TEC News Columnist
‘ERRATICALITY’ with DA-SILVA
Silencing the Truth — The Fearful State of Nigerian Broadcasting
Da-Silva Johnson
Columnist on TEC News
In today’s Nigeria, the media landscape is riddled with fear—fear not of failure, but of freedom.
Journalism, especially broadcasting, once pillars of truth and national accountability, has gradually been reduced to cautious whispering. The media, traditionally known as the fourth estate of the realm, is being forced into retreat by a toxic atmosphere of harassment, threats, arrests, and outright suppression. What was once a noble calling to inform and educate has become a dangerous gamble with one’s life, liberty, and livelihood.
Just as lawyers are mockingly branded as liars, broadcasters now bear the stigma of being called “bias”—a painful reflection of how far we’ve strayed from truth-driven broadcasting and journalism. The root cause? An orchestrated climate of intimidation, cultivated by political actors and power brokers who fear exposure more than they value transparency.
Presenters today tread carefully, afraid of using the “wrong” word that might offend a political camp or government agency. Media stations pre-censor their content, heavily monitoring interviews, and in many cases, cutting off the voices of guests who dare to express independent thought. This, in spite of Nigeria’s constitutional provision for freedom of expression. The fear of losing licenses or being shut down has placed many media houses under a voluntary gag order.
We’ve seen journalists, reporters, correspondents and presenters arrested without trial. Some have been detained unjustly. Others have paid the ultimate price—killed in the line of duty. Yet nothing happens. Power sits comfortably atop these injustices, untouched. Not even the collective voice of the media or global watchdogs seems able to shake the status quo. Annual conferences, summits, and declarations on press freedom amount to little more than well-written communiqués.
News reporting has become shallow. Truth-telling is diluted. Calling a spade a spade is now seen as rebellion. But in a country grappling with insecurity, economic downturns, judicial inconsistencies, political turbulence, and governance gaps, the people must be informed—accurately and boldly. A nation left in the dark cannot progress.
The media is not just an industry; it is a vital structure for national development. It exists to speak truth to power, uphold democratic values, demand accountability, and serve as the bridge between citizens and their government. Its collapse would mark the death of democratic engagement.
This is why journalism and broadcasting in Nigeria today demands courage, resilience, and unshakable professionalism. Broadcasters and editors who bow to fear or compromise ethics become mediocrities, leaving no legacy and mentoring no one. If you fear arrest or death, then journalism, Reporting especially broadcasting, may not be your calling. If you lean toward bias, you can never make lasting impact in this noble profession.
Yes, government-employed broadcasters may be restricted by loyalty to state policy—but private media practitioners must uphold global media standards. The policies under which stations are licensed should not be tools for suppression, but frameworks for responsible freedom. Media professionals must be included in policy formulation, and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) must rise to address safety, dignity, and independence in practice.
There are still lights shining in the darkness anyways. Broadcasters like Dr. Reuben Abati and Rufai Oseni of Arise TV, Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV, and Gbenga Aruleba of AIT are exemplary model of courage, fearlessness, and professionalism. Their work reflects the essence of journalism: bold, ethical, and accountable. They are voices of conscience in a system eager to silence dissent.
Let us be clear: the media is not at war with government. It is the people’s ally in governance. Broadcasters must allow the accused to be confronted with facts, and the affected—whether government officials or private citizens—must be given the chance to defend themselves. That is the beauty of a democratic press. Let accusations come with evidence. Let debates happen in public. Let truth guide the process—not partisanship or propaganda.
Politics must not overshadow truth. Governance must not destroy the structures that hold it accountable. And the people must not be deceived or manipulated.
In the end, the hope that once rested on the judiciary may now rest squarely on the shoulder of a bold, resilient media. If the media rises, Nigeria will rise.
Let us protect it.
NOTE:
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