By Favour Goodness
Less than five months to the end of Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra state eight years reign, his relationship with the media will take years of analysis either positively or negatively.
Obiano tenure ends on March 17, 2022, when he is expected to handover to a new administration of Prof. Chukwuma Sọludo, the governor-elect from the same political party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
As the media waits for a new era, a good man Obiano is, but surrounded by many hangers on claiming to be his best media gurus without a medium, but gluttonous.
When Obiano assumed office in his first tenure in 2017, all expectations were that he would surpass his predecessor, Mr Peter Obi’s media friendly and management, however, that was not to be as “a cabal” in his outside and inside government circle hijacked things, pretending they know it all.
Hoping that situations will change for better after the appointment of a Chief Press Secretary (CPS), things remained the same till now, as journalists from various media, particularly those posted to the state hardly carryout their watch dog functions efficiently and effectively because the best coordination practice was never there.
Except for the state owned media (Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Government House Press Crew and one television outstation outfit were perceived as the best choice for all the governor’s functions and activities of government, others are avoided for their thinking negative reportage.
These perceived unfriendly journalists had to restore to their trainings and years of practical experiences to report the state for their media Publics or be sacked by their organisations.
Yes, things are as bad as that, even the Press Centre at the Government House, Awka, where journalism information flow is deserted and not functioning optimally to the benefits of state government and governed.
It is more serious, when the governor and his functionaries hardly interact with the media over government activities, even the state ministry of information usually gag the press by hoarding information trying to protect government because the Freedom of Information Bill (FIB) is ineffective in the state.
Generally, in Obiano’s second term, the media did not expect any different for the world to read his administration activities and programmes, but to wait as a parlance ” Soldier go, Soldier come, Barracks remains the same”. They are waiting and watching like a patience dog.
