CHAPTER
ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
Government
attempt not only to control but to subjugate the press through obnoxious laws
had been an enduring problem in the history of Nigeria Press. The press has
been striving to wriggle itself out of these unfavourable laws, but the
government believes that giving the press the freedom to operate as an
independent entity may be suicidal.
Usually,
government feels that it is logical to restrain the power of the press and if
possible have a total control of the press. To government, the press is an
instrument of people in power and should yield itself to their dictates. But
the press fights fiercely to resist this obsequious stance government wants to
subject it to because the press belief that they are to serve as watchdog on
government and not to be used as government extention of ministry of
information or for propaganda tool. This gives rise to clashes between the
press and the government. While government uses its authority to subjugate the
press, the press resists by remaining tenacious in its fight for freedom.
Government’s
truculent reaction to the freedom of the press to report the affairs of
government to the public shows that the government always has skeletons in its
cupboard and, therefore, would never entertain the prolonged glimpse of the
press. The aim of the government to lord over the press is not peculiar to
Nigeria alone none to the third world countries but to the entire world except
the USA that said it clear in its constitution that “Congress shall make no law
that will abridge the freedom of press and expression…”
According
to Ekwelie (1986:568), “throughout the centuries, and in every country, the
media have been subjected to both harassment and manipulation”
From the
colonial era to Nigeria’s independence and to military and civilian regimes,
the press has struggled to exist amidst diverse suppressive laws, ordinances,
acts and decrees enacted and promulgated at one time or another by different
governments. Today, the Nigerian press exists in a very tenuous position. In
the words of Eze (1993:21), “the jeremiad of complaints by the press have
fallen on deaf ears of government whose alert and watchful eyes are permanently
directed on what the press published with eager hands to censor and equal
hostility to attack and arrest the reporters” The present democratic
environment has not fully guaranteed a conducive operational atmosphere for
journalists in the country. Even the democratic government of Olusegun Obasanjo
since inception has, indeed, been characterized by pockets of attach on the
press similar to what was obtainable during the military era.
However,
since the time of colonial masters, journalists and freedom fighters have been
clamouring for press freedom which were not full given like they are enjoying
in United States of American. In fact the nation’s 1999 constitution that was
expected to provide this freedom was just the replica of the 1979 constitution
where the freedom was just give and take , going by the section 22 of chapter 2
of the 1999 constitution states that: “the press radio,
television and other agencies of mass media shall at all time be free to uphold the fundamental
objectives contain in this chapter
and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the public”
The
constitution give the press a constitutional duty but failed to empowered them
by law until the recent , May 27 2011 to be précised ,when Mr. president final
give assent to a new freedom of information bill that had been unanimously
scrutinized by the two chambers i.e House of Representatives and Senate House
with a title: an act to make public records and information more freely
available, provide for public access to public records and information, project
public records and information to the extent consistent with the public
interest and the protection of personal privacy, protect serving public
officers from adverse consequences for disclosing certain kinds of official
information without authorization and establish procedures for the achievement
of those purposes and related purposes
thereof.
This
study intends to examine to what extent has Nigeria Journalists have fully
utilize the new freedom in their day to day activities.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
From the
colonial era to Nigeria’s independence and to military and civilian regimes,
the press has struggled to exist amidst diverse suppressive laws, ordinances,
acts and decrees enacted and promulgated at one time or another by different
governments.
Today,
the Nigerian press exists in a very tenuous position. In the words of Eze
(1993:21), “the jeremiad of complaints by the press have fallen on deaf ears of
government whose alert and watchful eyes are permanently directed on what the
press published with eager hands to censor and equal hostility to attack and
arrest the reporters”
This
research work will focus attention on the Effect of Freedom of Information Bill
on the Practice of Journalism in Nigeria (A case study
of Osun State Newspaper Correspondents, Osogbo)
1.3 OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
i.
To know how free are
journalists since the passage of FOI bill.
ii.
To study the challenges
journalists are facing before the passage of FOI bill.
iii.
To examine the future of
the press in Nigeria.
iv.
To compare and contrast
the level of freedom enjoying by journalists during colonial, military and present
democratic era.
v.
To know if the New Freedom
of Information Law has positive empowered journalists in discharge of their
duties.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
i.
To what extent does new
FIO law reshape the practice of journalism in Nigeria?
ii.
How free is press under
the new FIO law?
iii.
To what extent does media
free from challenges with the passage of FIO law?
iv.
To what extent have
journalists make use of the new freedom in their day to day assignment?
v.
What are the short comings
of this new FIO law?
vi.
Does this new FOI law give
total freedom on journalists?
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study
has narrowed itself through the topic: The
Effects of Freedom of Information Bill on the Practice of Journalism in Nigeria (A case study
of Osun State Newspaper Correspondents, Osogbo). However, research findings
will be generalized on other media houses, since it is difficult if not
impossible to visit the entire media houses or all chapter of Nigeria Union of
Journalists in each state of the federation.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The
significance of the study aiming at revealing to the entire world especially
the media practitioners, audience, which include different bodies and agencies
that the freedom of the press is a freedom of everybody in the society
irrespective of their discipline , status and background.
The study
will further help media practitioners the need to fully inculcate and apply new
freedom of information law into their daily activities for better gathering and
dissemination of factual and balanced information.
Lastly,
the research is expected to draw the attention of other researchers, the need
to focus on the issues concerning freedom of information especially it
application as it had been passed into law for use.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE
STUDY
Time: there is a limited
time in carryout this work.
Material: A relevant material
on this work is relatively scarce as many previous researchers do not focus
much at tension on privatization of media.
Finance: at the time of
carrying out this research there was no enough money to explore internet and
travel as many as possible to the study area.
1.8 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
Impact: It is a way of assessing
the quality or value of something.
Freedom: It is a special privileged or right of access or the right to act
or speak freely.
Information: It is a message or
idea given out.
Law: A rule or system or
rules established by authority.
Media Practitioners: These
are the people working in a media outfits.
Media: Television: Radio and
television as the means of mass communication.
Correspondents: It is synonymous to reporters or journalists.