Rethinking the Role of Campus Journalists

UCJ EDITORIAL

24/06/2017

Rethinking the Role of Campus Journalists

“In America the President reigns for four years, and Journalism governs forever and ever.” — Oscar Wilde.

The fourth estate of the realm, the voice of the masses, the people’s representative, the shaper of opinions, agenda setters, et cetera. These are but a few among the appellations people have given to the press. Put differently, journalists ought to be your true friends and confidantes. Treat them right.

Like in most parts of the world, the University of ILORIN is blessed with a press body known as the Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ). It is composed of students from different fields or disciplines. Just as it is in most tertiary institutions in Nigeria, press outlets domiciled in departments, faculties, and halls of residence all form the umbrella body of campus journalism.

For the time being however, such is not the case with the UNILORIN chapter of campus journalism which is an aberration from the vision of its founding fathers. All hope is not lost as efforts are in top gear to bring the organogram of the Union into proper alignment.

UCJ, UNILORIN is an army of student-journalists and seasoned writers whose conduct is bound by the ethics and ethos of journalism. And therefore, UCJ members are prohibited from engaging in partisanship (politics) while practising as campus journalists. The essence of this age-long ethics is to ensure objectivity, impartiality and professionalism of UCJ members in the discharge of their duties. 

Those who choose to pursue political ambitions are allowed to do so in line with their fundamental right to associate and participate directly in the process of governance. However, their membership of the Union is kept in abeyance during the subsistence of their tenure in office. That way, the moral and ethical burden of serving two masters is avoided.

This is applicable to elective and political appointments at the departmental, faculty, and Student Union levels. As it is said, a good name is better than riches. Your reputation is a reflection of public perception about you. Character however, defines your very being. 

To this end, UCJ members are expected to be clinical in their operations and conduct especially within the confines of enabling rules and regulations. For example, a journalist who purportedly asserts that a person is allegedly guilty of an offence or crime has the moral and legal burden to prove his allegation with credible, relevant, and admissible evidence. For to act otherwise portrays an unsavory picture of charlatanism.

Another analogy is the need for a campus journalist to be objective and unbiased towards a subject matter or individual. It is instructive to state at this juncture that as part of the ethics of journalism, a journalist is prohibited from speaking the truth if the underlying intention is sinister and calculated at assassinating or defaming the character of any individual. Therefore, a journalist has the moral and legal duty to ensure fairness at all times, and by extension, the common good must always be at the epicenter of his operations and conduct.

Quite sadly however, there has been a rise in insults being dished out to journalists in different flavours and containers on the UNILORIN campus. For example, a certain faculty in UNILORIN barred some UCJ correspondents who are also members of congress in that faculty, from covering the proceedings of the faculty legislative body. It is important to note that the sitting in question was not a closed-door session, it was open to members of the public. So, student-politicians who usually resort to the press to exercise their freedom of speech when things get sore, are the very ones barring the press from covering their activity in a sitting that isn't closed but open to all and sundry. Indeed, he who seeks equity must do equity.

Primarily, journalism is here to protect the interest of the masses, it is sad however to discover that the same masses which it aims to protect insults it. Students have not necessarily been active participants in throwing basket of insults on pressmen, but have been playing the “siddon look (sit down and look)” role that puts journalists at risk. Oftentimes when incidences happen and are being investigated by journalists, students make it hard, rock hard, to get concrete evidence needed to corroborate claims for reasons best known to an average student of the Better By Far varsity.

Some Students would rather let the UCJ take a fall for the truth which they’re not privy to, than to assist the Union with evidence that they’re armed with. Some Students find it relatively hard to grant interviews and reveal things which bite in the sole of their shoes, and the soul of their being, and would rather make journalists play the role of the clown. Some of them are not blamed, as they are afraid of stigmatisation that might come with revealing some of the cankerworms they carry, but some withhold information deliberately for nepotistic reasons.

If there is a body(ies) that has consistently slapped the Union in the face, through her agents, literally and figuratively, it would be paramilitary bodies. Bodies primarily tasked with protecting the lives of students, including journalists, bodies tasked with helping to maintain orderliness in school. From the least, there have been various incidences on campus involving journalists being allegedly hindered from doing their jobs effectively by the uniform men and boys respectively.

Where do we start from? Is it last semester when there was a disturbing rise in the population of students at the school park, as students were being treated badly by handlers of the situation? During the incidence, members of the UCJ were trying to sample the opinion of people on the incessant and tiring queue at the park, while taking pictures as proof of what was absolutely obtainable then. In the process, a paramilitary officer designated at the park allegedly harassed the pressmen who were involved in covering the disturbance.

Worse still, one of them had his phones seized even after they had identified themselves as journalists, while being verbally harassed. Not until the Vice President (Editorial) made it to the park and had a conversation here and there that the seized property was returned. There are many other instances.

A million thanks to the new order at the park though. Normalcy has been restored in terms of the excesses of the Uniform boys especially after their suspension and eventual reinstatement on campus. Their case is on the one hand however, what about the uniform men on the other hand?

Recently, members of the UCJ were allegedly humiliated at the Security Division unit, while trying to procure information as regards the state of the school environment on cases of theft, violence, and generally any case that could have been a result of breaching the learning in character pose of the school. Of a fact, members were verbally humiliated repetitively when they went to garner information as regards these things. We all understand the precarious and highly sensitive nature of security matters in the school, and would not want to put jitters in the minds of UNILORITES, and this is what prompts us to verify whatever form of rumour as regards security at the appropriate quarters, only to be met with hostility and uncivil behaviour. Even if ethical standards disprove of such information being issued out, such ought to be communicated in a manner consistent with civility and mutual respect, not the other way round.

The biggest insult on pressmen is being landed by administrators and student-politicians on campus. Just last month, members of the UCJ attempted having a vox pop with the Social Director of the Student Union in his office. He was dispassionate in showing his reluctance in granting audience to the UCJ team. He premised his action on the claim that he was busy working, and that he ought to be notified officially before deciding whether to grant an interview or otherwise. In fact, he became hostile at some point for being questioned as to the authenticity of his claim of being busy.

For the records, this was a vox pop on an event he superintended over, not an interview. When it seemed as though nothing serious would happen, and members of the UCJ crew were on the verge of leaving his office, he had a second thought on his position and eventually obliged his guests.

Other instances of such happen between pressmen and members of the executive and legislative council of the student governing body. This is not to deny that there are a couple good eggs who are agents of positive change and development, but the chaff must be selected first, before being separated from the grains.

The UCJ and its members have grown thick skins over the years towards many acts of injustice against any member of the Student Union, by and large, and will not renege on doing what is right, when it is right. Our resolve as pressmen cannot be broken as our pen will forever continue to champion the cause of freedom, justice and liberty.

This is an editorial of the Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ), University of Ilorin Chapter, Ilorin, Kwara state.