Date Published: 10/20/09

Mamu's 60-hour experience in detention as confessed By Saka Raji Audu

It is not surprising to read the confessional statement of the Editor-in-Chief of the moribund Desert Herald, Tukur Mamu on his experience in the latest arrest and detention by the State Security Service, which lasted for two and half days. This is because he who stays in a snake infested room can never sleep. When one decides to fight the innocent unjustly through any means possible, one can never go unpunished. This is the case with Tukur Mamu who has been using his unpopular newspaper to blackmail respectable and reputable Nigerians.

Since Mamu has sworn not to drop his pen against great Nigerian achievers and statesmen for his selfish interest, and to please his sponsors, he should be expected to be rewarded in his coins. This is the pay-back time we do talk about. From the inception of the so called newspaper, he has actually been stepping on various human right just because he has access to his junk newspaper being sponsored by never-do-well and cohorts who because of their evil machinations against the innocent, chose to be fugitives on political and social asylum.

If Mamu should learn his lesson, he should be advised to acquire, at least, a Diploma in journalism to save himself from all these unethical write ups and resultant embarrassment that he has been facing as a result of his junk journalism. I address his journalism as junk because of his most recent confession in his edition of 13 th -20 th October, 2009, Vol.1, No. 39 that the story he published against the First Lady, Hajiya Turai Yar'adua was not only un-objective, but also not investigated. This shows his level of journalism. As an Editor-in-Chief as he claims, he ought to have been sure that this high class report was thoroughly investigated before going to the press. This makes him different from other experienced journalists and publishers of other media.

Further more, it is obvious that he does not care to edit his articles before being published as a result of his strange entry into the journalism profession. Mamu lacks professional knowledge of journalism. This informs why his correspondents and reporters always write thrash as news. Perhaps, Tukur Mamu does not bother to acquaint himself with the journalistic style, manner and nature of information given to the public. This is why he lacks wide readership and adverts in the first place. No one would like to associate oneself with such newspaper whose news are inciting, blackmailing, defamatory, malicious and mischievous.

However, the funny character of Mamu is to cause problem to himself and tries to shift blames and accusation on innocent people. For instance, his article on the assassination of the late Islamic cleric, Sheikh Mahmoud Ja'afar Adam, was accusing the erudite Governor of Kano State as having master minded it with no evidence at all. Again, when he was arrested on the account of being in possession of forged documents related to a purported cheque, he hinged his knowledge of the cheque on his collaborator- the Sahara reporters online and further claimed that his arrest by the police was sponsored by the Kano State Government, which he could not also substantiate.

When he wrote some nasty and unprofessional piece against the government and people of the Yobe State led by Governor Gaidam, he was confronted to show evidence of his false claim. Expectedly, he could not and in his usual character of evasiveness, he put blame on some people whom he claimed were envious of his 'rising profile.' This has been the kind of journalism Tukur Mamu practices in the northern part of Nigeria. In his recent revelation about his arrest, detention and subsequent release, here is Tukur Mamu's confession of guilt. "Malam Tukur Mamu also confirmed to this reporter that he has realised that the content of Turai Yar'adua story was not fully investigated by the correspondent. Going by what he has learnt, he added, it has become obvious to him that full investigation, including attempts to hear from the First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar'adua should have been completed before going to the press."

If truly, Tukur Mamu knows what journalism is all about, he should have known that every story should be thoroughly investigated before going to the press. Thus, going by the above confessional statement of Mamu in his own paper, it shows that Mamu has never investigated any of his junk publications and therefore vindicates the Yobe State people who have confirmed to the public that their son, Mamu is a liar and a novice in the journalism profession. It is no wonder that the Desert Herald is always faced with ridicule, contempt and condemnation from the general public.

Journalism is not a matter of apportioning blame on imaginary foes or looking for Scrape- goat to hang. It is far from this act of self defeat. Journalism is about facts finding, research and objectivity. To achieve this feat, there is the absolute need for dedication, integrity and transparency. Unfortunately, Mamu does not possess any of these journalistic features. Yet, he was said to have been offered an award from U.S. Congress. With the confessional statement by Tukur Mamu as a fall out from his recent arrest, the nagging question at the lips of concerned people is this; what qualified Mamu to earn him the so called U.S. Congress award? Until there is strong conviction and justification from both the awardees and recipients, such fraudulent honour will continue to be a misplaced priority and a miscarriage of justice for honouring a man that specialises in fabrication, falsehood, malicious publication and bringing the integrity of journalism into serious disrepute.

It may interest Tukur Mamu to know that the man, Mr. Sowore of the Sahara reporters.com whom Mamu blindly lifted and copied his un-investigated but politically sponsored publication on the assassination of the late Sheikh Ja'afar, has in recent time seen light in the dark tunnel. Sowore has just removed the fake publication from his junk website, having come to terms with the stark reality of things about the concoction he posted on his website. In his inner confession, Sowore could no longer withstand the guilt of the sponsored assassination story. He therefore, has no choice but to remove the wicked story from his filthy online publication in order to have 'rest of mind.' This is especially when he realised that the time frame for the sponsored assassination advert story had expired.

Consequently, what about the unsuspecting readers he deceived by the story? Will their innocent souls not hunt him and his sponsors? This is what I want Tukur Mamu to now realise. He should know that every lie has its time limit and when the time comes, the liar will be more disgraceful than his victim. So, Sowore and Mamu have the choice to either continue with their fabrications or thread the path of honour by practicing responsible journalism.

As for Tukur Mamu, it does not matter how many times he is arrested, detained and released. All we know is that unless he changes his modus operandi of deliberate destructive journalism to get either money or 'popularity', one day his junk will go to market and never to see the light of the day. Surely, it will happen since as a Muslim, Mamu knows the punishment for a liar and a hypocrite, either now or later and if not in this world, surely in the hereafter. This is where the victims of Mamu's dirty journalism should take solace because the unfathomable river of time shall tell.

Finally, the above admonishment becomes necessary in view of the fact that the body and organization such as the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Nigerian Press Council established to regulate and uphold the sanctity of the noble profession of journalism in Nigeria have really failed the nation, as they have also become apolitical, leaving the stage for every Dick and Harry to emit his do-able and undo-able.

Saka Raji Audu writes from Kano and can be reached on his email: sakaraj@yahoo.com