Igho Akeregha, a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, has reacted to the recent outbursts by chieftains of Tinubu’s media team regarding Arise TV and its news anchors. Speaking on AIT News, Igho stated that some people desire to return Nigeria to the era when NTA News and Radio Nigeria dominated the media industry.
Addressing the topic, Igho said, “We should not be appealing to Tinubu, his media managers, or anyone else to be understanding with the media.” It is mandatory for the media to do its job. I commend Rufai Oseni, Dr. Abati, and the owners of Arise TV and AIT this morning. I also commend the proprietors of independent media in Nigeria, who have been able to put politicians in check. The country could have found itself in a mess if not for the resilience of the Nigerian media.
He continued, “You may recall what happened when NTA and Radio Nigeria were the only players in the industry. The days when information was manipulated to suit the purposes of the government are gone. I think this is the challenge facing Tinubu’s media team. I think they want to return us to the medieval era of news presentation, and we have gone past that. Journalists should be allowed to do their work. I remember how CNN kept Donald Trump in check during his administration.