As a as a Guest of Honour, I was unable to make it yesterday, (Sunday 4th of August) to the Mandate Studio hall of Radio Kwara Ilorin due to the callings of work in Kaduna and Abuja the most significant being the public lecture on the revival of Textile Industry organized by Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, Kaduna Chapter. However I was fully in spirit and heart with my brother, school mate and my unofficial campaign manager during 2019 gubernatorial election in Kwara State on the occasion of his sixtieth birthday and retirement send forth ceremony. I bear witness that Almighty Allah truly blesses Alhaji Mohammed Tunde Akanbi of Radio Kwara to witness double celebrations of 60th birth day and glorious exit after uninterrupted 35 years of hard and smart work in the media, mainly Radio Kwara.
In a country of life expectancy of 49 years (no thanks to infant mortality, maternal mortality, road accidents, fatal robberies, fake drugs and fake food, and various forms of insecurity), 60 year-mile stone is worthy of celebration. Also to have had fulfilment in journalism, be on job, added value for thirty five years in a country of mass unemployment and underemployment and exit with accolades is remarkable. Mohammed Tunde Akanbi belongs to the class of the best of passionate journalists in Nigeria and Africa. He reported, with commitment and passion. Better still, he was happy and excited to report about peace, justice, development, unity and progress headlines not crises (real or fake) of varying dimensions. In the age of recklessness and unbalance in governance no less in media reporting, Tunde was focused, fair and balanced. His retirement/send forth takes place at the time Nigeria is undergoing challenges of nation building. I call on all journalists to emulate the track record of Tunde Akanbi in reporting the truths, not fake news, in promoting news that will create jobs for the youths, reopen closed factories, ensure peace and harmony in the community.
It initially read like a fake news: but it is now an open knowledge that some not-so-real people are reportedly planning a “revolution/ protest” today. It’s time the media was reminded not to promote anything that would undermine our democracy after Nigeria’s bitter decades of military dictatorships during which the media was the first and the last causality. 20 years after uninterrupted civil rule, we must all remember that, despite the current challenges, Nigeria is better off than we were under the military or such extra-democratic contraptions such as ING (Interim National Government!). There is certainly no short cut to democracy other than sustained free and fair elections, which Nigeria had successfully held six national elections despite challenges.
I once again commend Tunde Akanbi and his colleagues in Radio Kwara and indeed all the media in Kwara State for the fair and balanced reports which led to free and fair elections in Kwara State of Harmony during the March elections. We should certainly ignore those calling for protests of dubious values. Never should anybody speak for Nigerians without our mandates. Many unelectable and unaccountable self-imposed leaders are polluting the polity putting the nation on the edge. Mondays are for work for those employed, to look for work for the unemployed, not emergency protests of dubious cause. I bet that today’s “revolution/ protest” would not be televised precisely because the media have so much that is happening in deepening democracy, promoting development in Nigeria beyond unstructured outrage. Mr Omoyele Sowore one of the promoters of the “planned revolution” was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress during the concluded presidential elections. Of course he lost in that historic election. He should prepare for the next elections in 2023. Bernie Sanders was a popular left wing Democratic candidate for President of the United States during the 2016 election. He garnered “13 million votes in primaries and caucuses”. Of course Bernie Sanders lost the primary to Hilary Clinton. He is not planning a bogus revolution/ protest in US. On the contrary, he is planning to run again in 2020. He is also a two term elected senator. Indeed he has written a book : OUR REVOLUTION which among others documents his experience at presidential race, and shows how “…millions of Americans want a bold, progressive agenda that takes on the billionaires class and creates a government that works for all …not just for big campaign donors”.
The point cannot be overstated: there is no short cut to nation building as we have seen in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia. The road to development in Nigeria and Africa is deepening democracy despite its shortcomings, not anarchy and underdevelopment military regimes once promoted in Nigeria. The media should not give vent to anti democratic forces under any guises. Don’t get me wrong! Struggles and protests are legitimate in a democracy. As a member of the labour movement, I can confirm as a tested protester that NLC’s 40 years of history reveals series of legitimate struggles for minimum wage, against petroleum price increases, against insecurity, for revival of industry, against military dictatorship and for democracy. All these struggles helped to deepen democracy for better inclusive welfare. Legitimate protest in a democracy is not the same thing as emergency red herring and anarchy. All progressive forces must demand for good democratic governance as much condemn any attempt at undermining democracy. Still on celebration of life. I want to assure my brother Alhaji Mohammed Tunde Akanbi: that there is life after retirement. My brother should prepare for even more rewarding active life after Radio Kwara. Yesterday should just be a “retirement before retirement”.
Issa Aremu mni
