By Ambassador Akinyemi Farounbi
THE NIGERIAN media has always been more than a chronicler of events. It has been a weapon, a shield, and a voice. Our struggle for independence was not only fought on the streets, but also on the pages of newspapers—through bold agitational columns and powerful editorials that stirred the conscience of a people longing for freedom.
During the long, dark years of military dictatorship—twenty-eight years in all—the media stood at the forefront of resistance. Journalists risked everything: some paid with their lives, some lost their property, some were maimed, and many were forced into exile. Yet, despite the pain, the media never abandoned its duty to the Nigerian people.
With the return of civilian rule, a new chapter began. Each regime came with its own style of governance—some posturing as messiahs, others revealing mighty feet of clay. But through it all, Nigerians continued to dream: to dream of a greater, better, truly democratic, and truly federal Nigeria. A Nigeria where every citizen can fulfill their ambition, where every man and woman can realize their potential, regardless of language, religion, or ethnicity.
In that dream Nigeria, the role of the media is central. For the media does not only report the news—it sets the agenda for society. It confers status on individuals, sometimes even on the wrong ones. It enforces, or neglects to enforce, the social values that shape our nation. That is why the media must now take on a renewed mission.
We must do things differently.
We must rise above sensationalism and partisanship. We must reject the temptation to fuel division along ethnic or religious lines. Instead, we must commit ourselves to truth, to fairness, to accountability. We must use our power to restore our basic social values, to promote unity, and to build a culture where integrity is honoured and corruption is shamed.
If the Nigeria of our dreams is to emerge, then the media must once again take its place as the conscience of the nation. Just as it fought for independence, just as it fought for democracy, it must now fight for national integration, for social justice, and for sustainable development.
Ladies and gentlemen, the new Nigeria is possible. But it will not happen by chance. It will happen because the media dares to speak the truth, dares to unite the people, and dares to hold leaders accountable.
That is the media’s duty. That is our collective responsibility. And that is the path to the new Nigeria of our dreams.
Ambassador Akinyemi Farounbi, write in from Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
