By Surat Bello
The press has the duty to inform, educate and entertain. It serves as the bridge between the government and the governed. It is a sacred calling that confers on it the esteem title, “the Forth Estate of the Realm.” When the fourth estate departs from its duty to inform fairly and impartially, we witness the kind of journalism portrayed in an article captioned “Patience Jonathan: First Lady As Power House,” published in The Nation online recently.
The basic tenets of journalism stipulate that a report should be factual and balanced. The aforementioned article was however, riddled with lies and sprinkled with half truths at best.
The writer purports to be well versed with respect to knowledge about the antecedents of Mrs. Patience Jonathan stating, “Patience Jonathan, who hails from Okrika in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, had it rather rough financially, shortly after her marriage to Dr. Jonathan from the Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.” Who gave the writer this information?
Was the writer privy to authentic information about the marriage of Dame Patience? Obviously not! To correct this misinformation, the truth is that before she was married, Dame Jonathan was not rich but pretty comfortable as she operated an investment company.
It is reprehensible that the article is full of conjecture and speculation while it falls abysmally short of minimum journalistic standards. The writer says, and I quote, “For example, it is widely believed (the emphasis mine)that former Governor Timprye Sylva’s trouble with Jonathan began in 2009 when the then governor decided to do a biometric record for all civil servants in the state.”
When making reference to weighty issues involving public figures, it is wrong, unfair and inappropriate to make statements simply on “belief” when verifiable information and records are available to make reference to.
Where has professional rectitude and impeccable research gone to?
The writer of the piece has really done a despicable work of disservice to the readers that will “ingest” the lies and malicious fabrication penned to paper about the First Lady. I hope discerning, analytical minds will see the article for what it is – a politically motivated hatchet job that has failed to eclipse a bright star.
Surat Bello is a freelance writer and political commentator who sent this article from Yenogoa.