Opinion: How Not to Use New Media. By Rotimi Atere

Date: 2014-04-26

The advent of democracy in Nigeria, and the accompanying freedom of expression has opened up the information superhighway. Unlike in the past, the nature of information dissemination is no longer restricted to the conventional media (print and broadcast) but more readily, the social media (what is also known as the electronic media). The growing trend now is journalism online. Through the internet, the face of journalism is changing in the country. Kwara, as a unit of the Nigerian federation has had a fair share of this trend. From the pioneer Ilorin.info to others like Kwaraonline.com, Kwaralefro.com, kwaranews.com, Inside Kwara, e-kwara.com , Kwara Sight, Kwara Eagle, Kwara Facts and lately kwara247.com, the information super-highway has never had it so good!

Give it to them, these platforms have contributed in no small measure to the advancement of information dissemination in the state, a situation that has greatly enhanced informed citizenry with all the resultant benefits. But beyond the giant strides of a few of the above highlighted platforms, it is heart-rending that a new low is fast creeping into the hitherto vibrant landscape where the likes of Dr. Femi Akorede, Abubakar Baba Sulaiman, Yinka Ajia, Oniyanji Kunle Suleiman etc are exchanging credible ideas.

This then brings me to a piece posted by the administrator of the kwara247.com yesterday wherein Senator Gbemisola Saraki was cast in unprintable aspersions. The report, which does not have anybody’s byline, is so offensive that I can hardly revisit it in this article. It is titled: Gbemisola Saraki: Asewo Tofe Di Guvnor.” The article was but a degenerated level of personal attacks hauled by the platform against the person of Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, obviously for no other reason than that she doesn’t share the same political ideology with their paymaster.

The first thing that came to my mind on reading the article is: why? Why would whoever is behind the kwara247 go this low in his hatched job? Does he ever know the implication of going this acerbic against otherwise well meaning Kwarans like Sen. Gbemisola Saraki in the long run? Too many questions begging for answers, Walahi!

For whoever cares to know, Kwara247.com is owned and funded by a former Governor of Kwara State but allegedly managed by his ‘internet savvy’ media aide. To me, the fact that the website has a ‘face’, no matter how remote, should be enough reason why its administrator should thread softly. For his (or her?) information, the law is no respecter of his anonymity. If he believes he enjoys the anonymity offered by the social media, and as such has the license to go dirty, he is damn wrong! It will be better to reflect on the recent rising influence of online reporting and commentary and the resultant fact that more internet ‘journalists’ are jailed worldwide today than journalists working in any other medium.*

To Ilorin circle of online journalists, I urge you all to stand up and be counted in the fight against blackmail platforms like the kwara247.com. We cannot afford to allow junk journalists, hatched jobbers and blackmailers to foul the airspace for us. We must guard jealously against the antics of inexperienced jobbers who would not give a hoot when the chips are down. The future of journalism is online and we are now in a battle with the enemies from within who are using blackmail, vendetta and barefaced lies to redefine public discourse in the state.*

To the administrator of the kwara247.com, the image of the solitary blogger working at home in pyjamas may though be appealing, but when the knock comes on the door, he will be all alone and vulnerable.

Rotimi Atere 
System Controller, FAAN

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     Halidu Danbaba     Aishat Sulu-Gambari     Lanre Badmas     Raymond Olaitan     Shuaib Jawondo     Chikanda     Kayode Issa     Ahmad Fatima Bisola     Hameed Oladipupo Ali     Funmi Salau     Maigidasanma     Kwara Poly     Olayinka Olaogun     Oyin-Zubair     Yusuf Abubakar     Baba Isale     Mohammed Kamaludeen     Babata     Yahaya Jibril Usman     New Nigeria People’s Party     Ganiyu Taofiq     NaAllah     Student Learning Support Helpline     Awoye     Abdulbaqi Jimoh     Ilesha Gwanara Road     Oke-Ode     HICA     Folajimi Aleshinloye     Olupako Of Share     Manzuma     Seed Technologies     Temitope Ogunbanke     ITEM 7     Kolawole Bashirat     Isiaka Abdulrazak     Sunday Otokiti     Yahya Mohammed     Old Oyo     Tinubu Legacy Forum     VADA     Bilikis Oladimeji     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Ali Ahmad     Alfa Yahaya Road     Kannike     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     Henry Olaosebikan     Tanke     Kwara State Polytechnic     Centre For Digital Economy     Monthly Sanitation     Shuaib Boni Aliyu     Susan Modupe Oluwole     Haashim Initiative For Community Advancement     Aminat Ahmed     AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah     Arik     Jani Ibrahim     Ahmed Alhasssan     Ilorin Like-Minds     Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital     Idris Amosa Saidu     Usman Rifun     COEASU     Offorjama     Oke-Ogun     Gurei     Smart School     Monkey Pox     Naira Redesign     AGF Abdulrazaq     Akeem Olatunji     Abdulrasheed Na\'Allah     Tunji Oyawoye     Quranic Recitation Competition    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Gobirawa     Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita     Afetu Of Alabe     Olaosebikan     Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union     Umar Danladi Shero     Christopher Odetunde     Abdulfatai Salman Baakini     Oyedun Juliana Funke     Sam Onile     Aremu Odolaye     IDPU     SARS     Damilola Yusuf Adelodun     Convocation Ceremonies     Shaaba Lafiagi     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Suraj Tunji Oyewale     Jimba Babatunde     Academic Staff Union Of Universities     Kamaldeen Kehinde     Isaac Gbenle     Illyasu Abdullahi     Sa\'adu Salau     Jumoke F. Ajao     Ejidongari     Abraysports FC     Yahaya Dumoye     Salihu Ajia     Gurei     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Doyin Group     Abubakar Usman Jos     John Olajide Adedipe     Olabanji Orilonishe     Shehu Adaramaja     AGILE Programme     Abdulmajeed Abdullahi     All Peoples Party     Issa Manzuma     Adekunle David Dunmade     Amos Justus Sayo     Offa     Balogun Gambari     Onilupeju Of Ilupeju     Folorunsho Alao     Atiku     First Lady     Iyiola Oyedepo     Olanrewju Okanlawon Musa     Kudirat Arinola Lawal     Muhammad Yahya     Jani Ibrahim     Bank Of Industry     Kwara Teaching Service Commission     Ajibike Katibi     ITP     Ilorin Curfew     MalHub     Doyin Agbamu     Ajase-Ipo     Lola Ashiru     Muideen Olaniyi Alalade     Folaranmi Aro     Ahmed Ayinla Jimoh     Matthew Babaoye     Tunji Arosanyin     Kayode Yusuf     Na\'Allah     Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd     Chief Imam Of Offa     George Funsho Adebayo     Ajuloopin     Yusuf Arowosaye     Olomu     Modibbo Kawu     Turaki Of Ilorin