…Asks Practitioners to Have a Rethink
By Our Reporter
Celebrated veteran journalist and former spokesman of the Senate, Senator Dayo Adeyeye has raised concerns on how journalists in Nigeria dissipate a whole lot of energy on lifting others and celebrating them without giving themselves same treatment.
Prince Adeyeye, currently the Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), gave the lamentation at his Ado-Ekiti residence when he received a delegation of the League of Veteran Journalists (LVJ), Ekiti State Chapter, led by its Chairman, Prince Kayode Oni, who were on a courtesy visit.
” As journalists, especially in this part of the world, we are found of reporting about others, but not about ourselves”, Adeyeye said.
He said despite the fact that journalism is one of the leading professions, practitioners do not celebrate themselves in Nigeria the way they celebrate others.
He therefore urged them to develop ways of uplifting and honouring themselves, stressing that time had come when the idea of spending too much time celebrating others and too little, celebrating themselves must come for review.
Speaking further on his observations, he recalled his own path into the profession, saying, “Some of us did not deliberately decide to go into journalism; we just found ourselves there.
” But it is a profession we really enjoyed, and from there, we were able to build whatever careers we are pursuing now.”
He told his visitors that his years in active journalism practice, spanned both print and broadcast media, where he held several editorial positions.
The former Ekiti South Senator said journalists must learn to blow their own trumpets, as members of other professions do.
“We journalists like to celebrate others without celebrating ourselves. That is the problem of journalism.
” We report about others, but we don’t report about ourselves,” he said.
According to him, some journalists had made huge contributions to national growth, such that if they had been lawyers, for instance, those contributions would have earned them recognition, greater than the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
” Unfortunately, the profession has no structure for rewarding, honouring or acknowledging its members’ contributions to journalism and society.
It is so bad that there is no fellowship to aspire to.
” For example, if you are an accountant, you can aspire to become a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA). If you are an engineer, you can aspire to become a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. If you are a medical doctor, you can aspire to become a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons.
” But when it comes to issue of what journalists can aspire to become, they have nothing to aspire to,” he said.
He called for deliberate steps to making journalism, a real profession.
Adeyeye commended the League’s leadership in Ekiti for establishing the body in the state, and expressed satisfaction with its current membership and what they are doing, but advised it to reach out to more veteran journalists around.
Assessing the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA), which he midwifed, Adeyeye said many had doubted the project would succeed, but “to the glory of God, it is still alive today.”
He said the clearest evidence of its success is that the man it campaigned for, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, won the 2023 election.
Adeyeye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), added that even the President did not initially believe the project was feasible, but by his own assessment, SWAGA has done very well, and thanked it’s members across the South West Region for their steady loyalty, dedication and commitment.
When asked to comment on his political future, Adeyeye did not give any elaborate response, but simply said everything about his life, either now or future is in the hands of God.
Speaking Earlier, Chairman of League of veteran journalists in the state, Prince Oni thanked Adeyeye for his past contributions to the profession, particularly the successful inauguration of the League’s Grand Patron and Patrons in Ado-Ekiti which took place last month where Adeyeye himself was honoured.
He also appreciated the NPA Board Chairman for keeping in touch with the League despite not residing in the state.
Oni assured him that the League would continue to count on his support, citing his consistent goodwill toward the body and the publicity his private Radio Station in Ado-Ekiti gave the inauguration ceremony.
