By Akpovoke Otiti
The sanctity of journalism is under a vile and disgraceful attack in Delta State as Local Government Council chairmen shamelessly parade social media quacks as journalists, sidelining the real press. This brazen act is not only a mockery of the noble profession but a calculated insult to trained professionals who have spent years honing their craft. Journalism is not a free-for-all enterprise where errand boys with smartphones suddenly assume the revered role of journalists. It is a profession built on ethics, integrity, and responsibility.
How dare these council chairmen imitate the well-structured and professionally coordinated Press Unit of the Executive Governor? The governor’s media crew is composed of seasoned journalists from reputable media houses, carefully selected to ensure balanced and professional reportage. Meanwhile, these local despots, in their misguided arrogance, hand out aprons and name tags to their social media sycophants, branding them as “press.” This travesty is an insult to the principles and standards of journalism, reducing it to a mere tool for personal propaganda and blind praise-singing.
This reckless bastardization of the press must stop! Journalism is not for charlatans and political lackeys. It is not a platform for ignorant Facebook commentators who have no training, no ethical grounding, and no credibility. These so-called council chairmen are turning journalism into a playground for illiterates, violating every known standard of media professionalism. By doing so, they are suppressing genuine press freedom and replacing it with a toxic culture of paid sycophancy.
The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) must rise to the occasion and put an end to this despicable act. These council chairmen must be called to order and reminded that they lack the authority to confer press credentials on untrained individuals. The NUJ should take decisive action against this perversion of journalism before it spirals further into an uncontrollable mess. Silence in the face of this rot is a dangerous endorsement of mediocrity.
It is a national embarrassment that these local government heads, who should be working to uphold professionalism and integrity, are the very ones trampling upon it. They are deliberately undermining the real press, replacing truth with falsehood, and destroying the credibility of information dissemination at the grassroots. Such actions breed misinformation, erode public trust, and promote a culture of ignorance and deception.
We send a final warning to these erring chairmen: Desist from this shameless charade or face public disgrace. Stop polluting the sacred halls of journalism with your unqualified cronies. Respect the profession, engage with real journalists, and uphold the principles of truth and fairness. If you cannot distinguish between a trained journalist and a Facebook quack, you have no business being in public office!
