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BY ABU-SATAR HAMED
IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA – Oloye Lekan Alabi, the Maye Olubadan of Ibadanland, has advocated for journalistic integrity, urging reporters to prioritize fairness and sincerity in their reporting.
In a recent interview with StarTrend Int’l magazine and online, the esteemed journalist and Ambassador of Culture and Tradition discussed the evolution of journalism in Nigeria, highlighting the necessity for stringent measures against the spread of fake news.
Alabi emphasized the importance of verifying news before dissemination and called for increased scrutiny and accountability within the profession.
He stressed the role of formal training in shaping journalists’ integrity, urging educators to safeguard the profession’s standards.
Addressing contemporary journalistic practices, Alabi criticized lazy reporting and the replication of headlines without originality.
“Some years back, I was chairman of a symposium of this particular topic. I said, when a good journalist gets any news, he should verify first, and even ask himself could this be true?
“Nigeria journalists must stop spreading fake news. It’s high time the professional training institutions start to censor those journalists that involved in the habit of churning out fake news.
“Because you can’t give what you don’t have, the teachers, lecturers those who have been brought up through the stages of formal training in the profession with integrity, should stand up to protect the integrity of the profession”, Oloye Alabi posited.
Oloye Alabi stated further that the reason why people say buy one Nigerian newspapers and you buy all the newspaper as they feature same stories everyday.
Drawing from his experience at Sketch Press Ltd., during Abu-Satar’s tenure, Oloye Alabi praised Abu-Satar’s specialization in entertainment/society news, which significantly influenced the outlet’s content.
“In the days of Satar at the rested Sketch Press Ltd, it was sweat, blood and tears. Everybody knows Satar is a specialist in entertainment/society news, and it’s a reflection of what you see in the Media outlet”, he noted.
Addressing contemporary journalistic practices, the Maye Olubadan criticized the tendency for journalists to fabricate stories about events they did not attend, stressing the necessity for professionalism in reportage.
“For the journalists of today to perform the expected role, they must be professional in their reportage“, he said.
Oloye Alabi underscored the significant historical contributions of journalists in Nigeria, citing examples such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Olagoke Akintola and Anthony Enahoro, who played pivotal roles in Nigeria’s independence movement.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s history, Alabi discussed the country’s formation and its diverse cultural landscape.
He praised Nigeria’s intellectualism and creativity while acknowledging the challenges facing the nation. Despite these challenges, Alabi expressed hope for a better future in Nigeria.
He commended the efforts of StarTrend Int’l magazine in informing and educating Nigerians, while encouraging the team to persevere, emphasizing the importance of their work in shaping public discourse.
