ExpdonaLoaded.blogspot.com (+2348097205188): Expdonaloaded News; How media should monitor Buhari, by experts

The venue, awash with colours, was brimming with row upon row of the crème de la crème of society. They came from the fringe of the Sahara to the Atlantic coastline. In attendance were men of power and influence – corporate titans, political personalities, business tycoons, media luminaries and military top brass.

The occasion was the 10^th anniversary symposium and special awards of Spectrum Broadcasting Company Nigeria Limited, owners and operators of Hot FM chain of radio stations. There were paper presentations on “The Change Nigerians expect” and “The role of the media” even as the event recognised, celebrated and inspired excellence.
In her welcome address, the founder of the outfit, Senator Chris Anyanwu, narrated what it took to set up a radio station in a very challenging terrain, disclosing that someone fell from the mast but God intervened.
She said: “It seems like only yesterday when I was going through the most exhilarating experience trying to build our first radio station here in Abuja. I watched as the virgin forest and its spooky rock formations were blasted, the earth excavated, blocks moulded and then one block after another, the building went up. But that wasn’t the best part. The most unforgettable spectacle was watching young Nigerian men literally move the mountain. I saw the power of determination, the energy and drive of our people when they are motivated and I decided that there is nothing Nigerians can’t do if they put their minds to it. Like ancient Egyptians, they carried sand, cement and water on their heads up the hill to construct five hundred steps to access the top. Then they towed the wrought iron tower bit by bit to the hilltop where it was mounted.”
She further said: “It was a great experience, full of adventure, excitement and suspense. Today, all that has gone into history and the fruit of that labour of love has gone on to become a truly beautiful product: Sizzling Hot FM, the best branded, listed on the top radios in the market. From its little beginnings in Abuja, Hot Fm has spread to three other locations.post by expdonaloaded.blogspot.com..“Ten years have passed and the Hot FM family is growing, not just in numbers but also maturing into platforms for the practical exercise of the most fundamental right under democracy: freedom of expression. For me who has once experienced the withdrawal of those rights, it has been particularly beautiful hearing people from remote villages who ordinarily would be silenced by circumstance and distance find their voices. Listening to common people, youth and women express their opinions on national issues, join the national conversation on which direction we should take our country has been indeed, fulfilling for me.“Whatever the changes in the field of human communication, we believe that the mass media will continue to play a pivotal role in the shaping of the polity especially now that technology has made it possible for one to listen to radio on our mobile hand phones. In this regard, the HOT FM family has done exceptionally well applying new technology to open up the public space so that more voices and more views can be heard. It has, indeed, turned out to be the people’s radio.”
The event was divided into two parts. The symposium was handled by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili and Prof. Pat Utomi while the media round table featured Chief Dokpesi, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina and publisher of Daily Trust newspapers, Mr. Haruna Adamu.
The climax of the event was the award ceremony for four outstanding Nigerians. According to Sen. Anyanwu, “these awards were unsolicited. No money is involved. Our choices were made in consultation with our Hot FM listeners all over the country.”
Senate President, David Mark, former governor of Kano State, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwanso, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili and the Nigeria armed forces were honoured at the event.
The chairman of the occasion, Prof. Jerry Gana, who described Senator Anyanwu as innovative and creative, said the fact that Spectrum Broadcasting was up and running called for celebrations, noting that many of the radio and television stations granted licences to operate had gone under.
Prof Gana said that Senator Anyanwu had emerged as a great believer in democracy and social justice, stressing that democracy and information dissemination went together. He also hailed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying it had moved Nigeria forward. He said the PDP laid the foundations of dignity, freedom and creativity etc. He hailed former President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding that he lost the last election before the result of the presidential election was officially announced.
Kicking off the symposium, Prof. Utomi offered perspectives to the dynamics of change. He gave examples of societies that were left behind because they refused to embrace change when they ought to. His presentation captured the essence of change and the type of change Nigerians expect.
Dr Ezekwesili gave a brilliant presentation that charged the gathering. She started by trying to explain the difference between transformation, the slogan of the Jonathan government and change, the mantra of the Buhari administration. She maintained that Buhari was inheriting a country that was broken in every material particular, averring that “there has been too many fractious engagements in our society.”
The former minister of education talked about the need for social cohesion, robust education system, health, critical infrastructure and institutions as well as the office of the citizen. Arguing that the country ought to place more premium on youths than oil, she said that the change Nigerians envisaged was where efforts replaced ignoble wealth accumulation without any form of hard work.
For her, Nigeria should stop talking about diversification of its economy and actually do it. According to her, “any governor who laments that there is not enough money in the federation account to be shared should honourably resign, because we cannot continue be a monolithic economy.
Dokpesi talked about agenda setting for the government as well as peer review, mirroring the society, playing an enquiry role, consensus building and citizenship engagement role by the media among other things.
Adesina said: “The onus is going to be on the media in the months and years ahead to ensure that they track the change. Promises have been made in the areas of security, economy, employment generation, fighting corruption and so on and so forth. It will be the duty of the media to track it. Otherwise, at the end of the season, we are going to find it difficult to say, this is what was said;, this is what was delivered. So, the onus is on the media to keep track and do it periodically too. For instance, you don’t have to wait till the end of the season when the administration is winding down before we begin to assess it.”
He furher said: “In his presentation, Dr Dokpesi talked about agenda setting for the government. Of course, we know that is an entire responsibility of the media. It is important that the media will continue to set agenda and set that agenda in view of the promises already made. Nigerians have gone to the poll, they have decided and voted in the people they want to rule them. It is important that the media continues to remind those ruling that this was why the PDP lost out, this was why the APC came to power and if they are not careful they may end up making this same mistakes that the PDP made. The media must review itself. If we continue to just set agenda and we don’t look inwards. It won’t be complete.”
He said that there must be an interface between government and the people, adding, “it is very important that the media offers the platform for the citizens to get their voices heard. And government also must be ready to listen to those voices.”
Adesina, who is the immediate past Managing Director and Editor in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Limited, publishers of The Sun titles, added: “Of course, there is the advocacy role; it’s always there. Like I said at another forum, the Nigerian media has played the adversary for very long. Let’s begin to play the advocate. It’s a mutual thing – the government sees the media as adversary, the media itself plays adversarial roles. But in this season of change, we must begin to see each other as partners.”