a journey of courage, missteps, resilience, and constant negotiation with the truth.
The 1990s: Courage, Risk, and the Birth of Modern Accountability
The early 1990s, which I was humbly a part of, were a time when telling the truth could be dangerous. Publications like Tell and The News were not just reporting stories; they were fighting a battle for democracy itself.
I remember editors working late into the night, knowing that a single article could bring the military knocking at the door.
I recall printing presses were raided, copies confiscated, journalists jailed.
Courage was inseparable from ethics: to report the truth, even under threat, was the ultimate ethical act.
Yet even in those dark days, journalists faced difficult choices.
Should you publish a damning story that could put a colleague in danger?
Should you reveal corruption when the source might be exposed to retaliation?
These were the moments when ethics were not abstract codes but living, breathing decisions with consequences.
The 2000s: Democracy, Mistakes, and Lessons Written in Fire
With the return of democracy came new freedoms, but also new pitfalls. I recall the editorial misstep in the early 2000s — a comment intended as light-hearted that spiralled into violent unrest in the north.
Hundreds were injured, thousands displaced. It was a painful reminder that freedom without foresight could have devastating consequences.
At the same time, the early 2000s saw the rise of “brown envelope journalism” such as gifts or payments in exchange for favourable coverage.
I have sat through tense newsroom discussions on this, watching young reporters wrestle with the temptation while veterans argued about integrity and long-term credibility.
Some gave in quietly; others resisted openly. Both choices left marks on careers and on public trust.
Ethical challenges were not only external. Editors had to navigate internal pressures: which stories to run, which angles to favour, how to balance sensational appeal with sober truth.
The 2000s made it clear that ethics was not just about legality, it was about judgment, sensitivity, and responsibility.
The 2010s: Digital Transformation and the Ethics of Speed
The explosion of online news, blogs, and social media reshaped journalism completely. Speed often triumphed over verification. I watched capable journalists struggle break the story first and risk inaccuracy or wait and risk irrelevance. Headlines screamed for attention, sometimes stretching facts to the limit.
Ethics in this era became a public negotiation. Editors and reporters were no longer accountable only to their conscience or newsroom peers; they were accountable to a society that could amplify mistakes instantly.
Missteps spread on WhatsApp and Twitter before corrections could appear.
Sensationalism became a commercial imperative, yet the stakes remained human: reputations, livelihoods, and even lives were at risk.
Yet I also saw innovation used ethically. Investigative teams uncovered local government fraud despite threats. Journalists covered protests while enduring harassment.
Editors insisted on corrections when mistakes were made. Ethics, though strained, remained the compass guiding responsible journalism.
The 2020s: Press Freedom, Legal Pressures, and Continuing Challenges
Today, ethical dilemmas persist. Journalists face political intimidation, online harassment, and economic pressures. Decisions that once were editorial or personal now carry legal and social consequences.
I have sat with reporters debating whether to publish stories about corruption, knowing the fallout could include lawsuits or arrest. I have seen journalists threatened for simply doing their jobs.
But even amid these challenges, integrity survives.
Ethical journalism is visible in the courage of reporters risking arrests to uncover embezzlement, in editors who refuse to yield to commercial or political pressures, and in the mentoring of young journalists to understand that truth is never optional.
Reflections: Ethics as Living Practice
Three decades have taught me that media ethics is not a static code written in black and white. It is lived in the decisions made every day: whether to protect a source, whether to pursue a story, whether to sacrifice short-term gain for long-term credibility.
Real ethical journalism is messy, human, and full of tension.
I have seen journalists tested, and I have seen them rise to the occasion. I have also seen mistakes that cost lives, careers, and trust.
Yet through every challenge, one principle remains: integrity is the soul of journalism. It is the measure by which our stories, our institutions, and our nation can be judged.
As a journalist and publisher, I offer these reflections not as prescription, but as witness. Silence, I learned, can be as damaging as falsehood, especially in a country where power thrives on public amnesia.
The Nigerian press has weathered censorship, threats, and disruption. It has faltered, learned, and adapted. And through it all, the pursuit of truth, tempered by responsibility, continues to define who we are.
You can join me in discussing this issue better via our comments section to offer more insights.
Sound analysis. Penetrating insight as a seasoned practitioner. Crisp summary of the journalism genre from the early period to the present day.
I could see your badge of pride, excellence and indomitable spirit to fight on.
Well done. May your ink never dry.
WOW! I’M sincerely humbled by your comment. I truly appreciate you and I’m inspired to do more. Many thanks, dear TJ
Indeed, “media ethics is not a static code written in black and white. It is lived in the decisions made every day”.
Your analysis of the Nigerian journalistic landscape within the political sphere is remarkably clear, impartial, and free from preconceived judgement.
It stands as a compelling testament to your professional integrity and intellectual courage.
Indeed, “media ethics is not a static code written in black and white. It is lived in the decisions made every day”.
Your analysis of the Nigerian journalistic landscape within the political sphere is remarkably clear, impartial, and free from preconceived judgement.
It stands as a compelling testament to your professional integrity and intellectual courage.
Oh WOW! This is so humbling. I am deeply appreciative. I just tried my hands on an issue that has been of grave concern to me over the years. I pray to GOD for more grace, AMEN! Thanks again.
You have been very courageous and faithful to be able to have stand in such an institution over the years. Because I know you in person I will not ask what has kept you in such fearless predicament. You have seen the good ,the bad and the ugly, your efforts put in to bring reality, fairness to the nation Nigeria 🇳🇬 is and will be uncomfortable. Thank you for standing up, and in your call of duty over 30 years.
You have done your best congratulations.
Oh my GOD, this is honestly humbling. Thanks so very much for your kind and inspiring words. I am so blessed to have you in my life. GOD bless you so much.
Many thanks and much love.
Indeed lots of backlash faced by journalist and some individuals in the profession were maimed and killed all in the name of saying and standing tall for the truth in the 1990s.
Thanks for all you do relentlessly in our society and the country at large mummy
Thank you, your words mean a lot. Indeed, journalists often face real dangers, but speaking truth and holding power accountable is why the work matters so deeply.
This is really valuable and informative as well. One great challenge of the media and journalists is the ability to run as profitable business concern
Unless you are a going concern, there is no way the laudable objectives of a medium can be achieved. Many are the media that have collapsed and folded up. So, the very first imperative of staying aflot must not be overlooked, while not sacrificing the ethics of the profession.
Thanks so much sir. I absolutely agree with you that sustaining a media outlet financially is crucial because without a viable business model, even the most ethical and important journalism cannot survive or continue to serve the public.
I really appreciate your comment sir. It’s encouraging. Many thanks.
“Yet through every challenge, one principle remains: integrity is the soul of journalism. It is the measure by which our stories, our institutions, and our nation can be judged.”
Very well said. 👍👍👍
Absolutely, integrity is the foundation that gives journalism its purpose and trustworthiness in society. Quite apt. Thanks for your support.
This is a brilliant submission. As I read through, one thought that kept popping up in my mind is that this would be a good PhD research topic. Wish you could expand it into a book on “The State of Journalism Ethics in Nigeria” or something like that.
PhD research topic? WOW! I’m humbled and impressed. But I’m just your humble journalist trying to live a private but reflective life on all I’d seen in the course of my noble profession. Thanks so much for your inspiring comments. I do not take you for granted. Thanks also for reading JKNewsMedia.com. Please, recommend us to others.