A blogger, Japhet Omojuwa, has described
the Nigerian media as junky and useless,
in reaction to a Channels TV publication
which suggested that he underestimated
the struggles of late human rights
fighter, Gani Fawehinmi.
“Any Nigerian news I miss on these foreign
news channels will be delightfully
missed,” Mr. Omojuwa said. “Too much junk
here. Reason these politicians don’t speak
to the local press. Most are as good as
useless!”
A war of words had ensued on twitter
between Mr. Omojuwa and some other social
media users on Sunday after the blogger
was accused of trivializing the impacts of
the dogged fights of the late radical
Lagos lawyer.
Mr. Omojuwa, who appeared on a Channels TV
youth programme, Rubbin Mind, had tried to
argue that social media activism is a more
innovative way of mobilizing protests
against the government.
When the presenter, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu,
suggested to the three guests on the
programme that protests might be more
productive if taken to the streets the way
late Mr. Fawehinmi and Mr. Olisa Agbakoba
did, Mr. Omojuwa intercepted, asking,
“What did those protests change?”
He then added, “I protested against a
particular airline without carrying a
placard. If you say that is not a protest,
mention my name in their offices and you
understand how….”
Many people on twitter interpreted the
comment to mean that Mr. Omojuwa
triviliazed Mr. Fawehinmi’s protests and
contributions to Nigeria’s development.
The blogger’s comment became even more
controversial after Channels TV posted a
short clip of the programme on its website
with the headline “Our ‘noise’ on social
media is achieving more than Gani did”.
Among the first to react was London-based
activist, Kayode Ogundamisi, who said via
his twitter handle @canary, “Now I am
going to bring out koboko (whip) and flog
my brother @omojuwa openly, still does not
change my view about him as one with great
potentials.”
He described Mr. Omojuwa’s comment as a
serious error of judgment and then went on
to educate the blogger about how protests
by Gani Fawehinmi “changed a lot!” of
things in Nigeria.
“Let me start by saying Gani Fawehinmi
saved over 370 Nigerian students from
unlawful expulsion, Mr. Ogundamisi said.
“I can list over 68 Students that Gani
Fawehinmi saved from unjust expulsion
using the instrumentality of law. That is
change you can vouch for.”
He added, “Gani Fawehinmi did not only
protest, he led an exemplary life, spent
his money and resources. Never received a
dime for his activism and protests.
“I analyse Nigeria on social media but the
true hero is that Nigerian on the street
daring an armed policeman insisting “I
won’t give you a bribe.”
But another commentator named F., with
twitter handle @unofidel disagreed that
Mr. Omojuwa’s comment was an error of
judgment.
“It is not an error of judgment,” he said.
“It was a cocky, thoughtless statement by
someone who felt he was more influential.”
Abuja-based lawyer and activist, Abdul
Mahmud, was even angrier at the comments
ascribed to Mr. Omojuwa.
“Pity! That youngboy has never smelt the
inside of a police cell, so I grant him
his stupidity,” Mr. Mahmud tweeted.
The lawyer was to publish several other
tweets educating Mr. Omojuwa on Mr.
Fawehinmi’s giant strides in the defence
of freedom and democracy.
His final tweet for the night read, “If
Gani didn’t succeed, please, ask your dad
and mum if they ever voiced opposition to
Buhari/IBB/Abacha publicly.”
But Mr. Omojuwa soon issued a denial
saying, “Whoever said I said that is a
liar. If I did, those who watched it (the
programme) wouldn’t have had anything else
to discuss after the show.”
The blogger then descended on Channels TV
describing the station as a mediocre junk
news platform and its tweets blasphemous.
He said, “@Channels_TV You are a shame to
the ethics of this job. A big shame. You
will rot where liars rot for that
headline. LIARS OSHI!
“You are absolutely irresponsible.
Absolutely. Bow in shame for this. Bow in
shame!”
At a point he tore at the local press
describing them as junky and useless, and
suggested that he would begin to consume
news only on foreign channels.
“Any Nigerian news I miss on these foreign
news channels will be delightfully
missed,” Mr. Omojuwa said. “Too much junk
here. Reason these politicians don’t speak
to the local press. Most are as good as
useless!”
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