…tasks media on investigative journalism
BENIN CITY – The deputy governor of Edo State, Rt, Hon. Philip Shaibu has urged media professionals in Edo State to engage more in investigative journalism in order to fulfill their watch dog role in the society.
Hon. Shaibu noted this while making his speech at the annual breakfast session of journalists which he hosted yesterday at his residence in Benin City.
Recounting his painful experience in detention during the Abacha’s regime, the Deputy Governor said it took the boldness of an investigative journalist to secure the release of him and other activists who were unjustly incarcerated.
“Recall how the Abacha regime denied that it was still holding some activists up in custody. Amidst the excruciating torture that we were subjected to in order to confess to crimes we didn’t commit, it took an investigative journalists who didn’t just report but listed the names of those still held in detention. At that point, the regime had no choice but to release us” Hon. Shaibu revealed.
The Deputy Governor also said journalists must at all times uphold the freedom that citizens currently enjoy under democracy hence the need to hold government accountable to the people. “Without democracy, we all loose” he said.
Speaking further, the Deputy Governor reinstated the commitment of the Obaseki’s administration to transparency and accountability. According to him “Edo government has nothing to hide. We don’t see journalists as our enemies. Infact, we can work together in order to deliver dividends of democracy to people.”
To demonstrate his commitment to investigative journalism, the Deputy Governor urged NUJ Edo Council to identify the best investigative journalist for an award and cash prize during the next year breakfast session which he promised to fund. Othe categories of the award would include best journalist of the year and best reporting journalist of the year.
He however, charged NUJ Edo council to be transparent in the selection process as it was only a mean of encouraging a culture of excellence among the journalists in the state.
