Season journalist, Pastor Bisi Oladele tells Gbenro Adesina in this second episode of an interview about complex challenges Nigerian journalists confront in the course of discharging their statutory responsibilities. Excerpt:
Q: How risky is it to be a critical journalist in Nigeria?
A: It is not easy. When I was in employment, I interacted with some of my colleagues on investigation desk. I listened to their frustrations. Most of the national dailies have their headquarters in Lagos and if there is a scandal in any part of the country, they will want to send any of their investigative journalist there. If a journalist comes up with a budget of N2m, the company may reduce it to N500,000, to cover transportation, lodging, feeding, communication and other miscellaneous expenses, and the job must be done. Again, for a company in Nigeria to give you N500,000 to do investigative story, the company is extremely serious and really sacrificing because it is not as if Newspapers’ companies have that profit margin to be able to sponsor all of these things.
Q: Do you think that many Nigerian journalists are set out to be critical journalists?
A: 100 percent. I know you, my brother. I know your passion for journalism. I know Gbenro Adesina’s passion to produce unique stories that people will read and begin to call you from all over the nations. But I am also aware of the limitations you have. Nigerian journalists are willing and ready to do what is expected of them; to hold leaders accountable; and to expose the wrongdoers in the society, but the environment is not conducive to do such. We are just managing to get the best.
Q: In the absence of critical journalism in Nigeria, what effect does it have on the country?
A: It is part of the reason why we are where we are. That is why corruption keeps thriving. This is why Nigeria has multiple media outlets and freedom of speech entrenched in the Nigerian constitution, yet corruption is killing us. How much work are Nigerian journalists doing to expose corruption, particularly, in public places? They couldn’t do much because of the limitations confronting them. For example, the company expect reporters to bring adverts. When the state government gives me adverts regularly, what will I do when such a government perpetuates corruption? Do you think it will be easy for me to report the government that is giving me money? The politicians have also gone ahead of the media. They are very smart. Immediately they win elections, they appoint journalists as their media aides, spokesmen. The gain from that is monumental. The spokesman will talk to the colleagues saying, please, take it easy if you don’t want me to lose my job. If that happens, I will bring my wife and children to your house. You have to temper justice with mercy. If you see anything wrong with my boss, if you can’t look away, please, make sure you reflect very generously our own reactions and things like that. All of those things, though, they are normal, you just find out that at the end of the day, the public will not get the quality news from journalists. Consequently, corruption will continue to fester. One of the assignments of journalists is to hold leaders accountable but a lot of things weaken us from doing our job properly. Poor remuneration for journalists is also there.
Q: What about intimidation?
A: Intimidation is a global issue. Sometimes, people are intimidated. Sometimes, journalists are killed. Threats, we get that from the politicians, and criminals. Reporters on crime beat get threat from criminals.
Q: What is your take on how risky it is to be a journalist in Nigeria?
A: Essentially, it is risky to be a journalist all over the world but in Nigeria, the degree of risk is a bit lower. How many investigative stories are journalists publishing? We are publishing investigative stories but what is the quality of these stories? What impact are they making? These are factors I have explained that limit Nigerian journalists? How many scandals are we exposing? These are the things that make journalism a risky profession for journalists. When we are not doing as much as that, the risk is also very low.
Q: Is it right to say that the hands of Nigerian journalists have been tied to do the right things based on the factors you have enumerated?
A: Not completely. We still have some major organisations that will still say yes, we need to do this. If not 100 percent, let us take it to around 75 percent. Though, sometimes, politicians will name them. They will say it is because of this interest or that.
Q: Can you allow or encourage your child or relatives to go into journalism?
A: Why not? Don’t forget that things are changing. Our own generation is gradually exiting. Once you are above 50, you are gradually exiting. The face of journalism is also changing. The digital revolution is also changing the way the news is being consumed. The society still need journalism but the kind of journalism the society needs is a good one. If that is your own interest as my child, I won’t discourage you. All I will just tell you is to ensure that you know it well and you try to create a niche for yourself. If you are able to create a niche for yourself, you will be fulfilled at the end of the day.
Q: Have you ever had a reason to run from a scene or take cover. Have you ever been assaulted, threatened or incarcerated?
A: In the practice of journalism, I have a countless number of these experiences. I remember, either 2008 or 2009, I went to cover a run-off election, somewhere in Oke Ogun, Kajola Local Government of Oyo State. The court ordered a re-run election in just one polling unit, which is in the bush. Vehicles can’t get there. It is a community, a hamlet, having about 12 houses. Only Fulanis are living there. The court ordered a re-run election only in that polling unit for a house of Assembly election. I went there. Oh! My goodness. It was God that saved me that day. When we got to a stage, vehicle could no longer go and we had to trek and we trekked for about two kilometres before getting to this place. Thugs that opposed the man that was elected said he would not win that election. They came with cutlasses, guns, and dangerous weapons. All that the man needed out of the 11 accredited voters in that hamlet was just one. It was the party in government that didn’t want the man to win. He was already a member of the house of assembly. His election was only nullified because of one vote. He needed only one vote in that polling unit to retain his seat. The government of the day insisted he would not get the vote. It looked as if I was going to end my life in that place. What saved us that day, I don’t know. Something just happened. The head of the police team who came to supervise the election just asked, “se a n jagun nibi ni (are we fighting war here). I believe till tomorrow; it was my prayer that worked that day because I saw death face to face. I asked God to do something. I don’t want to end my life there. These were happening to me because I wanted to write just one story. The head of the police took over and ordered all the thugs to move back. That was how it happened. I and my colleagues had to take cover under the policemen to be able to get to where we parked our cars. It was a day I will never forget in my life. There was also a day we went to cover a re-run election in Lagelu Local Government along Iwo Road. I took my colleagues in my car. Similar thing happened there too. Also, at Adamashigba, the security men just carried me with my trousers and threw me out.
Q: Is there any story you wrote that went completely wrong?
A: There was one. It was something that happened at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. A friend who was covering the crime beat told me about the incident and gave me the story. Because he was credible, I rewrote the story and sent it, only to find out that it was a one-sided story. A fact was missing in the story. When the story came out the following day, some stakeholders contacted my head office in Lagos and said I published a wrong story. Because my editor trusted me, he said, ‘Bisi will not publish a story that is not factual.’ He called me and told me he had received a call concerning my story the company had just published, and that it wasn’t accurate. I said no, sir, but let me find out. I called my friend and told him what just happened. Eventually, I found out that a fact was missing. Because it was a sensitive thing, about union, we had to re-write the story and published it. I was raised to value my name. Credibility is everything. That was how my parents raised me. So, when I came into journalism, I threaded softly. I always see myself as someone who didn’t study Mass Communication or journalism. I only learned through observation and practice. So, I was always very careful. I had editors who insisted on credibility.
Q: What is newsroom life like behind the scenes; are there any running jokes or funny newsroom rituals and the fun that characterised newspaper production?
A: Newsroom is a place where we have a blend of jokes, hard work, abuses, and other things. Journalists can also be lovers. Journalists can drink beer, they carry babes. Newsroom is a very interesting place. It is always an open planed office. Nobody has any segregated office apart from the topmost boys; the editor-in-chief, the editor, and few others. One will witness how they are tearing stories apart, lampooning young reporters, asking, is this a story”, and throw stories into dustbins, telling reporters, they don’t know what they are doing and the reporters will be sweating. The seniors will be asking the younger ones embarrassing questions like who taught them journalism. It is also a place where you witness discussion of robust ideas. At times, you will be told that you will get a memo, that is query and you will start begging, please don’t give me a memo. So, it is a blend of laughter, robust discussion and pleasure. It is difficult to differentiate between the seniors and the juniors. Journalists relate with each other very well. You don’t want to leave the newsroom. Some radical editors have their bottles of beer hiding under their tables and sipping it as they are working. Some have their female friends waiting for them at the reception and when the work is over, they retire to the beer palour.
Q: Is there any time you get home very late like midnight?
A: Yes, that is normal for journalists. I was attached to Saturday Comet. So, we do our production on Thursday and Friday. Ask me where we used to eat in the night? Under the bridge, from the Hausa “mai tea”. You will sit in front of Hausa people and ask them to make you bread and fried egg and tea or go to some local women selling rice and beans or spaghetti. You will eat with motor park people. You have to patronise “mama put”. So, when you are going out for food, you have to remove your tie, leave it in the newsroom so that you will not look odd among the drivers and motor boys that have come to eat too.
Q: What is the most unexpected thing that happened to you while covering an event and don’t forget to add your funniest story?
A: At Lekan Salami Stadium, security men whisked me out. On some occasions, some bad guys picked my pocket while trying to enter the stadium. Once, they picked my N40,000, and at another time, they picked my phone. There was a story I wrote in 2010 or 2011. The governor of Oyo State at that time was Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala of blessed memory. My editor just called that morning and asked if I’ve seen our story on page three that day. I said, yes, I’ve seen it. He said this your governor is re-contesting and facing a tough opponent in person of late Senator Abiola Ajimobi of ACN. He then asked, can you do something about it? I responded that I will. I did the story. A very serious retired editor who was already working in Abuja was the first person that called me the following morning. He laughed and said, Bisi, o finish Akala but I love this your story. (you finish Akala but I love the story). Bisi, please keep this up. I was so happy. Some other people commented about it. There was also this story around 2008. The fence of a private school fell on some children and they died. I reported it. The following morning, I was there to prepare for feature story. I wrote my feature and it was published. The story drew accolades from people and even from colleagues. I will never forget that story. Positive reactions from colleagues and people outside our industry.
Q: Have you ever missed a story and what was the reactions of your editor?
A: I missed stories a number of times. Why I wasn’t fired was because my editors knew how serious I was with my job. They knew I always like to produce a copy that is slightly different and better than those of my colleagues. So, whenever I missed a story, they use to take it easy with me. There was a story I missed, not that I missed it completely, that my editor went bizarre. It was when Lam Adesina died. The man took ill. He was eventually taken to St Nicholas Hospital in Lagos. Since he was moved to Lagos, I felt relax that Lagos office will take up his story from there. Unfortunately, this man died on Sunday morning and I didn’t know. As a pastor, I was in church. It was at about 12: 30pm that my phone rang from a former S.A. media and asked if I have sent my story. I asked which story? And he responded, about Lam’s death. I asked if Lam was dead. He replied, “so you are unaware”? I quickly released the people I was holding a meeting with in the church. I was to go to Lagos that night. I moved to Lam Adesina’s house. Being a Muslim, they have to bury him that day. I got there shortly after the burial. I only wrote a story about the burial. I didn’t know that early in the mourning, they brought his corpse to Ibadan and that one of his closest allied, former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba was there. Journalists had already interviewed Osoba and he gave them his last moment. I just wrote about what I saw and was also in a hurry because I was traveling to Lagos. I left the place around 6pm. It was my wife that drove as we were going to Lagos. She is one of the blessings that God gives me. She knew that I needed to write the story. I was written my story in the car. I sent my story and I thought I was done with the story. When the paper was out the following morning, the call rang again from my editor. Have you seen other newspapers today, Bisi? I said no, Sir, I haven’t. He said you need to go and read other newspapers and call me back in the next 30 minutes. When I saw the story in the other newspapers, I was panting because I knew I was in trouble. I didn’t get the last moment of Lam Adesina. The man shouted and shouted. I was surcharged. I was queried. But the fact that they knew I always do my best, maybe, they would have fired me. Like I said, they just felt let us be compassionate. What came next was the death of Senator Olusola Saraki. I was mobilised to strengthen our man in Ilorin to cover the burial. I just told the man in Ilorin, don’t worry, take care of your routine aspect, I would take care of others. I went straight from Ibadan. God bless me with a car early. I branched at the airport. People were coming through the airport. I had interviewed many dignitaries that came through the airport. After the burial, we went to his house. I found the way to enter the man’s house. I got to the main sitting room. Though, the dignitaries were there, I saw the members of the family. Fortunately for me, I saw his eldest wife. I went to the mama for the exclusive. I greeted her and said, “Aku oro eyan” I did like an African man. I requested for one minute interview. I begged the woman. I said, please mummy, grant me the interview. The woman granted me one minute. That was what made my report unique. No other newspaper carried it. Remember. I started from the airport. As the dignitaries were coming, I was getting their details, the airplanes that brought them, the time they came. I was able to get virtually the list of all the dignitaries. I got an interview with some of them. Our newspaper ran the interview with mama Saraki. No other medium got that. Whenever I missed a story, my editor will say, okay, let us over look it. I think, maybe some times, they would not go to the level of firing me but it wasn’t as if I didn’t miss stories.
