By Dayo Adesulu & Ikenna Asomba
Chairman, DAAR Communications Plc., High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi has charged the Nigerian media to imbibe professionalism in the sourcing and dissemination of its daily information for public consumption, saying this would further aid in the national unity and development of the nation.

Speaking at the 3rd convocation of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos, held last Wednesday, in its campus, Dokpesi who was represented by Mr. Tony Akiotu, the Group Managing Director, DAAR Communications Plc., said for the media to continue to act as the ‘watch dog’ of the government and the society, it must eschew all forms of unethical and unprofessional practices in it reportage, culpable of tearing the nation apart.

Recalling the history of the Nigerian media from pre-colonial, colonial, post-colonial era, military era until this present democratic dispensation, Dokpesi explained that the media has been able to withstand the test of time, even inspite of all the draconian decrees and laws used to gag it.

“This noble profession has been in the forefront of various struggles for national development in the country, since inception in 1859 to this present democratic dispensation. Infact, the journalist, media cannot be wished away in the metamorphosis of development of our great nation.

He added, “Both the print and broadcast media have contributed immensely to the development of this nation, especially in the war against colonialism and imperialism, even in the war for true democratic governance in the nation, therefore, worthy of mentioning are icons like Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Herbert Macaulay, Ernest Ikoli, Dr. Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Babatunde Jose, Uncle Sam Amuka, Peter Enahoro, Dele Giwa, Segun Osoba and a host of others”.

Speaking further, the media boss affirmed that a journalist is a resourceful person, who through electronic or print medium disseminates factual and unbiased reportage to a large audience, stating that the media played a pivotal role in uniting the nation, shortly after the 1967-1970 civil war which engulfed the country, thus, making the nation return to the path of development.

Dokpesi harped that the media in its pivotal role in fostering national development over the years, has also held various Nigerian governments accountable to its people. “However, This is not without its own challenges”, he said.

“Before the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill (FoIB), those in power never allowed the general public access to vital information, especially those not favourable to them in power.

“Now the bill has been passed into law, I implore the Nigerian media to at all cost imbibe professionalism in the sourcing and dissemination of information for public consumption, which will further ensure government is accountable to its people, adding, “the media should avoid every act of unprofessional and unethical reportage culpable of tearing the nation apart”.

However, according to the Provost, Nigerian Institute of Journalism, NIJ, Ogba, Dr. (Mrs.) Elizabeth Ikem, 677 graduates from two academic sessions were presented for convocation: National Diploma (289); Higher National Diploma (105); Post Graduate Diploma (174); Certificate in Effective Writing and Communication (85) and Certificate in Photo Journalism (24).

Meanwhile, she congratulated the graduands for their successes and charged them to go into the society and make necessary impact. Noting, “While we congratulate you on your graduation from the institution, we charge you to be good ambassadors of the Premier Monotechnic in Mass Communication in Nigeria”.

High points of the event were conferment of Fellowship Awards to Mr. John Momoh, Founder/CEO, Channels Television; Mallam Wada Abdullahi Maida (OON), MD/CEO, Finlay Communications Ltd; Chairman/Editor-in-Chief, THISDAY Newspaper Group, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena; daughter of late M.K.O Abiola, Dr (Mrs.) Doyin Abiola; Alhaji Kabiru Yusuf, Chairman/CEO, Media Trust Limited and Mrs. Maiden Ibru, wife of Guardian Publisher, late Alex Ibru.