In recent times, I talked about public enemies and I said that as we navigate through the events that would shape the political landscape in 2027, the public must be weary of a heavily compromised Media.
I was emphatic about the fact that the public could no longer afford to allow the Media to set the political agenda for 2027 in Oyo state.
In fact, if the opposition political parties in the state allow the Media to take control of Agenda setting, it’s going to be a one way ticket to doom for them.
When I looked at what the Media has become these days, honestly, I always shook my head and feel ashame about what the supposed Watchdog of the society has turned to- a caged toothless Bulldog, struggling for crumbs
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A political tool, bought and controlled by whosoever have the deep pockets.
Like I always say, you still have some practitioners who are still keeping the flag flying but how many are they?
If the Media were to be as they are now in the days of the Fawehinmis, the Ransome Kutis, Tai Solarin and others, believe me, no one would hear of their heroics.
They would have been considered as some bunch of nuisance and ‘ alasejus’.
I am inclined to bring this topic back because of an ugly experience I had recently in a very popular Radio station in Ibadan.
I thought about the incident very well and how to handle it and I have come to the conclusion that I will discuss it on the surface and keep my gunpowder dry for whatever is to come.
I am not one who will jump into a battle firing my arsenal empty from the beginning.
I know the importance of strategic planning and execution.
I have also taken this approach because of certain considerations, otherwise, it would have been an onslaught from the beginning.
I was recently invited to appear on a particular program on a popular Radio station in Ibadan here.
I was already in the studio and infact, my appearance has been announced.
Shortly after the announcement of my appearance, the program anchor received a call from the owner and Chairman of the Radio station.
Guess what?
The owner of the Radio station ordered the program anchor that I must not be allowed to participate on the program!
I overheard him talking about my membership of the APC and the fact that I wrote a piece sometimes, which he didn’t like.
I must confess that I was terribly embarrassed but not annoyed.
I was embarrassed, not for myself, but for the program anchor, a veteran journalist and the elderly panel of the program, who, in my opinion, were disrespected by the unprofessional conduct of the Radio station owner.
I wasn’t annoyed because such unprofessional conduct is becoming a norm for the man in question.
I learned he did something similar to another prominent broadcaster who left his Radio station for another station as a result of his ignorant and unprofessional conducts.
He had alsydone something similar to me in the past and I will get back to it later in the course of this piece.
Now, let me say it clearly that his allegation that I wrote a piece about him and that the piece annoyed him is just a flimsy excuse.
I don’t remember writing anything about him but if I have reasons to do so, I definitely will and nothing would happen.
If you have a Radio station where a whole program is dedicated to, mostly running down the opposition political parties, do you expect those affected persons to be quiet?
I respect the right of the gentleman in question to support a political party of his choice, but that right covers only him, his Radio station doesn’t enjoy such luxuries.
There are rules guiding the activities of a Radio station which you must abide with, no matter how uncomfortable you may be about them.
You have no right to choose who will, or who will not appear on your Radio station.
Circumstances must dictate the choices of which Guest to appear on certain programs.
Now that this particular gentleman has decided to venture into the arena of politics, I hope he is prepared to be smeared with the dirty water of the arena.
I said he had done something similar in the past.
There was a day I was invited for a program on his Radio station.
A member of the Oyo state Anti-corruption Agency, OYSACA appeared with me on that day.
It was a very hot program and I made a lot of revelations about the corruption going on in the Seyi Makinde Government.
I was surprised at a point when the Radio owner in question entered the Studio and was almost taking over the program from the anchor.
He felt I wasn’t being asked certain questions whereas, his problem, I guessed , was that I didn’t answer the questions put to me in the particular manner that would have made him to be comfortable.
After the program, he invited both myself and the man from OYSACA to his private office and I know what he said on that day.
I will keep the gists of our conversation on that day for now.
However, I must say that he talked about his relationship with Seye Famojuro and since that day, I had my opinion of him which I never bothered to discuss with anyone until now.
It is common knowledge that he has also joined the League of those who have accepted car gifts from Governor Seyi Makinde.
Like I said, I have no issues with him, personally supporting a political party of his choice, or receiving gifts from anyone, but that right covers only him not his Radio station and it does seem like he doesn’t know this salient fact.
Presently, a couple of Radio owners have shown interests in becoming Governor of Oyo state in 2027 and I must give them credits that their personal ambitions have not interfered with the professional conduct of their Radio stations.
So, what is the problem with our friend who now wants to cry louder than the bereaved.
I know that he has reasons to be inclined towards Governor Seyi Makinde and perhaps be angry against the APC but, yet, he could only express his anger personally, not through a Radio station belonging to him.
We all know that whenever the mouth eats, it becomes tied. ( Bi enu ba je, oju a ti).
We also know that whenever the mouth tastes fried plantains, it becomes impossible to hear the truth from such a mouth. ( Bi enu ba ti je dodo, ko nii le so ododo).
However, one must be extremely cautious when he found himself in certain positions.
Is it not funny, to think that, once you lock the doors of your Radio station against someone or a political party, then, the information they wish to pass is locked?
The 2027 election in Oyo state is going to be unlike anything we have witnessed in the past.
There is a Governor Seyi Makinde, who, perhaps, have been presiding over the most corrupt system in the past seven years.
At all costs, he will want to install a successor who would cover his tracks.
Sadly, we are now having Radio station owners and Media practitioners who have sold their souls to the Devil and have been enlisted to ensure that the squandering of the resources of Oyo state continues beyond 2027.
It is now up to the opposition political parties to respond by being proactive.
One of the options I considered when the unfortunate incident happened was to ask my Lawyer to report the matter to the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, NBC, but I held on for some personal and tactical reasons but the option is not totally closed.
The ownership of a Radio station does not and should not confer on anyone, the right to be rascally unprofessional.
You can not allow the demarketing of others to go on unabated on your Radio station while you prevent those who are being continually demarket, the opportunity to say their own side.
Some of us are prepared for what is ahead and we will not be perturbed or discouraged by the activities of some bias Media men and Radio station owners.
If you have a stake in a Community, you would protect the interest of your Community with whatever it takes. ( Onilu o nii fe ko tu).
Like I said, I love to be calculative, methodical and strategic about how I face issues.
If this is going to be a long day, so be it.
Sola Abegunde.
