Nigerian Newspapers Divide over Freedom of Expression in Nigeria

Almost eight years since the advent of democracy in Nigeria, Nigerian journalists and media stakeholders express mixed feelings over freedom of expression in Africa’s largest democracy and one of the world’s largest democracies. Journalists have been killed, beaten and arrested on flimsy grounds since 1999 and the Government hasn’t pushed a bill into law that would guarantee freedom of expression, in addition to a weak and largely ineffective judiciary, mostly inaccessible to the ordinary Nigerian.

With the largest population in Africa and ninth in the world, more than sixty percent literate population, a religious and ethnically diverse populace, as well as more than thirty newspapers, several State-run television channels , private radio stations and television channels, oil-rich Nigeria has the most active and broad media in Africa and one of the most robust in world.

Nigerian newspapers like Guardian,Punch,PM News ,Vanguard as well as other publications written in local languages circulate thousands of copies everyday.

As Nigeria straddles to elections April this year, the public watches the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the body responsible for conducting elections and other presidential hopefuls and expect the media to probe them. The Nigerian media is expected to provide information on corrupt politicians in Nigeria and national developments.

Sunday Omeleye, the Production Editor of The Nations Newspaper, a national newspaper said: ‘Barring one or two incidents of persecution, the Nigerian media is largely safe. If you go after the President without genuine reason then you have good reason to be apprehensive of arrest.’

The Lagos-based journalist said that the Nigerian media enjoys a great deal of freedom in carrying out its daily functions but stressed that there is no carte blanche for unchecked publication: ‘If the Nigerian Media wasn’t safe, then we wouldn’t be having more than thirty newspapers in Nigeria. Half of them would have closed down. Every profession has perils, journalism is not an exception.’

The Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Port Harcourt Telegraph, Ogbonna Nwuke said: ‘Nigerian journalists face a great deal of difficulty. The Nigerian government is deaf to their protection. They have not passed a law that would guarantee media freedom.’

A spokesman for ThisDay, a newspaper that recently lost its Editorial chairman, Godwin Agbroko, who was fell by gunmen believed to be assassins and whose headquarters in Lagos was partly razed by fire on the morning of January 6, 2007, expressed confidence about the media in Nigeria: ‘Since 1999, it has been very good practicing journalism in Nigeria. It has been so different from the years of military rule. Now there is a great deal of freedom in Nigeria. It is safe practicing journalism in Nigeria.’

‘This administration has made journalism conducive,’ he said. Asked about the recent incident involving the detention of two journalists over sedition charges he said: ‘The sedition laws were based on colonial law. The trial judge made it clear that it no more applies.’

He said: ‘Some people in Government feel uncomfortable with news reports but by and large it is safe.’

Joseph, a journalist with the national newspaper Nigerian Tribune said: ‘As long as you report news factually, you would have no problems.’

Observers fear that Nigeria hasn’t moved away from the blood-minded days of military rule where journalists were imprisoned, killed and subjected to all kinds of inhumane treatments. The Nigerian media has been praised for standing for justice in those days of iron-fist clampdown on freedom of expression. They went underground and launched an unrelenting campaign against the numerous barbarities of military rule. During Sani Abacha’s dictatorship, Nigeria’s former military ruler, many Nigerians were killed, exiled, tortured or murdered.

Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth in 1994, under Abacha’s government, following the death of environmental minority right activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, leader of MOSOP, a group that campaigns against environmental degradation and eight others, alleged, for their role in murdering four people. His death was believed to be a vicious campaign against his vociferous stance against the pollution and lack of compensation for oil exploration in the Niger Delta.

Close observers of the Nigerian media fear the canteen days of military dictatorships are still here.Dele Giwa, a journalist was allegedly murdered on the 26 of October 1986 by the former military dictator Ibrahim Babaginda - following damning publications - who is rooting to come back to power . There are fears that Nigeria may be a long way from a genuine environment of freedom of expression. Two former military rulers are in the front burner of presidential campaigns scheduled to hold in April this year.


Gbenga Aruleba and Rotimi Durojaiye of African Independent television were arrested under sedition charges last year.

The general manager of the Leadership newspaper, Abraham Nda-Isaiah and the Editor Mr.Bashir Bello, were arrested recently for allegedly reporting an offensive news report.

Mr.Danladi Ndayebo, the writer of the news report alleged that Arik Air, a Lagos-based airline, is jointly owned by Obasanjo and Peter Odili, the Governor of Rivers State.Ndayebo was held by the Nigerian State Security service(SSS).


The Nigerian media have been in the forefront of reporting Government activities.

Recently, Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe and Omoyele Sowore of Nanka.org and Saharareporters.com respectively, alleged that Anambra State Governorship aspirant, Andy Uba and the Independent Nigerian Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman Maurice Iwu falsified their academical qualifications.

The Nigerian media have remained faithful in publishing the corruption scandal rocking the Presidency. The President and Vice President Atiku Abubakar have accused each other of siphoning money from the nation’s treasury.

In the last election in 2003, the Nigerian media recorded lots of irregularities in the election. They provided a base for people who were rigged out to seek judiciary redress. Peter Obi, the Anambra State Governorship candidate was able to claim the State executive seat after heated court struggles. He took over the mantle of leadership from Dr.Chris Nwabueze Ngige, the erstwhile governor of the State.

The Nigerian media, true to type have played a vital role in ensuring that all public officials are held accountable. From Local Counsellors to the President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, they have reported cases of fraud, diversion of funds and flouting of court orders.

Former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Salisu Buhari was shamed out of office for lying about his academical qualification. He said that he studied at a university in Canada, but the university had no record of him doing so.Sani Kabir, a founding member of the The News Journal led the exposition. It was also ascertained that he lied about his age. His actual age was lower than what constitution requires.

The impeachment of Senator Evan Enwerem who lied about his age, the impeachment of Dr.Chuba Okadigbo former Senate President over allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds and the near-impeachment of Governor Bola Tnubu over falsification are largely attributable to the vociferous nature of the Nigerian media.

The US Ambassador, Mr.John Campbell recently urged the mass media in the country to take up the cudgel in ensuring democracy and credible electioneering campaigns take hold. Nigeria is America fifth largest oil supplier.

In the past Nigeria has come under the radar of the international community. The Nigerian media launched a campaign to reverse the death penalty imposed on Amina Lawal ,39, by an Islamic Sharia court for bearing a child out of wedlock.

ThisDay’s Isioma Daniel went on a self-imposed exile after making sensual statements linking Muhammad and the 2002 Miss World pageant. A fatwa was issued by Mullahs in Nigeria on her, but was declared null and void by religious authorities in Saudi Arabia.

A media Watch Dog , the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) reported on the January 24, 2007, that media attacks in West African media outlets increased last year more than any other year. It recorded 168 press freedom violations in West Africa compared to 148 cases in 2005.Out of fifteen West African countries surveyed, Nigeria led with 32 cases of media violations followed by The Gambia and Ghana.

A 2006 annual report on press freedom in Nigeria by Journalists Without Borders (JWB) a Paris-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press noted : ‘Nigerian journalists, accustomed to cruel military juntas and police raids, have good reason to be disappointed. The restitution of power to a civilian government, in 1999, under former military figure President Olusegun Obasanjo, has not protected them from political persecution or abuses by the infamous State Security Service (SSS). Around 20 journalists suffered physical attacks in 2005, around a score spent time in prison. The hospital or the police stations are often a forced part of a Nigerian journalist’s rounds.’

The report poured encomium on the private-owned media in Nigeria: ‘The privately-owned press is robust, pluralist and populist. It does not mince its words about the powerful. Its outspokenness, won through years of “guerrilla journalism”, secret meetings and under-the-counter distribution, is general.’

In 2006, it ranked Nigerian 120th out of 168 countries, ahead of Turkmenistan and North Korea.

The Nigerian media faces its greatest challenge in the coming months as Nigeria approaches a landmark period in its history - the April Presidential, Governorship, State Houses, House of Representatives and National Assembly elections - after eight years of democracy. Observers see Nigeria’s stability crucial for peace in the West African sub-region and Africa, a continent that has known and still knows bloodshed.