Date Published: 06/23/09

Dear Editor,

Online Publications need not bother the Government

In any democratic setting, there is the need for checks and balances, hence the opposition is there.  Any government that has no opposition is dictatorial. Therefore the existence of the online publications - www.saharareporters.com, www.pointblanknews.com, www.huhuonline.com, www.newsdiaryonline.com, www.ukpakareports.com, www.elendureports.com, etc - should be seen as a welcome idea, not necessarily oppositions. Having read www.pointblanknews.com of June 19, 2009 reporting that Online Journalists are again declared wanted by the federal government; such should be considered as going too far.

It should be recalled the Mr. Asiwe of www.huhuonline.com and Mr. Elendu of www.elendureports.com were quizzed and kept in Nigerian prison for over three months before their freedom was given back to them. Now the same federal government has circulated again, names of all online journalists and publishers at the various Nigeria entry points (Nigerian airports, seaports, and land-ways) in order that any day any time those Nigerian journalists visited their father land, they should be arrested.

Once more, it is necessary to call the attention of President Yar’Adua to the fact that we are in democratic dispensation. We should also condemn the National Assembly for delaying the passage of FOI Bill hanging with them.  Nevertheless, one day it shall be passed no matter how hard they try to keep it in the cooler. 

But before then, the federal government is advised in the general interest of the nation to forget the idea of arresting any journalist(s) that are seen freely conducting their trade. If anyone should be involved in anything that is actionable in court, just as President Yar’Adua felt that the Leadership did against him, judiciary should be the place to go.

Rather than try to kill the online publishers, the government should make use of what they publish. This does not forbid the government from setting up its own online publication but not until it ‘kills’ independent online publications, because it will not be able to.

Dr. Edet P. Iniodu,

4 Oak Hill Boulevard,

Ontario, Canada.     

edetiniodu@yahoo.com