Why There Should Be No Crisis Between Shaibu's Media Aide And Edo Journalists

 

By Besiru Enakhimion.

In the evening of Thursday, September 21, 2023, some unpalatable and unbelievable headlines were churned out by a section of the media. 

One of such headlines read, " Media Aide to Shaibu, Edo Deputy Governor Draws Battle Line With Journalists". 

 While not holding brief for anybody here, I wish  to write as a stakeholder and an elder in the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). 

Those who know the level of rapport that has been existing between journalists in Edo state and the Deputy Governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu will indeed get disturbed by the above headline that appears like the lyrics of a war song.

I believe Rt. Hon. Shaibu has been the most amiable official of Edo state government to the journalists in the state, considering his disposition to them,  especially in the last seven years. I stand to be corrected on this please.

 

Right from his days as a member of Edo State House of Assembly, he had taken the 20th of December as a day to take breakfast with journalists in the state. In addition to eating,  he had always given a befitting and encouraging purse to them. This fellowship had become an annual ritual that journalists in the state look up to. 

At the 2022 edition, the Deputy Governor gave financial rewards to the best investigative journalist and the  runner up, with the promise of increasing the financial value of the prize in the 2023 edition. 

In the last six years, the breakfast meeting has been coordinated by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Comrade Ebomhiana Musa.He is one of us,  a trained journalist;  One of those who should be conversant with the operation of his office, having risen to the position of Vice President of Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ), D Zone. He had earlier served as the Financial Secretary of the Lagos  State Council of the Union.

This writer couldn't sleep over the seeming crisis . Unable to reach the CPS immediately, he sent a WhatsApp message to him to find out his side of the story. 

First, he stated that  there was no crisis between him and Edo State Journalists and that there will never be any crisis between them.

 He explained what some of them have misconstrued as "walking out journalists from an assignment".

According to him,  there was no press conference in the private house of the Deputy Governor on the day in question. He said his Principal who was expecting a delegation from the Catholic Men Organization, CMO, in his private residence had directed him to invite some journalists from selected media houses. 

According to him, he carried out the instruction as directed. 

He said the assignment was initially slated for 11.00am, that while the invited journalists were already on ground, he sought their permission   to meet with his Principal at the valedictory ceremony of a retired Appeal Court judge. 

According to him, the delegation from the Catholic Men Organization had already arrived at the residence of the Deputy Governor before he ( Comrade Ebomhiana)returned.

He said he was shocked to find the private residence of his boss occupied by about 35 journalists. He added that all the seats in the compound were fully occupied by the journalists while some members of the expected delegation of Catholic Men Organization were perching.

The CPS further explained that he politely told the journalists that there was no press conference going on and that it was not conducive to have such number of journalists in the deputy governor's private residence at that time, when he (Deputy Governor)was not expecting them. 

He also said that he politely appealed to those who were not officially invited to leave the already congested compound.

Comrade Ebomhiana further submitted that he had already presented his side of the story to the Chairman and Secretary of Edo state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ).

Whatever misunderstanding that might have taken place, journalists in the state and the media aides to the Deputy Governor should take their minds back to the sweet relationship that has existed between them and continue to work together . 

 The Comrade Deputy Governor has been a reliable friend of the journalists, that friendship should be allowed to flourish. My humble submission please.