Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho is back in the news following his arrest at Cardinal Bernadin International airport, Cotonou on Monday, July 19, 2021 when he and Ropo, his German-based wife, were about to board a flight to Germany. It will be recalled that the Yoruba nation agitator went underground after he escaped arrest during midnight invasion of his Soka, Ibadan residence on July 1, 2021.
All the newspapers had gone to bed as at the time of their arrest, hence the report cannot be accommodated in the print edition of Tuesday, July 20, 2021. The newspapers promptly shifted to their websites where they have appreciable readers when compared with the print editions. Some of their multiple platforms become operating system thereby creating “value” contents and feedback mechanism.
For example, a Lagos based media firm that sells slightly above 10,000 copies per day, national, had 3.2k likes, 2.7k comments and 688 shares in respect of one of the stories posted on its websites after 11 hours. Other media firms are experiencing similar surge in terms of visitations to their websites.
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It was however observed that better tactics to create very compelling stories with the contents are not being strictly followed. Editors are merely interested in “sourcing and printing” of news on Igboho. This is the time when foreign desk would have been more useful in the appropriate dissemination of information. Difference in the spoken languages (English vs French) shouldn’t be an excuse. Reporting Cotonou’s developments on Igboho without being on ground will lead to commitment of factual errors and this is what is happening presently.
Most of the editors find solace in “a source who craved anonymity or we reliably gathered or impeccable source” to cover up the authenticity or otherwise of the published news items. The media houses are presently outdoing one another on their various social media platforms by tagging all news on Igboho as Breaking News since the news broke on Monday and the trend continued till Sunday. Furthermore, most of the newspapers have been accommodating Igboho’s news on their cover pages on a daily basis while few others are not.
Meanwhile, reports from most newspapers are conflicting and do not represent the actual situation. A lot of distortions when these newspapers’ reports are reviewed. For example, Pilot newspaper of Wednesday, July 21, 2021 reported on its cover page that “Igboho, wife, released, granted asylum in UK”. This is not correct.
Some newspapers reported that he is being tried for immigration offences having being in possession of Benin’s passport illegally while some said that he had genuine documents as the time of his arrest. On July 23, 2021, The Nation posted: Igboho appears in court for immigration-related offences. Daily post was emphatic on July 23, 2021when it wrote: Sunday Igboho risks 21years imprisonment over “doctored Beninise passport”. Equally, there were reports of his being extradited and this was countered when some reported that the federal government has not even filed any extradition paper.
On July 23, 2021, there were reports on the Nigerian Tribune website on the same news, same day and within few hours apart. They were: Benin Republic court adjourns Igboho’s extradition hearing till Monday, July 26, Igboho remanded in Cotonou prison, faces immigration offence trial and Sunday Igboho to be tried for immigration offence before extradition. All these were tagged breaking news! When most newspapers reported that Igboho was in court to face trial, The Sun of July 23, 2021 reported that: Security Stalls Igboho’s Court Appearance”.
Quoting Professor Bamji Akintoye, one of the leaders of Ilana Omo Odua who is far away from Republic of Benin and Chief Yomi Aliu (SAN), Igboho’s lawyer who is presently in Nigeria, in respect of Cotonou’s proceedings is not enough because they are interested parties; they are bound to rub in their personal opinions in any information being passed across. This will amount to hearing from one side when all the sides and facts ought to have been accommodated. We have seen and heard plaintiff’s/defendant’s lawyers interpreting court’s rulings differently.
In view of the popularity which Igboho’s case has generated, the concerned media firms should have taken bold steps by sending reporters to the Republic of Benin, a location of less than 3 hours from Lagos. Reporting the way it is being presently done amounts to “mockery” of the profession. It becomes something else when editors have to always explain the reasons behind usage of news items. This will have misrepresentations on Igboho’s case , the activist who is presently being detained at Brigade Criminelle in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
In conclusion, running a media firm in a digital age is an herculean task; this requires proper funding to function properly. It is not too late to do the needful because the case may last longer than envisaged.
………..Ayankunbi is MD/CEO at AbingMO3 Marketing Management Consultancy
0802 305 1315
abiolaayankunbi@yahoo.com
