Effect of the Media in our Nigeria of Today – By Sanusi Muhammad

It appears the power of the media is still underrated by the informed and enlightened members of the society most especially in the Muslim world with special emphasis on Northern Nigeria despite the strategic position of the media in nation building.
Even in the 21st century, when it is obvious that the most prominent instrument of change is the media, most Muslim individuals and societies still do not see the need to accord the media the priority it deserves. If the Machiavellian theory of using attack as a form of defence is anything to tacitly agree with, the media must be seen as its practical example. But ironically, any good observer can vividly see a manifest apathy to the media in Northern Nigeria. And, the cost of such lackadaisical attitude towards a ‘deadly’ weapon like the media, in this technological age, cannot be quantified psychologically and spiritually. Whether we realize it or not, it is a standing fact beyond doubt, universally acknowledged, today, that a world without the media is like the carcass of a mobile corpse waiting for interment.
When the print media first arrived, Nigeria in 1859, its first place of call was Abeokuta in present day Ogun State in the Southwest of Nigeria. And, that was because that part of the country (Southwest) had adopted literacy in Roman letters, as of that time. For several decades after the arrival of the media in Nigeria, newspaper publication and readership became solidly domiciled in the Southwest. Anybody who wanted to read newspaper or to express an opinion in it, at that time, was to get in touch with Lagos/Ibadan axis of the media, directly or indirectly. And, with Lagos being the seat of the colonial power at that time, that situation was considered a further impetus for the people of the Southwest, to advance, ahead of the other regions, in literacy and education. However, with time, the people of some other regions of the country, especially from the Southeast and the South-south, began to key into the media scheme after realizing the covert and avowed power. That was the situation that made Southern Nigeria generally, the foremost custodian of information and education in the country.
With the coming of the electronic media (Radio/Television) to Nigeria in the early part of the 20th century, it became evident that the southern part was the main habitat of the media in the federation called Nigeria.
It therefore took the people of the Southern part of Nigeria to study the instrument used by Nigeria’s Freedom Fighters in their struggle for independence which was the media, as well as that of the tortuous efforts of Jews to get a permanent home for themselves at the heart of the Arab World. The combination of both studies then became a template for them to copy in order to get their own voices heard around the world for the purpose of sympathy and assistance. It can, therefore, be concluded that without the active support of the media, a Goodluck Ebele Jonathan couldn’t have emerged from the ‘minority’ South-south as a Nigerian President despite the constitutional support at his disposal. It was also the media that supported the agitation of the oil producing areas to change the formula of income derivation from oil in their favour and to demand federal character in the process of federal appointments. Today, those in the oil producing States are enjoying 13% derivation against the hitherto pittance that they were receiving even as the adoption of federal character in appointments has now become a political norm, courtesy of the media. Thus, as a result of the tremendous success achieved by using the media for agitation, the South-south has become a model for other minority groups to speak up in demand for their needs and wants, as a matter of right, in the Nigerian Federation.
Today, whether in the print or electronic sector of the media, no one can brush aside the prominent role that the people of the southern part of Nigeria are playing in control of the media and for the benefit of the tribal and religious kiths and kin. As a matter of fact, the Nigerian media, today, is incontrovertibly controlled and dominated by the southerners. Think of it, almost all the functional newspapers, private radio and television stations are wholly-owned by them.
Therefore from all indications, the people of Northern Nigeria are grossly apathetic to media function in the federation. And, this is adversely affecting not only the geographical North but also the religion of Islam and the Muslims, socially, economically, politically and psychologically. Yet, the Northerners apart from a minute few do not seem ready to change the narrative. If the oil producing areas can use the media to fan their agitations for increased derivation on oil, what stops the Northerners from using the media to also demand huge derivation on the solid minerals that are abundantly available in various parts of the North whether harnessed or not? This formed part of a one day Roundtable Discussion attended by delegates from the 19 Northern States held on May 12, 2023 at Arewa House Kaduna with the Theme: Nation Building and Democracy: The Imperative of Participation, Equity and Equitable Development of Northern Nigeria powered by Democratic Research Institute. The North has paid its dues in the February 25th presidential election by massively voting the APC Muslim/Muslim presidential candidate. The North delivered over 63 percent of the total votes scored by Tinubu. This automatically qualifies the region for the 2023 Senate Presidency without any eye brow raised by any of the regions.
Besides the derivation issue, the North has the Kainji, Shiroro and other big dams and falls used for the generation of electricity to feed Nigeria. Why can’t these economic features be used as causes of demand for bigger derivation? Crude oil in commercial quantity was discovered and being explored in Kolmani valley sandwiched between Bauchi and Gombe States, also in Nasarawa and Kogi States.
One other serious issue the North do not seem to notice with agility the use of the Southern media to categorize the entire North Region as a unit in the Nigerian federation while the South is being strategically positioned as different separate regions economically. I hope my point is clear?
Usually, the reference to the Middle Belt, Northwest and Northeast by the southern controlled media, is a more political strategy to stratify the North psychologically, in readiness for an incoming demand that could warrant the support of the minority Northern Christians.
That strategy, which began during the first tenure of Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, was politically instructive. It should be recalled that Atiku Abubakar was the elected governor of Adamawa State in 1999. But when Obasanjo became the president, the same Atiku was his choice as Vice-president just to pave way for Boni Haruna to be the governor of a Muslim dominated state and aid a hatchet plan against the unity of the Muslim North.
A similar scenario played out in Kaduna State when, after becoming President, Goodluck Jonathan, just from nowhere chose the then governor of that state, Arch. Namadi Sambo, as Vice-president to pave way for Namadi’s deputy, Patrick Yakowa to be the governor of another Muslim dominated state. It had a semblance of a normal political design, but the real motive was to use such strategy as a means of empowering those agitators of a mirage called Middle Belt within the North. The February 25th presidential election added credence to the drama play started by Obasanjo in the North. Northern Christians in other parties other than Labour Party, unanimously, voted for Labour Party’s presidential candidate based on religious sentiment and are now on their knees expecting political patronage from the sweat of others who voted the winning party to power. Why should they be considered for any political patronage? Because the Northern Muslim who stood against all odds to vote the Muslim/Muslim ticket is not the fool he is rated to be and is much more-wiser now to harness the fruit of his labour. Therefore, the North at this material time deserves to have the Senate President and Sen. AbdulAzeez Yari is the choice of the North for the Senate Presidency. No shaking and no two-way about that. A game of numbers was played. The North delivered 63 percent of the total votes Tinubu scored. The North should dictate where the pendulum should swing to.
If it can be recalled, during his tenure as military Head of State, it was same Obasanjo who disfigured the strongest voice of the North, Radio Nigeria Kaduna which was established by the defunct Northern Nigerian Government as Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria (BCNN). The plan was to deny typical Northerners the opportunity to be educated, informed and entertained.
Today, the situation of the media, generally, in Nigeria, is such that North is not reckoned with at all on matters of effective media function. And, the complacency of Northerners which is seen as an encouragement for the Southern media to constantly ride roughshod over the poor North does not help matters. If only the moribund New Nigerian Newspaper could stand up vertically to checkmate the scores of the Southern press in the past, why can’t the same be done through the electronic media now that the North needs very strong media mouth piece most?
One major concern about the media that often amazes most Nigerians is the seeming permanent complacency of the Northern elite about the functions of the media in the country. while there are scores of privately owned electronic and print media in virtually all parts of the South, expect some few cases, Northerners seem unperturbed by the incessant bashing coming out of those Southern media organizations against the North. This has become so embarrassingly disturbing that some of us journalists are left with no choice other than to remain aloof watching helplessly.
Now, why is the situation like that? The situation requires a vital and convincing answer from the Northerners. One fact that must be seriously noted is that most of the media outfits in Nigeria are taken as political, tribal and religious arsenals with which to fight the North from all conceivable angles.
This situation is one of the breeders of inter-tribal and inter-religious hatred in Nigeria which makes the country look like an impossibility.
On a final note, we are told that for equity, fairness and justice, the position of Senate President should go to the Southern Christians for ‘balancing’ the equation. But what stopped those Southern Christians from supporting the Muslim/Muslim ticket to victory in the first instance, but now asking for position to serve in a Muslim/Muslim presidency? What an effort in futility!
Muhammad is a commentator on national issues