**We apologise for any cross-posting - The following is being forwarded
exactly as received**

To: IFEX Autolist (other news of interest)
From: Independent Journalism Centre (IJC), [email protected]

NIGERIA MEDIA MONITOR

JOURNALISTS' TRIANING ADVOCATED ·
MEDIA IN THE SERVICE OF PEACE ·
ELECTION 2003: APPRAISAL RATES MEDIA PERFORMANCE AS 'AVERAGE' ·
WABARA: MEDIA AFTER MY JOB ·
MEDIA SCORECARD ON COVERAGE OF ELECTION 2003 ·
THE STRENGTH OF OBSANJO'S NEW IMAGE-MAKER

ELECTION 2003: APPRAISAL RATES MEDIA PERFORMANCE AS 'AVERAGE' The Punch,
June 10, 2003
Although the 2003 elections have come and gone the exercise is still raising
some dust. The role played by the media as the people's watch-dog came
under review with the verdict that they could have done better.

This was the consensus at a day-long roundtable discussion organised by the
Media-For-Democracy in Nigeria, and the International Federation of
Journalists and LOT/CO, Sweden. The MDN comprises the Media rights Agenda,
Independent Journalism Centre and Journalists for Democratic Rights.

WABARA: MEDIA AFTER MY JOB Vanguard, June 11, 2003
Justice Wilson Egbo-Ebgo of the Federal High Court, Abuja alleged yesterday
that the media were out to get him out of the Bench following the ex-parte
order he granted Senator Adolphus Wabara which ensured his emergence as
Senate President. Justice Egbo-Egbo on June 2, 2003 ordered the Independent
National Electoral Commission (NEC) to issue Senator Adolphus Wabara a
Certificate of Return in respect of the National Assembly elections of Abia
South Senatorial District held on the 12th of April.

The court presided over by Justice Egbo-Egbo also granted an order to
interim injunction restraining INEC, its agents, privies or servants from
doing anything that would affect or prejudice the rights and position of the
plaintiff (Wabara) as senator-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

He made the order in response to a motion ex-parte filed by Anthony Idigbe
(SAN) and Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN) brought pursuant to Order 9 Rule 1 and 8,
Order 34 Rule 1 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rule 2000 and
under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

Piqued by this order, INEC stormed the Federal High Court to challenge the
order, contending that the court had no jurisdiction to make it even as it
sought its discharge. However, at the resumption of hearing yesterday,
Justice Egbo-Ebgo whose order has continued to generate criticisms from
prominent legal practitioners and members of the civil society, however
blamed the media for his seeming travail.

JOURNALISTS' TRAINING ADVOCATED Daily Independent, June 10, 2003
Lagos State NUJ Chairperson Mrs. Funke Fadugba, has stressed the need for
training of Nigerian journalists to improve the quality of news
dissemination. She gave the advice in Badagry, Lagos State, at the weekend,
at a three-day retreat for maritime journalists, organised by the Nigeria
Customs Services (NCS).

She said the society would benefit more if journalists were well educated in
their areas of specialisation.

The NCS Comptroller-General, Alhaji Aliyu Mustapha, said the forum was to
provide maritime journalists the opportunity to appreciate the various
levels of instruments guiding customs operations.

MEDIA SCORECARD ON COVERAGE OF ELECTION 2003 The Guardian, June 9, 2003
Aggrieved contestants at the recently concluded general elections are yet to
sheath their swords. And last Thursday, in Lagos, opportunity was provided
to vent their anger at a media roundtable designed to assess media role in
the coverage of the election.

Held at the International Press Centre (IPC), Ogba, Ikeja, the gathering
also attempted to ascertain if the press has responded as the Fourth Estate
of the realm in terms of objective monitoring of the process.

Essentially, the forum was also to enhance the performance of the media in
the subsequent national assignment.

But the issues raised at the occasion that featured the likes of former
Information Minister, Prince Tony Momoh; Mrs. Wale Sokunbi, Editor of the
Media Review Magazine; Mr. Edetaen Ojo of Media Rights Agenda; Waziri Adio,
Thisday, Tony Iyare, Punch, Pini Jsaon of the rested Examiner and the IPC
coordinator, Lanre Arogundade were pertinent and very dear to the practice
of journalism in Nigeria.

The tone of discussion was set by Arogundade as he emphasised the need for
the media to take an inward look at itself and determine if it effectively
carried out its assigned duties vis-à-vis the 2003 elections coverage.

Some questions like: Was the environment enabling enough for the media to
effectively report the political process? Was the press adequately equipped
to cover the 30 political parties, INEC, the National and States Assemblies,
other democratic institutions etc.? Did the press give equal opportunity,
space and air time to all the political parties? And wasn't the press more
inclined to reporting the bigger parties that patronised it with adverts?
Were among others posited by Arogundade for debate.

Although the issues brought to the fore were sensitive, transparency and
professionalism ruled the day. Most opinions agreed that the press fared a
little below average in its coverage of the polls.

THE STRENGTH OF OBSANJO'S NEW IMAGE-MAKER The Guardian, June 9, 2003
The appointment of Mrs. Oluremi Oyo, president, Nigerian Guild of Editors
(NGE) as the President Olusegun Obsanjo's new Special Assistant on Media and
Publicity last Thursday has begun to generate comments particularly from
colleagues in her constituency.

Largely however, it is believed among media practitioners that her choice is
a reflection of Obsanjo's insistence on merit and professionalism as major
criteria in the formation of the new cabinet.

MEDIA IN THE SERVICE OF PEACE Daily Independent, June 9, 2003
It is a hackneyed statement to say that the media perform an essential role
in the society. In fact, it is not myth at all that the media play the
famous agenda setting role, determining what people think, talk and act
about. Whereas in every society, people are often reminded of the dangers,
which bog the practitioners of the media, no thanks to aggrieved rulers,
politicians, businessmen and other people of power and influence, it is true
that the media have such potent and influential enemies precisely because of
the pivotal role they play in society.

There are numerous people indeed in every society for whom media reports are
sacrosanct and the voice of the media is nothing but divine.

The effect of the recent THISDAY newspaper remark because of which an entire
state of the country exploded resulting in the loss of many lives and much
property is enough testimony of how seriously the media are taken by modern
society and how effective their work in society could be.

It goes without saying therefore that in especially volatile periods in
every nation it is only wise to co-opt the media into the project of forging
peace and keeping violence and chaos at bay.

Nothing brought this need closer home than the recent elections in Nigeria.

The country tottered on the brink of violence and bloodshed. Consequently
many state and non-governmental agencies, appealed to the media to do their
work with caution in order not to ignite the tinder dry sensibilities of
politicians, contending parties and the electorate.

Judging from the outcome of the elections so far, the media probably lived
up to expectations because in the assessment of most people the elections
were relatively peaceful and calm. It is another matter whether the
elections were free and fair but this piece is not address to that issue.

Now, that the celebrated elections are over, many questions still bog people
's minds. For instance, how genuine is the peace our country currently
enjoys? Has it derived from the triumph of truth and fair play or has it
simply been rigged in the manner of many other things around us? What has
been the price of this "wonderful peace" and calm? From the immediate
assessment of other foreign and local observers at the elections there is a
funny feeling that the Nigerian media, either looked the other way at
certain moments, overstretched the call of charity or simply failed to give
their best service to the truth during the exercise.

For instance, while editors and presenters beat their chest that they have
been fair to all contestants in the election, a content analysis of their
performance showed that "not much, if anything, can be found written in the
newspapers on the superiority or otherwise of the programmes of contestants
and their workability" (Media Review April 2003 p.27) Authentic peace is a
function of truth, justice and fair play. These three values cannot really
exist independently without the other. If the current peace has been
obtained to the detriment of the truth, where does that leave Nigeria?
Where does one situate the responsibility of the media to serve the truth at
all times?

Emmanuel Badejo is of Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Lagos.

TO OUR DEAR READERS:
1. Media Monitor is designed as a dialogical project. We expect its
contents to elicit reactions from its readers. And we encourage you to share
your feelings with others on its pages. Letters not longer than 200 words
and addressed to The Editor, Media Monitor, should be sent to:
[email protected]
2. It is our desire that Media Monitor gets to all locations where people
believe in the cause of free expression, democracy and freedom. We are
working to extend the reach of the publication. And we implore you to
support this endeavour. How? Simply compile and e-mail to us a list of
persons and organisations who you believe would find this publication useful
for their work. We will promptly put them on our mailing list. Our target
audience includes media, free expression/human rights bodies, NGO's
diplomatic/policy centres, professional associations, departments/school of
journalism/mass communication/government/political science/African studies,
and other strategic circles.

MEDIA MONITOR IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY AND CIRCULATED WORLDWIDE BY INDEPENDENT
JOURNALISM CENTRE (IJC) 27 ACME ROAD, OGBA, P. O. BOX 7808, IKEJA, LAGOS,
NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA. PHONE/FAX: 234-1-4924998; E-MAIL: [email protected]

**The information contained in this autolist item is the sole responsibility
of IJC**