OVATION RED XMAS CAROL

The celebrity studded ovation xmas carol was a good idea and a beautiful way Ovation is showcasing this year Ovation red and xmas carol rendition to be staged in Lagos sometimes this month. The song paraded the big weights in nollywood and the music industry, the producers claimed he worked with 100 celebrities but ended up shooting the video with as much as 30 celebrities. Majority of the invited stars could not wait for the video shoot due to various engagements they have to attend. The carol couldn’t have been better with likes of Wande Cole and Omawunmi leading the song and if I should grade it will score 60% .The song is enjoying massive air play on radio and TV, it’s the toast of all disc and video jockey this yuletide time.
The songs production, theme and message are aspect that the initiators of the song scored low, the songs theme is not clear, is it a Xmas carol or Ovation red Xmas carol party theme song? Ovation is mentioned more in the song than Christ, Xmas, Jesus and other Xmas songs attributes. Also haven listened to song on several occasions, I still can’t hear all what Wande Coal said in the song, I can’t understand most of the words in his lyrics and I don’t just know why he is speaking through his nose. The producers of this song should be aware that if it’s going to be a hit like the Skye banks “say yes” jingles it has to be graphically interpreted in form on text words running vertically across the screen so that we can all read and sing along. The other issue is why did they have all those A list celebrities on the big stage just dancing and singing the chorus instead of handing them all a part in the song. I would have loved to see few of my favorite artiste and nollywood stars singing together, imagine Terry G and Dare Alade sharing the mic. This is my expectation, artiste of different wavelengths streaming in a singular frequency. The artiste that got the top roles in the song are all not my favorites though I have mad love for omawunmi and Coal, I don’t know the other girl and I believe artiste like Terry G, Obesere and Dagrin should be featured in the song. I guess the producers were in a hurry to bring out the song and never had time to plan. Another Nigerian factor

99.9% REAL BEAT

Am an unrepentant fan of Rhythm 93.7 fm, I love everything about the sea side station, am a fan of silver group in general but the attraction came from the way rhythm 93.7fm changed the Nigerian music scene and increased the population that listen to Radio. Due respect to the then OGBC 2 fm in Abeokuta.This station now known as Gateway Radio was home for Kenny Ogungbe, JAJ “the Meccadon” or can, and host of other A list presenters in the 90s.Raypower rode on the back of OGBC and showed how private sector can run media house properly. Its emergency was the end of OGBC 2 and the birth of independent radio stations. Radio stations springs up nowadays like petrol stations which is fast becoming the only tourist attraction in and around Lagos. There are up to 50 government and privately owned radio stations in South-west Nigeria and there are up to 20 stations competing in Lagos and its neighbours; Abeokuta, Ibadan. The very wide coverage of these stations has made them the advertiser’s choice and they make more money in adverts than any other thing they do. The increase in adverts has turned most of these stations into public announcement medium, you hear more advert than songs nowadays, and this has been the same problem with all the existing fm radio stations in and around Lagos. The sudden emergence on BEAT 99.9fm is like the re-birth or the peak of modern Radio presentation. The BEAT 99.9fm probably learnt from everybody and took some lessons from foreign radio stations to launch a very interactive and highly infotainment Radio station. It is now the best station I ever listened to in Nigeria, probably its still new and the adverts are not flowing heavily yet. The BEAT 99.9fm combined good radio presentation; news and local/foreign music are well mixed. Each programme is accompanied by entertainment and social news that keeps you abreast with the global entertainment world. There News section is professionally presented that it still blends with the current programme on air. The Beat 99.9fm is the only station that keeps me lively from morning till evening, I leave my radio on even when am asleep. The powers behind 99.9fm should learn from their sister stations shortfall and try to maintain its very high standard. THE station blends all genre of song and you will never feel bored listening to the BEAT 99.9fm.Lets see how loud this BEAT will sound, but I thing it will never stop. Let the BEAT play on.

SENSE ON BOARD

Entertainment industry has witnessed a significant growth since Nigeria joined the world democratic league. Since the return to civilian rule, entertainment industry has attained a its original status as it is all over the world, artistes, print and audio media, entertainment industries, recording labels, radio stations and others have all seen financial success since THE khaki boys left. I guess we all know the reason for this success. Musicians can say what ever they want in the songs, and film producers can act any script they desire without fear. Contents of works produced by musicians and scripts of films are all subjects of screening by a body set up to regulate and pass fit for public viewing works done by artistes and producers. The body that screen what we see on TV has always looked like a body that never sit to view works of artiste, they just sit at home and decide to ban what they and there family don’t like. The Film and music census board or what are they called is an organization that should be scrapped and replaced by professionals. It is shocking how most of the films get to pass their screenings and music videos fail. The biggest shock off all is that cable companies like HiTV and DSTV are above their law. Local stations are barred from viewing certain music videos and same programme that runs on a cable company platform shows such music video to our admiration.
Am not against the content of our musical videos and films, but my displeasure is in the injustice done in stopping some music videos and films from been aired while some enjoy airtime, foreign music videos have no restriction unlike the locally produced ones. I am a frequently viewer of music programmes both on terrestrial and cable platform, and I have a very good knowledge of our local contents and that of foreign product. Terry G is one of the best young producer/singer and his well loved for his energetic dance performances on the stage and in music videos. His private life may not be that of a good youth ambassador but what he gave to music and his raise from Iju streets to stardom is a good example for youths to emulate. Majority of the older folks may see him as a bad influence to their wards due to his fashion sense and his energetic dance which are seen to be done under certain influence. We of the new school are very aware that Terry G is still morally better than the world celebrated stars like Lil Wayne, T.I, Fabulous and host of other foreign artiste who frequent the jail due to gun running, assault charges, and other misdemeanors. The new video of Terry G “free madness” which was released recently has been taking off the air due to certain reason that also caused Dbanj’s “Suddenly” and Tuface’s “enter the place” to be judged dangerous to viewers. The listed videos still enjoy air play on cable networks though the local stations are not permitted to air and it is also been well enjoyed by Nigerians in Diaspora. MTV still air these music videos all over Europe, America and Africa. I have watched this videos several and I still wonder why is they were been censored, “free madness” video has neither sexual content nor violent content. It was based on Terry G’s showcasing his barbaric dance steps which is in vogue, he brought his hood Iju to limelight by adorning its name in the background. Terry G never smoked in music video like Fela did, he was lyrical cleaner than King Sunny Ade when it comes to love songs, and sexual content is ZERO compared to beyouce’s last three videos which were sexually choreographed by her and her two very sexy dancers. The band might have got the booth due to the sexual content of the video, but is it as bad as the Fifty cent and Ciara’s duet? The two mentioned foreign music videos made it to no.1 on video chats across the local TV’s while there Nigerian counterparts got censored ,taken of the local scene completely, but they watch it on cable networks. The Tuface’s “enter the place” video was a masterpiece and it was the best video from the internationally know singer. The quality and the set were perfect and the cast was star studded, I didn’t see anything bad in the video if I have to compare it to majority of the foreign videos and some local ones. I have seen sexual stimulation at its highest and violence in its peak in most of the foreign videos on air. The Terry G’s video censor is more personal than the ethical reason or moral reason that will be given. There’s nothing wrong in showing your talent in whatever way or form you could, it might look extraordinary to others but it’s a gift to you from the creator. The sweat of these young artistes should not be wasted by few partial people who are not aware of recent development in the world, qualified and dedicated people should be allowed to handle the censor board. The creativity of these artistes should be encourage and not discouraged. Personality should not be an issue in judging the videos and let’s not introduce Sharia law. Please we need more sense on censor board.

COCKMENTRY

The recently concluded FIFA U-17 world club that took place in Nigeria was a big success judging by Nigerian standard and probably fair in the books of FIFA and foreign observers and journalist. The TV coverage was something that really amused me and I was very happy that we could local broadcast the competition to the entire country and indeed the world perfectly and with very clear signal. Though the broadcast rights generated a lot of controversy between NTA, DAAR communication and BON/OSMI .Daar communication was quick to let us know that it actually secured FIFA’s nod to broadcast the matches played in 5 centers on behalf of FIFA to the world, while NTA/BON/OSMI only secured the rights to beam it to Nigerians only. Daar’s broadcast of the competition shows that we are locally ready to showcase matches played in our league to our TV regularly and we can feed any foreign nation with signals from various stadiums across the country. The broadcast was flawless and I give kudos to DAAR communication that took it upon itself privately without government intervention to shoulder the broadcast responsibility, though the FG’s last minute intervention of upgrading NTA’s equipment from standard to High definition was another example of our unpreparedness. It actually didn’t materialize because they didn’t make it before the commencement of the competition. The matches were exclusively and comprehensively broadcasted all across the nation through BON/OSMI where the former is the association comprising of every TV station in the country including AIT which is an affiliate of DAAR communication. The difference between the matches showed on AIT and other BON/OSMI affiliated station is the commentary. Over the years, commentary of football matches involving Nigeria’s national teams on local TV were done by a prominent Nigerian who has over the years been the voice of football matches commentary. This commentator/s are affiliated to NTA and with the length of time spent on the job one would have thought they would have mastered the act over the years compared to western commentators or even their South African counterparts. Nigerian’s across the country weekly watch the English Premier League which is one of the best televised league/sport in the world are very familiar with world class match broadcast and reliable commentary. A good soccer fan will agree that you enjoy watching a soccer match with a good commentator anchoring the match. The commentator is like the manual book of a Soccer match, he/she is the guide of the viewers and he/she helps in identifying the players on the pitch and also helps in interpreting several laws and rules that guide the game when situation arises. Commentator’s gives in-depth analysis of teams and supply RELEVANT information to the viewers about the match and other factors related to it. Good commentary entails the commentator to give news of what is happening off screen to viewers who are focused only on the pitch cameras showing the actions on the pitch and also supply developing information from the side line and the fourth official. All this happen behind the camera and viewers can not see this because the cameras a mainly focused on the pitch unless an outside interference causes the cameras to focus elsewhere.

The commentators in the BON/OSMI studios are well know names in football match commentary and they have over the years failed to improved on their beer-palour commentary of matches broadcasted on BON/OSMI affiliated TV stations. Matches shown on AIT network has a foreign commentator and judging by the way he pronounces the names of Nigerian players and other teams one will know they are professionals. The commentators adds more fun to the match by his accurate and very relevant approach and information of the match been played. They accurate pronounce our team list and have a good and RELEVANT knowledge of every single player in the competition. They also have RELEVANT knowledge about history and culture of each host city where matches are played. All these facts are mentioned while matches are going on without deviating from the match itself. Our local commentators full all IRRELEVANCE, they don’t have an idea about other teams and when it comes to matches about Nigeria they discuss the match like a beer-palour setting. They run commentaries like they are been forced and they invite talk about irrelevant issue when the action in the game is not at its peak and quickly switch back to the match ONLY when Nigeria in attacking its opponents or in danger. Issue that does not concern the match are been freely discussed on air with their invited inexperienced co-commentator. An example was match involving an African country whose neighbors geographically are engrossed in a civil war, the commentator was discussing about the political issue of the country in relation with its disputed neighbour while the match was going on. This local commentators raise their voice on if the action is on the part of Nigeria and are completely quiet if its not favouring Nigeria .A match was played before the just concluded CAF champions league match involving Heartland of Nigeria and TP Mazembe, the commentator was actually analyzing the yet to be played CAF champions league match with his fellow co-commentators instead of focusing on the match at hand. Our commentators are killers of football matches and atimes you fall asleep just by listening to them doing damage to the action taking place on pitch. The football terms they use are only found in Nigeria Sports Dictionary, or how do you interpret words like “longish ball”, ”thorough pass” ,”a chester/header”. We did well in area of broadcasting the event to Nigerians and to the world and organization was good compared to what we know Nigeria for, though I have different view about our participation judging by the composition of our team which was rocked by age scandal, but I can still tell that with more hard work we can host any FIFA organized competition at any level ,but we really need to do away with these old commentators who refused to change and train new people to handle this very aspect of football match viewing.

EDO FOR SHOW

I stumbled on a rally staged by the Action Congress in Benin Edo state where the entire PDP elected chairmen and their entire councilors decamped to AC, the entire PDP machinery and chieftains defected to AC. The women leader, youth leaders and personal and official assistants of the former governor were also among the decampees,it was a total exodus of PDP members from the umbrella party to the broom party. I was amazed and shocked when the names and status of the decampees was read out loud by the overzealous moderator in a widely publicized event with a mammoth crowd at the venue. The governor was present and looked like it was his birthday. The new members from PDP looked a bit confused and their followers were there to cheer them up. It was a major blow for the PDP because the event showed that the PDP has lost all his members to AC in Edo state. Edo state used to be a comfortable haven for PDP in the past and opposition parties never really existed in the state. When the new members were called to make speeches on their new status as AC members they had nothing important to say. Judging by the body language and the pointless speeches made by the new member, you do not need an herbalist to tell you this people are in AC to gain the power they lost when Osunbor was kicked out of the government house. Edo has been a stable state since Igbinedion, though he never brought any meaningful development to the state, and the choice of Osunbor was a big mistake because he was never the people’s choice and even PDP party members in the state never supported his anointment by almighty PDP. The point of this article is how long will the smile on the faces of the AC members in Edo and that of the governor last? An example was that given by the former state chairman of PDP who also was among the decampees, in his speech he said they have been oppressed for to long and they needed freedom. Freedom from whom? his party has ruled the state for ten years and he has gain from and I believe his still gain from the PDP led Edo government. Another female chieftain new member who used to be a female PDP leader also said she and the entire Edo women are free from oppression victimization. They all took turn to speak about liberation. The governor danced and jumped through out the occasion and I wonder how long will the dance last. The case of the decamping chairmen and councilors can be understood because most of them are having problem with the state legislative arm and they need to join the AC to escape been suspended or removed. The entire occasion was a show of shame on the part of the Edo PDP and AC. It showed that politicians in Edo are all money seeking hawks. The AC has always been a party the envy and I believe the new members are wiser than the entire AC machinery in Edo. Edo people are watching their state becoming a one party state because of change in government. Why has anybody in the arena failed to see that this PDP decampees are in AC to continue to enjoy the central government they lost through the court verdict that removed PDP from power. Edo people failed to realize that this new members are in the party to continue the political ambition which was thwarted when Osunbor left. Oshiomhole is not a seasoned politicians and I believe he doesn’t know what tune his dancing to today. In what capability does AC in Edo want to admit these new members? How do they want to control the chieftains of PDP currently camouflaging in AC colour. What role will big shots and people who have lived maximally take in the fragile Edo Politics? The AC recently rebuked the PDP for celebrating the movement of some opposition members into PDP in a Northern state; their spokes person tongue lashed the PDP for making merry when the decampees were admitted into the PDP. The show of shame in Edo is the worst have ever seen in recent time. During the welcome speech of the governor, he talked a lot about Godfatherism and he tongue lashed ANENIH and other Godfathers in Edo. His speech was censored by NTA were I was monitoring the show whenever he talked about serving and past PDP stalwart in the Country. Although he never mentioned Anenihs name but he really dealt took him to the cleaners. The governor didn’t lay emphasis on the new members and his speech did not address the new members, he didn’t formally welcome them and he poured all praises on the crowd and working executive of AC in the State. Like the speaker before him Tom Ikimi, the governors praised and pledge his support for the President and federal legislative arm of the federal government. The crowd at the venue didn’t really reflect the large population of the state and it was dominated by PDP innocent members in the state who are as confused as their decamped chieftain whose main change is to survive under the newly Oshiomhole led AC party. At the end of the show, a reporter asked one of the AC Chieftain at the show how the party will fair with the new members without muscle flexing, he smiled and said everybody knows his duty and everybody will do what his elected to do. But those who left their lucrative post in PDP will not settle for sitting on the bench after been in power for 10years.Lets cross our hand and watch the EDO show as it unfolds. The recent resignation of PDP members present in the kitchen cabinet of Oshiomhole is a tip of the ice berg of what to come, as the Oba of Benin is now been dragged into this power brawl blowing across EDO

HOSPITALITY AND HOSTILITY

It’s no news that the president of the largest Black Country in the world and a top oil exporting country which also doubles as the giant of Africa prefers foreign health care to the one he provides for increasing population. President Umaru Yar’Adua recently took a trip to Saudi Arabia for medical check, rejecting treatment from the National Hospital run by the federal government, and various private health institutions in the Country. This came after his controversial journey to Germany sometimes last year for medical treatment. This act is a very good example of the rot in our health institutions, no thanks to the same government that should be responsible for our welfare. The message is that if you don’t want to die or get miss-diagnosed like Chief Gani Fawehinmi did, you need to look else where for good health care. Mr. President has shown and demonstrated that no matter how complicated your ailment is, you can get good treatment only abroad.

The rot in our health institutions is visible for all to see and Mr. President should have re-branded it by paying visits to one of the government’s hospital whenever his ailment arises.

Government hospitals around the country has turned to hostels or camps where sick people are given beds to die on, it has become a place to spend your final time on earth if you are poor. Our hospitals have virtually nothing, the pharmacies are there to sell pure water in form of drips, and drugs are not included in the hospitals shopping list. Attitude of nursing staffs in these hospitals kills faster than any ailment, they are the ones that will dictate who lives or who dies in their wards. The ethics of Nurses that work in these hospitals are questionable, they operate like they are trained to take care of prisoners of war. They seem to unleash there anger of poor pay, inadequate working environment and poor working condition on their patients.

The issue of decay in government hospitals and lack of medical equipments and shortage of medical personnel’s in these hospitals has been in the news for decades, most of us pay lips service to issue and few of us has physical and recent experience of it. I used to believe the decay has been blown out of proportion or the case was not has bad has it’s been represented in the media and from peoples experience. Have always subscribed to the private health sector and I have never used any of the governments hospitals until recently.

A family member was admitted into one of the public hospitals in southwest Nigeria, the hospital is not run by the state or federal government, and it is managed by one of the first Christian body that came to Nigeria pre-colonial era. The hospitals philosophy of treating patients first before demanding for money makes it look like a free hospital though it is not. The charitable action of the hospital by taking care of patients before demanding for financial settlements made it a beehive for people from the nooks and crannies of the state. The hospital is well stocked in terms of drugs and you can virtually find all prescribed drugs in their pharmacy. The environment is well planned though human interference is causing havoc in the premise. Majority of its patients are middle class earner and less privilege and it also cater for the rich and mighty. Its fees are relatively good compared to what you get in private hospital which provides the same treatment at exorbitant rates.

The main reason of this write-up is the hospitality and hostility observed in this type of health institution and other government owned ones.

It has come to a stage that government trained nurses that work in this particular health institution has turned services rendered to people as privileges, they treat patient like refuges, and most of government owned hospitals are refined refuge camps. The nursing staffs of these hospitals are very arrogant and have no professional ethics. They shout at patients when talking to them. They attend to patient like they are in a veterinary hospital.

A visit to government owned hospitals across the southwest states shows how fast the sector is crumbling. Relatives of patients are subjected to carrying their sick relatives who cannot walk person themselves from doctors office to anywhere around the hospital that the patient has to go. I saw people backing elderly ones from laboratory to theater rooms, pregnant women unable to work are carried by their spouses. This health institutions lack basic medical facilities to cater for people, and their staff are not even willing to work diligently due to their cry of been underpaid. Only a staff nurse attends to patients in 10 rooms present in the ward where my relative was admitted. The same staff nurse is responsible for all patient admitted into the ward, she is responsible for their care and any mistake by her cannot be rectified quickly because the doctor visits once in a day and it’s always in the morning. I have personal witnessed cases where the staff nurse on duty will prescribe wrong dosage of drug. There was a case where the nurse asked me to get a 300g drug for my baby instead of 100g, it was the timely intervention of my wife who happens to have a very good knowledge of medication, she was quick to challenge the nurse on the age and dosage consumption of the little baby which turned out to be a mistake on the nurses part. My brother’s son wasn’t that lucky or should I say was lucky, he got a wrong measurement of drug administered and had his body covered rashes. The staff nurse thought administering higher grams of medication in the absence of the recommended lower grams will do no harm. We both got lucky in both cases, but many patients have lost their life and loved ones in similar and other relative cases.

The present neglect of our health institutions by the executive arm of the federal and state government is a warning to the entire populace to look else where for qualitative health care. Surgeons and medical directors of our government’s hospitals are now liaison officers for foreign hospitals. We all know the saga of a Lagos teaching hospital medical officer and a patient who was directed to a hospital in India for surgery on her daughter, she felt she was extorted by the Lagos hospital medical officer. The medical officer of the hospital did not deny in his interview with the press that they suggested overseas surgical treatment to patient and even help them in making payment to the India hospitals. The woman in the report published by a major newspaper in Nigeria, said she met several Nigerian women with their children recuperating after surgical session mostly cases of hole in the hearth and other heart and respiratory system related ailments. She further praised the professionalism of the Indian health officers, she also talked about the advance medical equipment in the hospital and how neat and safe the atmosphere in and around the hospital was. She also said the cost was bearable compared to what you get in Private hospitals in Nigeria.

The idea of not been able to care for ourselves and running oversea to get medical help is disgraceful, it shows how far we are behind the world. If India with her very high population could take care of its civilians and also has time for Nigerian patients what then can we do? The various government health policies are business oriented and it’s only the money to be gained in executing the project comes to mind not the purpose that the institution will serve. It will not be a welcomed idea if our health institution goes the way of PHCN, NITEL/MTEL, NPA, NRA, and POLICE FORCE.

JOURNALISM AND POLITICS

Growing up in the streets of Abeokuta was fun, and spending our holidays in the then federal capital Lagos is the best period of the years. I grew up to know Nigeria as the Giant of Africa and a major supplier of cocoa. Revenues made from oil was not freely shared with the citizens like we have now, though wrongly and corruptly presented nowadays.

Information was freely shared through the print media because its very affordable though it is getting to be a luxury now, no thanks to our government. Very few television stations existed then, and those that existed were regional and few rich states had television stations. The national television was not even widely received.

The print media was the toast of those days, and any story in the news has no doubt. My father then used to send me to get him 5 newspapers with 1 Naira. We sit side by side reading the newspapers, though my primary interest then was the cartoons on back pages. The headlines were not of much interest because we believe its adults news. My father latter picks our land phone and calls his friend in Lagos reviewing the newspapers to him. They argue, laugh and even pray when analyzing what they read in the dailies. This act followed me to the University were i was the only student in ijebu-igbo campus of Ogun State University now Olabisi Onabanjo University on the list of the Local news agent. The list comprises of Pa Abraham Adesanya, the VC of OOU, and other notable citizens of the town.

Journalism and law was a better match than what we have now. Journalist are regarded as the whistle blowers, they are the only reliable police for the masses.

In the military rule, journalists are the only source of reliable news. The federal broadcasting stations are all caged by the Military juntas and their state counterparts are under the control of the state MILADS. Hand full of print media houses existed, and they are mostly situated in Lagos. Freedom of speech was not really free then, and rights of civilians were hindered. There were no bloging, web hosting and other electronic media then.

Democracy brought freedom of expression, and advance in technological growth in Nigeria’s media circle heightened information designation.

The Print media is entrusted with the task of passing reliable and true happenings to the entire populace, they are expected and believed to pass true graphical and text format news and events to us. The print media is not biased and not ethnically oriented. Views of all groups and people are all welcomed and presented in the dailies, there was equal audience to all ethnic groups and criticisms of any aspect of government and people was fairly presented. Journalist were respected and protected by law in the course of their duties. They cover wars, meet with people regarded as enemy of the states without getting hurt or prosecuted under the stipulated law guiding there duties. Journalist have died pursuing the truth and in the course of bringing qualitative and revealing news. Investigate journalism is the spirit of a good journalist and it’s the hallmark of journalism.

The entrance of modern Politics brought the biggest challenge to Journalism. In the Military era we all had a common enemy, and we spoke with one voice in fighting the Military reign which ended eventually after a long fatal and destructive battle. Various journalist were killed an s tortured in the line of duty by the military regimes, lives and properties perished in the struggle.

In present day politics, money is the mandate of our elected leaders and representatives. They have illegally acquired vast wealth that they run the society. Journalism was not left out in the slavery.

Today’s technological advancement in information designation has brought about big competition in the print media, and poorly funded media house finds it hard to survive in the current economic downturn. Politics in Nigeria is an avenue to acquire wealth and power and it come with criticism from the populace, politician use their positions to rub the people and use the media to fight back. Journalist are expect to be liberal and non partisan, they are expected to be fair in reporting issues concerning all political party and are not expected to have sympathy for any party regardless of their own interest or ethnicity. Journalist and media houses are expected to report to the people exactly what they know with no bias, they are the third eye.

What we have now is a new form of journalism where media houses and journalist are used as mouth piece of political parties, and they now work as the public relation officer of the party they benefit more from.

It is stale news that most media houses we have now belong to political bigwigs in Nigeria. This is very common in southwest Nigeria where past and present political post holders are publishers of multi billion media houses, majority of the print media houses belong to serving and retired politicians who use them has the mouth piece of their political party.

In south west Nigeria states, print media houses belong to serving governors, senators, past governors and serving government employees.

Journalists are now at the mercy of politicians to make ends meet, and majority of the mass communication students produced in our ailing tertiary

Institutions will do anything to get a job even if he/she has to lie and write a false story about thier publisher’s opponents.

For example, if you need to read about the excess and damaging reports about the ruling party in the country there are certain newspaper you will buy, and if you need to read about the opposition parties in the country you go for the ruling party’s loyal newspapers.

Political parties in Nigeria are affiliated with one or more media houses, it’s not strange or new that the Action Congress and other groups connected to it have their own medium of attacking the opposition in the form of media houses belonging to their chieftains. A very strong member who doubles as the main financier of Action Congress is reported to own media houses across the south western states of Nigeria. These media outlets are used to destabilize states that are not under their control and also use the media to defend their excess in states controlled by them.

The ruling party PDP enjoys favorable reports and criticism from media houses chaired by its vast and powerful members. Being the largest party in the country and Africa, its members are in every aspect and field of life in the country, its majority population ensures they have a loyalist in every media house and benefits directly and indirectly from the ruling party in form of monetary assistance and favors.

This issue brings the integrity of journalists that work in these organizations to test, are they in the job to make money or for its true course? Has investigative journalism turned to man –must –chop journalism that is popular nowadays?. Most media organization based in the North is ethnic oriented, and they not different from reading newspapers form middle east, this is why they are limited in circulation.

Media house are the war turf for politicians and barrage of lies, character defamation, vilification and smear of oppositions is what comes out of them daily. If you are a follower of the happenings in Ogun State politics, you will notice the unprofessional attitude of our print media. A newspaper that sympathizes with the state came up with a revealing graphics and story about events unfolding in the state, increasing tension in the states politics. Rather than carrying out good investigative journalism like the previous newspaper did, certain Lagos based newspapers on the pay role of the opposition allowed their front pages to be used for leverage. They purposely published super imposed pictures and doctored graphics of one of the principal actors in Ogun state political crisis. My 2 years old son knows that the pictures of the governor in occultist attire that dawn the front page of LIFE newspapers were doctored and not real, even before the owner of the original picture came forward to prove the media house wrong in using her work as a political leverage. Are these people turning the papers into something it ought not to be? Why will a media house allow money to spoil its integrity? And my son will grow up believing every story in Nigerian newspapers is paid for by politicians. Or what do you want him to make of all this money oriented and selfish journalist parading themselves as professional in our country. Paid adverts is the new form of passing information to people by the politicians and it is through this medium that feuding parties talk and attack each other. Pages of newspapers are filled with the projects embarked on by various state governors as if they are favors to the civilians.

This prompted me to ask what is being thought in School of Journalism if it still exists in Ogba? What is the moral ethic of a journalist? Are they made to swear to uphold the law and protect humanity like the lawyers and doctors do when they are about to start their practices? Do we have an independent disciplinary council for journalist like we do in the medical field? Should there not be more strict rules and laws that will prosecute errant journalist that report for material gains? Media houses that publishes unconfirmed and malicious story about people, groups and government should be prosecuted and have their licenses revoked. Publishers of such media organization should be banned from owning media house. The power of money and selfish interest as rubbished journalism in our country, we solely rely on foreign media houses for reliable and authentic news about our country. Its a shame that even out TV stations are subjected to their founders and benefactors. State TV stations are set up to propagate the work of the states they are situated and what we see on them is exactly what the state government wants us to see. Private TV stations are profit oriented and are up for grabs to the highest bidder if nothing the thought of its founder they report issues bothering the highest paying client. They are so sophisticated that they can even air an advert for Niger-Delta militants if the pay is good, and even if the militants are more generous with their loots they can have their vandalisation acts aired live. Presenters of certain political programmes on TV have turned themselves into analyst and professional political consultants. An example is the morning political talk shows on AIT and TVC every day, these presenters delivers the verdict of the discussion before the guest’s even starts debating the issue. There choice of invited analyst is biased and instead of listening and allowing the viewers to hear the analyst talk they interrupt when the speaker is not in line with there own objectives. I singled out TVC and AIT because their political talk shows are meaningless and not beneficial to the viewers, they are biased and it’s very easy to know their political stand in Nigeria, this in not professional.

Thank God for technology we know how professional journalism is done else where. Foreign media are fair in their reports, even to Nigeria’s news they are authentic and non partial.

Recently the TELEGRAPH a British tabloid made public expenses and financial claims of MPs in THE United Kingdom, and it cut across all parties. All party members were thoroughly investigated and their financial claims were made public, which led to resignation of many defaulters among them. This is journalism at its peak, and not money for hand back for ground politics that reigns in the Giant of Africa after Ghana.

Finally, the rule guiding news reporting should be upgraded and it will be nice to see journalist jailed for reporting false news with their publishers too. We can not solely rely of the efficient and always reliable foreign media for information, events like that of Ogun political crisis, Niger-delta crisis and other domestic uprisings are not given adequate coverage though the bit they say about them are more genuine than what we get locally. And the TV stations should learn from SILVERBIRD TV (TODAY ON STV) how to give their viewers a bright and happy morning rather than the harsh Political talk show with angry and frustrated presenters and panel of paid analyst.

Politicians should please release the media captive from their coffers and allow us to enjoy and have our trust in the only and ever available means of proper information designation.

OBAMA DRAMA

America is regarded as the enemy of the world ,especially the mid-eastern block sees America as a dictator and power drunk .It is a generally acclaimed and accepted fact that America is the super power of the world and they play the “BIG BROTHER” to other Nations. The past regime of Pres. Bush (jnr) attracted a lot enemies to America due its strong foreign policy and its defiance to sit and talk with countries regarded as terrorist supporting nations and undemocratic governments .The war in Iraq ,Afghanistan and constant face off between the American backed Israeli govt and the Hamas led Palestine govt, has been seen as flexing of muscle and unjust wars by the mid-east and many. This foreign policy and wars has indeed made the western world peaceful and has greatly reduced or stopped terrorist attacks on American soil and those of its allies. Majority of terror attacks are now carried out in the bases of its origin .Several terror attacks are been carried out across Pakistan ,India, and other mid-east countries.

The recently Presidential election in America was watched with keen interest by the world due to the change anticipated in the emergence of the first African American candidate and the change from the republic to the democrats .The emergence of the Barrack Obama as the first Black president of America and his electoral promises of change in American foreign policy and to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was welcomed by majority of American populace and was also a relief to mid-easterners who witness a hard time in the past regime of Bush no nonsense attitude. Obama’s readiness to sit and talk with Americans foes like Iran,Cuba,etc was seen as a welcome idea by millions of electorates that voted him into the wise. But the question is “Is America and the whole world safer under OBAMA ?” T his a question that many that voted Obama to the white house cant find a conclusive answer to .Obama started with controversial appointments of aides with questionable tax records and the multi billion stimulus plan has failed to help its targets in the global economic meltdown .The recent appointment of judge Sotomayor to head the supreme has come under heavy criticism from various sector including her colleagues who regarded her as not as brilliant as thought and high handed and bullish .President Obama’s plans to transport gitmos prisoners to American soil to be tried has been rebuked by scores of sept 11 relations and the republicans and some democrats has kicked against it also .The abortion bill is another unpopular bill of President Obama administration. His decision to set up a military like court to her the cases of gitmos prisoners was not different to that of President Bush.

Am not anti Obama ,am a democratic who believes in the freedom of humanity and good governance, I support the independence and existence of Palestine and Israel don’t share the historic value of president Obama but share the historic value of America as the worlds stabilizer .I don’t share the Obamamania frenzy but will like to see a more dedicated American policy towards a more peaceful world. Am a Nigerian, if have had my way would have voted Senator McCain who I believe was more sincere in his policies which are right measure at this crucial time. He didn’t say he will not raise taxes and never promised to recall the army from Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama promised not to raise tax and also promised the immediate stop to wars on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. He indeed raise the tax of the rich and is still flirting with the idea of the army recall.

Am not set to discredit the government of President Obama, but I fail to see the impact it has on Americans and the world at large. An opinion poll showed that Israelis believe the Obama administration is not committed to their course and they feel more threatened by Iran ever than before Obama’s open door policy and its readiness to sit and talk to countries said to be aiding terrorist group is seen by many as a weakness ,and its and its making them look more like Britain that has lost her superiority in Europe and the entire world in their course of being fair and her readiness to accept all opposition.

China is recently mopping up American bonds thus bailing out all ailing companies in America and controlling her financial aspect ,this has made China very powerful and indispensable to America .Its this same china that failed to caution or sanction President Pyongyang of North Korea who has enriched itself with Nuclear weapon and openly threatening South Korea and the rest of the world with his newly acquired weapon of mass destruction .Pyongyang’s N.korea gets virtually all its aid from China, and any sanction from China will crumble N.Korea. But China is foot-dragging in making concrete decision to deal with the threat of N.Korea .Obama’s call for measures to stop Nuclear weapon enrichment by N.Korea is not different from that from the British which is like the ranting of an ant.

The government in Iran has severally called for the eradication of Israel and they have presently been testing long range missiles capable of reaching Israel, Uk and parts of America .This test is been done despite the calls from various countries and governments condemning the act .What has American government done about this ?, Obama planned or rather the Iranian government has called America to an open debate to discuss the issue .They even warned that any attack on their missiles launch sites will be replied with fatal measures.

Are this the new super powers of the world we have to live with ?.Who says American domination of the world has not been of good .If not a world dominated by countries like North Korea ,Iran, China whose development depends on the quality of weapon of mass destruction is better of?.

President Obama should wake up and raise to uphold the integrity of America and Americans and that of the whole world that look up to her as the world leader .The election drama is over and its now time for serious actions and decisions to be made. History has been made in his emergence and history should not be made in the fall of America under his regime. The electorates might have gone to sleep after effecting the thought is needed but the enemies never sleeps and is ready to take advantage of every given opportunity which is been witnessed all around the world now.

Obama’s recent visit to Egypt was greeted with mixed reaction, some said why does he have to go to a country that supports Hamas an organisation classified as a terrorist group. A country that is not democratic, and doesn’t respect human rights. Some said he took the word straight to the Muslim world, but I think he is just rehearsing. He preferred to use the word “Extremist” instead of “Terrorist”, and he never condemned Iran’s call for the wiping out of Israel.

President Obama enjoyed personal preference in Egypt not Americas acceptance. Somebody needs to tell him that this people hates America and there’s little he can do to change that than to tale the fight on terrorism to them. All he’s doing now is showing Americans weakness to the world.

FREE OIL FIGHTERS

After the long stressful working days, my friends and I get together in Abeokuta to visit our farm which we resorted to after the economic meltdown to support our families. Am an Egba man and my friend Bayo equals as an Egba man and our third friend Osagie is from Edo which qualifies him as a Niger Deltan.

The issue is that every time the topic of militancy in the Niger -Delta we are always divided in opinion. Osagie and I share the same view that militancy can never and has never produced any good result anywhere it is been used to demand for rights. We believe that militancy can never achieve any meaningful goal, rather it brings more hardship to the people they claim to be fighting for. No militant group that engage the Central government in arms battle can yield good result. No international body will support any militant group that wage war against its elected government. The people intended to be liberated are always the casualties of the war. Example is that of Gbaramutu village in Delta state .This prompted our decision that any group fighting for equity in distribution of national wealth or liberation of its people will never carry arms and engage the central government in battle. Bayo on the contrary believed long negligence and in sensitivity of the Federal Government prompted the youths of the Niger Delta to carry arms and the government is still not doing the right thing to redress the issue. He sees militancy as the only way the goal can be achieved. He also accused the Multinational oil companies operating the region of not doing enough to uplift the condition of there host community. He further accused them of destroying lands and water of the host community .In conclusion he sees nothing wrong in militancy in the region.

This brings me to point of this article. Analyzing various militant groups around the world showed that no single militant group have been able to achieve any meaningful goal, they only metamorphous into deadly terrorist group which MEND as been labelled by international communities. The examples of Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka comes to mind, after fighting for a decade with the Sri Lankan government ended up loosing the battle and thousands of Tamil ethnics who they intended to liberate from Sri Lanka. The Pakistani government are successfully wining the battle to take over strong holds of militant groups in the Sway Valley and Mangora city which has been controlled by the rebels for long.

The evidence is there for all to see that no militant group can win a war against any elected Government. No matter how strong a militant group is or how strong the support is ,it will surely bow to the authority in power.

I see militancy in the Niger-delta region as a camouflage to steal and export oil, and kidnapping is a criminal act that send no message than personal enrichment of jobless few all in the disguise of fighting for resource control. They attack oil pipe installations, kidnap innocent citizens, invade innocent communities and turn them to camps. Their leaders sits in Lagos and Abuja and scream in front of the screen and print media about atrocities happening in the Creeks when Government forces invade and try to flush out the militants, while their boys are working underground siphoning crude oil for them. Anytime the JTF steps up its act to protect lives and pipe line installation in the creeks what we hear is cry of government killing their people. Is the lost of 12 soldiers meant to be an act of freedom fighting?, killing of government soldiers is an invitation for war, no matter the quarter it came from. Should the Federal government fold its arms and watch a bunch of crooks kill its soldiers all in the name of resource control?. Should we wait until third mainland bridge or carter bridge is blown up before we regard the militants as enemy to all? .

Statistically quoting, the states in the region got a larger chunk of money from the government compared to others between 1999 and 2007: Rivers, N517 billion; Delta N463 billion; Bayelsa N414 billion; and Akwa Ibom, N384 billion. Why are the militants not targeting the state governors and their families. The question is what are the governors doing? The militant don’t mince word in saying their enemy is the federal government, but when did the state government ceased to be and arm of the central government. Little or no attack are carried out against the States government of the oil producing state, only notable and rich civilians with links to the Federal government are attacked in the form of kidnapping their wards.

Are we suppose to believe the State governments are sponsoring this attacks on Federal government interest, or what are the security aims of the affected states where kidnapping is carried out undeterred and communities are turned into militant camps. Fellow Nigerians lets not mistaken this Free oil fighters for Freedom because no act of militancy can achieve any meaningful goal, if we all have to show our grievances through militancy where will Nigeria be today. Nobody can shoot his/her way success and live to enjoy the fruit, what will happen will be counter militancy because the militant groups are not even fighting a uniform goal. Lets not be deceived by this freedom fighters and work together to fight this Free oil Fighters.

ARSENAL FC AND FINANCIAL MELTDOWN

The world is now facing a major proble tha is more critical than terror attacks and natural disasters.This is so because terror attacks and natural disasters have areas of impact and not everybody is directly affected by them though we all feel and share the pain of those involved or those that lost love ones.The financial meltdown cuts across the whole the continent and am sure other planents will notice the effect also.Every home knows where the situation has affected them and we can all bear witness of its effect in our financial institutions,Car industry,and other conglumirates.Sports is not left out of this financila mess as seen by the withdrawal of Honda from this season Formula1 due to financial problem,and the cancelation of AIGs shirt sponsorship of Manchester united Fc.for next season.West Ham Fc. also had thier shirt sponsorship by XL axed when the traveling company went into total administration.Chelsea football club of west london has announced a loss in excess of million of pounds sterling for the third season runing and Liverpoo fc is reported to be in heavy debt in millions of pounds sterling.
The 2010 olympic which will be staged in London is currently facing a major task has spending is expected to be low in construction of sites for the events.Govt are more involved in using task payers money to bail out trapped institution in order to reduce lay offs of staffs by the companies thus reducing unemployement in this critical time.Certain sports events like handball,shooting,wrestling are going to see less fund injected into them due to the financial mess thus limiting the chance of the british team in attaining success in this sports.The cooperate bodies that are expected to patner govt.in funding the olympics are trying to keep thier head above water so not to drown in the financial pool.The only sport body that has been able to keep its head above water is Arsenal fc on london.They once again for the third year running announced profits in excess of millions of pounds sterling and thier weekly income is put at 3.1million pounds on match days alone not to talk about money form tv rights,shirt sponsorship,endorsements and thier Highbury square estate project is said to be mortgage investors hot cake.Arsenal fc has over the years spent less on player aquisation and has made alot of money in sale of players over the years compared to other Europeand football clubs.Majority of European clubs parade squads of million of pounds sterling and get good result,so get fair result and some are not even in contention at all. Arsenal fchas finished in the top 4 of EPL for almost 10 seasons and has one shields in the course though recently of shield drought,but with a substantial squad they have been able to rub shoulders with big spending clubs across europe.The ability to perform well in EPL and UEFA champions leauge with substantial squad asalso been a money generating avenue for Arsenal Fc.Million of pounds is been generated by finishing top 4 in EPL and qualifying for champion leauge group stages and even getting beyound the group statges.Arsenal fc is believed to be the strongest financial football club in europe and thier performance is also a beauty to behold.I wonder if the borsd of this club are consulted to help in this recession it wount e a bad idea.