 The Africa Media Development Foundation, AMDF, on Wednesday said Nigeria has the highest number of violations of press freedom in Africa. Reports have shown Nigeria is having the highest incidences of violations in 2023, with cases associated with February-March elections held in the country. The last 30 years has witnessed drastic advancement in media development, the widespread acceptance of independent media digitization of media platforms and media mainstreaming. These have increased both access to information and information dissemination on the world scale at large. These past 30 years have not been without their challenges as the media industry continues to face attacks in various forms, both by state and non-state actors. Issues bordering on safety of journalists, freedom of expression and media freedom remain the core of human rights violations. In Africa, the problem of poor enumeration of journalists, government interference and outright suppression continues to limit practice of journalism global trends, revealing also that journalists are the most targeted profession by repressive governments. Now in 2023, like every other year, there has been a year of continued struggle for journalists who are constantly in the front line of news coverage and reportage. And tonight we talk about shaping the future of protecting journalists. Well joining us live to discuss this is Tramae Zenwafo. She is a broadcast journalist and she is the head of news called Wazubia Info Port Hackard. Also joining us is Inuk Steven, his positive Africa's correspondent in Kanusti. Thank you so much lady and gentlemen for joining us. Good evening. Yeah, happy press freedom day, Miriam. Yes, same to you. Hi Inuk. Thank you for having me. Happy press freedom day. Yes. Inuk, I'm going to start with you because you covered this election. I remember that we had a lot of back and forth on election days from February to March. The statistics that we just rolled out is very damning because it looks like more and more journalists are dying in the line of duty. And every year, just as we are doing today, we celebrate press freedom. But can you really say the press is free, especially in a country like Nigeria that its democracy is pretty nascent? Well for me in Nigeria, I'd say the press is not certainly free because there are a lot of issues when it comes to reporting the truth, right? So actually sometimes when you want to report the truth, you know, you might be attacked. Sometimes like during the election, my phone was almost smashed because I was trying to capture the moment where some people were trying to do something fishy. So I was just very, very lucky that someone just tapped me and said, hey, leave this place. If not, my phone would have been smashed. And we had security, you know, just looking there. Last year as well, I was arrested last year, you know, during the election. I was doing a report and then I saw a government agency. Can you just check this agency and see what's happening there? And I went inside there in less than 20 minutes, you know, and a litigation came that I was part of a third syndicate that attacked, please, a few weeks. The police came and arrested me with guns. I was locked up in the, you know, state CID now until, you know, my editor and other people, you know, spoke and then they told me, okay, this guy is a journalist. Yes, it is not a thief or anything of such. So that is just a link to what I have happened. We have the issues where, yeah, during the election, I think the government election, right, I was restricted from having access to the INEC office, which was a coalition center. And I was outside waiting for when I would likely, you know, be given access because we're told that issues of overcrowding was why some of us were allowed inside. And I was standing outside on my own trying to do my report. And then I was taken. I was, my eyes were all red. I was, you know, tears everywhere. And then I had to leave. Why still, you know, went back, you know, to report. And the issues that we saw during the elections that, you know, sometimes when you report and you just get, you are, it's just like you're handcuffed in some circumstances. Yes. So I wouldn't say the press is really free in Nigeria, but I can say there's a lot we can do. Yes, but I wouldn't say... Let me come to you, Chioma. They're actually free in Nigeria. All right. All right. Let me come to you, Chioma. What is the value of the average journalist in Nigeria, or let alone Africa? Because you see, when we were growing up, teachers were, you know, you asked a child what they wanted to be when they grew up and they said they wanted to be their teacher, or you asked who their hero was, they'd say their teacher. The same could have been said for a journalist back in the day, but today, in today's world, especially on the continent of Africa, where many proponents of, you know, press freedom have said that Africa is yet to understand the power of journalism or even embrace it. So I'm asking you, as someone who's been on this job for a long time and reported on several diverse stories, how revered is the average journalist in Nigeria, let alone on the African continent? How, how, what value is it? Valuable or revered, yes. Oh, yeah. It's similar to the question I was very recently by a renowned professor of journalism, when it comes to whether journalism is a profession or not. And I believe that question is also the reason why my answer is going to be whether we are revered, no, we are not. We should be revered more than compared to how journalists in Nigeria and journalists in other climes or, should I say, same-er climes are not treated differently, actually. The value of a journalist in, say, America is certainly different from the value placed on the same profession in Nigeria. And perhaps it's because of the way people get into practice and the way it's not right here. Let me not say what you mean, the way there isn't any standard that is held by saying, can't there, like you find a net thing or nothing, or an old kind of profession and even law, OK? So when we talk about press freedom, I like to remember that we need to better guide the people who work into it so that we can better conduct ourselves and demand the respect that we deserve. So are we revered? No, we are not. And we should be revered considering that we uphold the truth in the society and uphold and uphold government accountable. I mean, I'm always reminded every day that our profession is the only profession in the Nigerian Constitution holding government accountable and speaking truth to power. And if any profession does the, if no other profession does this, because we need to be revered better and unfortunately, the reason why I ask this is because, you know, we're very quick to say that we're the fourth estate of the realm and, you know, our job is to hold our government at all levels to account. But again, many would also say that we have played a role one way or the other in how we're being treated, you know, across the country and also on the continent. We've heard politicians, you know, talk down on journalists or even come on our shows and say that we don't do proper journalism or that we don't investigate. What is the, what is the average journalist insurance cover? Do we have any? And what is the, like he said, when he was on election day, he could have been lynched. Anything could have happened to him, if not for people who stood up for him. So let's look at the hazards of the job, because we're looking at shaping the future of rights when it comes to press freedom here. So, Chama, again, I ask, do we play a role in how we're being treated, you know, by these people? Unfortunately, the answer to that question is actually yes, Marianne, and I'll explain. The reason is because of the entry point to the profession is quite low. And so we find that a lot of people who have no business and professionals are all over it. And so now there's still an expression, which is what journalism is really all about. But unfortunately, that's also the reason why it's become an awkward matter, meaning that it has lost the professionalism that I ought to have. So it's just a practice, meaning that anybody can practice it. And so even those without, I mean, a journalist should have integrity, a journalist should be someone that is honest. And so when you find individuals without these basic values of humanity, and get into the profession, they take it along with them. And so that's where you find people not upholding the ethics of journalism, because we cannot talk about God, press freedom, without talking about ethics in journalism. And there are certain debates that when it comes to objectivity, that is still ongoing. Some people, what I mean, objectivity has become subjective. And the reason is because of the quality. Okay, so all of those challenges of the journalist can be can be reshaped, if we begin to demonstrate professionalism and prioritize certain values, like your honesty, and fairness and balance, and, and say, no, well, we will know and stick to truth. What is truth, not the multiple truth that we find these days. And even even to, so you talked about insurance, I always say to my colleague that your biggest protection is your professionalism. The moment you become a professional as a journalist, you expose yourself to danger. You expose yourself to any harm that may be nearby. And so the best way to stay safe, especially during elections, which is really where journalists get attacked the most, is to stay professional. Okay, it is not a stay professional and observe your environment. Those two, usually I find to be the best way to be able to report freely, and do your job. And yes, we, we wish society allowed the more freedom on the press. But until then, we actually do have a way to play, journalists have a way to play. And, and that means we need to demand for whoever gets into this profession to hold certain ethics and certain values. And that's also what brings me to the Nigerian Press Council. I'm asking the Nigerian Press Council do more than exist to actually become a body that helped to hold journalists to account themselves to the extent that professionalism has helped to really find it in the law profession, in medicine, and in nursing, and every other profession that we admire, whether we do our own professional terms. So I believe that we can actually get more freedom of the press when we find the practitioners opposing the ethics of the profession and the values that go to it. And if all of us do that, I believe we'll get really a step closer to getting government to reflect the words that they speak every press freedom day, okay, to actually uphold these words. And I'm truly, truly allowed for free press. And we come back to, you know, you know, let's talk about renumeration here and how the average honest is treated by its employees, employers, I beg your pardon. One of the major problems that we've noticed, especially in Nigeria, is poor renumeration and poor treatment of journalists. And most of the time, some of those in court for me to use that word, brown envelope journalists will point to the fact that they're poorly renumerated. And that's why they go after some of these very easy stories. What's your take? Oh, you know, I think we've lost you. So I'm going to come back to, I'm going to come back to you, Chama. Let's talk about renumeration. Chama, are you there? Yeah, I can hear you loud and clear. Okay, so the truth is, is actually connected to what I said, a lot of journalists find themselves behaving. And it's all because of welfare. Generally, all of the new journalists are not properly paid. And let me say that, and also say good news to those who are actually those media owners, that actually paying journalists what they deserve by a huge number of journalists are underpaid, underappreciated, and, and, and, and a lot of the issues around being able to practice is improperly covered. Okay, and this is the reason why you find that a lot of people have dropped, you know, the professionalism is quite low. And, and many people practice without observing all of the ethics of journalism. Okay, because the remuneration is quite low. And I'm going to say at this point that you are a media owner, and you still give a prioritized pay, good pay for the journalists, you are changing yourself, because well paid journalists is better positioned to actually do the job. It entails I mean, a journalist generally doesn't sleep. I know that for sure. And when they do, they are thinking about tracking their tracking, and the great kind of early shots down. Okay, so whatever it doesn't mean to be asking to be able to get the job done and actually focus on the two parts of the story, they deserve it, and it should be paid it, and the showroom should be part of it as well. You know, I think you're back now. Let's let's still talking about remuneration here. Just like doctors and nurses, at least people, you know, take an oath to, you know, save lives. I guess we would say same thing for the police and soldiers, they've taken an oath, whether they're poorly remunerated or not, they have an oath that they've taken. Maybe because we've not taken an oath, but then the ethics that, you know, guard this profession, should we be saying that, well, maybe because we're not being paid, we'll just take anything and just do a showdy job. Does that not one way or the other defeat the idea of even wanting to be a journalist in the first place? Are you not supposed to tell truth to power? You know, that question is for you. Okay, for who? Can you hear me? I think that we lost Inaka again. Inaka, are you there? Apologies, Inaka, I think that you're having a bad connection there. Alright, Chama, before we wrap things up here, let me come back to talk about the broadcasting watchdog. And that's the NBC for those of us who are in broadcasting. And of course, like you said, the press council. But most importantly, the NBC, many have pointed fingers to the watchdog to be also an appendage of every government in power, whether it be the APC, the PDP, and we're talking about Nigeria here. Many have said that they have suppressed certain media houses, we've seen people getting fines sometimes because maybe they speak against the government of the day. How objective would you rate the NBC I know that they're watching, but it's press freedom day. Actually, you're putting in a very, very, very nice one. Okay, I believe the NBC can do better. We would really do a better job if we have regulators that provide more than fines, but also provide support, and acknowledge that there are challenges in trying to get the job done. I think that regulators who understand and function with that reality would better support press freedom. Any other behavior outside this does not support press freedom and obviously is suppression. Bless you with that. You know, I think that you're back. Let's quickly, would you like to add something to this? How well do you think the NBC has done in terms of helping the media to be a bit more free other than being seen as an appendage of the government in power? In closing, I think you need to unmute yourself so we can hear you. Okay, can you on the question again? I think I have a poor network. Yes, I can hear you. Yeah. So can you repeat the question? So we're talking about the NBC and of course, the role that they play in making sure that we are better at broadcasting as opposed to people who have condemned them to be an appendage of every government that's in power. Okay, well, I feel the NBC can do a better job, you know, yes, by ensuring press freedom. We saw, you know, find out what's you know, being imposed on the participation of the station and sometimes when you hear of these things, you think, okay, is NBC not supposed to ensure that the media or the press is free or we are cast as you know, a free to report, you know, what we see. So I would want to, you know, delve into it, but I feel that NBC can do a lot, you know, better. I like how diplomatic we are today, because we don't want to get into trouble, right? But on the thank you. Jamey Zewafor is a broadcast journalist, and she is also the head of news at Kulwazobia Info in Port Harkat and Enoch Steven is plus TV Africa's correspondent in county state. Thank you so much, ladies and gentlemen for joining us and happy world press freedom day again to you guys. Thank you. All right. Well, that's it on the show tonight. I'm Mary Anna Coln. Don't forget you can play catch up and watch all of our previous conversations on our YouTube channel had plus TV Africa. And don't forget plus TV Africa is also on Glow World. You can watch us from wherever you are across the world. I am Mary Anna Coln. Have a good evening.