“Protect your Profession”, Media Icons/National Honours Awardees Task Journalists

By Timothy Choji, Abuja

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Media personalities, recently conferred with National Honours, have called on Journalists to protect the profession, ensure responsible reportage and shun fake news to promote unity in the country.

They made the call at a dinner, organized by a Committee of their friends, in celebration of the conferment of National Honours on them by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

The Media personalities and awardees include former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Malam Yakubu Ibn Mohammed and a former President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Malam Halilu Baba Dantiye.

Others are the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina and the National President of Nigeria Union of Journalist, Mr Chris Isiguzo.

Ibn Mohammed, who described the award as a wakeup call, urged practioners in Media industry to adhere to the ethics of the profession and ensure responsible reportage of events.

With this award, we need to know that expectations are higher and we need to be responsible in our reportage; we have to engage more in responsible journalism.

The award is a wakeup call to me and I need to double my efforts; Journalists are called builders and not destroyers,” he said.

Former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Malam Yakubu Ibn Mohammed

 

Ibn Mohammed also thanked President Buhari for acknowledging the role of the Media in National Development.

 

Doing the right thing

In his remarks, Dantiye advised journalists to love the country and to endeavour to always do the right thing.

According to him, “Upcoming journalist should have love for the country; make sure to make impact in what will improve the quality of lives of people regardless of where they come from.”

Dantiye thanked the committee of friends for organizing the event.

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Mr Adesina, who expressed his delight for the national recognitiontion, lauded President Buhari for honouring six Media personalities in one swoop.

“I feel delighted to be recognized by the country. I have suffered some abuses in this country and, if I have some recognition, I think it pays for all the abuses I have suffered over the past years.

“This award is very significant because six persons from the media are being recognized at a time.

“So, to those who say President Muhammadu Buhari is not a Media-friendly person, they can have a rethink,” Adesina said.

 

Right of place of the Media

The National President of NUJ said the award clearly showed that the Media was taking its place in the political landscape of the country.

“This is the first time this kind of award is happening since the Honours Act was signed and it shows that the Media is beginning to take its place in the political landscape of the country.

“Having six Media professionals and Journalists recognized at once speaks volumes of the respect the President has for the Media industry and we are appreciative of the gesture,” he said.

The National President of Nigeria Union of Journalist, Mr Chris Isiguzo

 

Isiguzo also urged the Media to always maintain professional ethics that stand journalists out among professionals.

 

Conferred National Honourees

President Buhari had within the week, conferred National Honours on 450 Nigerians and non-Nigerians who had, over the years, distinguished themselves in the service of the nation and humanity.

The President said that the screening and selection of nominees for this year’s award followed established criteria, in accordance with the National Act ACP.N43 of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.

The award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) was conferred on both Ibn Mohammed and Adesina; Isiguzo was confered with the award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) while Baba Dantiye was conferred with the award of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).

The Chairman of Thisday Group, ‘the Duke’ Nduka Obaigbena was conferred with the award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) while the Chairperson/CEO of Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa was awarded (OON).

The Royal Father of the Day and Emir of Kano, His Highness, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero who is a recipient of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), ably represented by Ambassador Ahmed Umar, Dan Malikin Kano, also awarded (OON), delivered the Goodwill message.

 

Journalist are critical to National development

Dr Shamsudeen Usman, a former Minister of National Planning and special guest at the occasion, enjoined the recipients to live up to the confidence reposed in them.

Mr Azu Ishiekwene, Senior Vice Chairman and Editor-in-Chief at large of Leadership Group and Chairman of the ‘Committee of Friends’, on behalf of members, said the dinner was conceived to thank God, celebrate the recipients and appreciate President Buhari for finding them worthy.

He commended the Nigerian leader for recognizing the contributions of Journalists to national development.

Ishiekwene also congratulated the awardees and urged those who were yet to be so honoured to continue to put in their best in their respective corners.

Dignitaries and co-conveners of the occasion include Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu and Malam Garba-deen Mohammed, Group General-Manager, Public Affairs Division, NNPC Ltd.

Other dignitaries are the Directors-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Malam Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos; Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Dr Mansur Liman and the Managing-Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Mr Buki Ponle.

Mr Tony Akiotu, Chief Operating Officer, DAAR Communications and the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu are among the co-conveners.

Others in the committee are Hajia Sani, VON; Hajia Sani, NAN; Alhaji Abdulhamid Majia and Hussaina Bangshika, FRCN; Hajiya Maimuna Garba, NTA as well as Alhaji Manir DanAli and Alhaji Ahmed Shekarau, both of Daily Trust.

The dinner featured the cutting of a congratulatory Cake by the awardees as well as goodwill messages from the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).

 

 

 

NAN

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