MEDIA
MEDIA HAS THE POWERS TO CHANGE THINGS
POSITIVELY – HE SERIAKE DICKSON
BY MILES OLU and ELIJAH OKONKWO
Speaking
as the Chief guest of honour at the functions suites of Sheraton Hotels and
Towers, Bank Anthony Mobolaji way, Ikeja, Lagosat the 3rd Annual
Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) with a theme:
Economy, Security and National Development: The way forward, the executive
governor of Bayelsa state His Excellency Rt. Hon Seriake Dickson said that the
media has the powers to change things positively for all and sundry adding that
the roles of media cannot be measured by any standards as the media has
pragmatically caused many a leader sleepless night with their publication of
facts and figures.
He
said that he particularly cherish the uncommon roles the media has continually
played to make sure the democracy of 20 years old continues to thrive for the
public good of all citizenry. He said that media men should first of all
balance up all the publications they wished to push up the reading public
adding that offensive reporting and all that do not give good credits to the
reporter(s) and their media houses, hence he adduced that adequate checks and
balances really, got to be employed before going to bed.
He
effectively and efficiently praised the media for their vibrancy in the
sustenance of telling the government the pure truths at all times despite that
some arms of government are always making efforts to silence the media from
putting the search lights on the activities of the government. He showered
praises on the key note speaker His lordship, Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese
Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah for his objective viewpoints on national issues from
time to time.
Speaking
as the key note speaker Dr. Kukah told the participants that there has to be
adequate security in the land for the economy to grow positively in the right
projections so that the national development could largely follow suit in the
progressive manners of solving the inherent problems facing the citizenry. He
said that there is no President whether Military or Civilian that he had not
met with so as to put heads together in order to marshal workable ideals and
ideas to move the nation to right direction but, again he avers that he could
not really fathom out why things are not properly channelled into main stream
of economy indices. He cited many instances where the powers that be felt that
they had come to their witty end, hence, the economy does not do well owing to
corrupt practices in the land.
He
said that Nigeria has been branded world number one poverty nation whereas he
opines that God Himself has blessed the land with good gifts, again, he said
that nothing works out well in the land. He said that late professor Chinua
Albert Achebe wrote in one of his books that the problem of Nigeria is
leadership adding that the National Assembly operators are reaping the nation
off with the bogus salaries and allowances they earned.
He
submitted that the way forward for the nation to be at right direction, the
leaders got to be honest, hardworking, sincere, loving, putting the nation
first not themselves always. He was uncommonly applauded when he wrapped up his
lucid delivery of his presentations.
The
discussants prof. Akpan Hogan Ekpo, former Director – General, West African
Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) represented by prof.
Douglas Omotor and former Director Department of State Services (DSS) Barr.
Mike Ejiofor. The two discussants used different approaches to the theme:
Economy, Security and National Development: The way forward and of a truth they
brilliantly submitted that the nation needs (security first because according
to them they averred that the peace is the fukrum of development, hence once
there is adequate security in the land the economy would be bold and solid and
because the economy is strong there would be monumental national development. 
They
both submitted that the leaders should be really leaders who actually cut out
to rule the citizenry with discipline, industry, motivation, reward – system,
honesty purposefulness et’al. The Chairman of the event, Managing Director, The
News Group, Mr. Bayo Onanuga pleasantly encouraged his own constituency to be
very truthful with their write ups, so that the knocks would always be at
doorsteps of those calling the shots from their various offices. He said the
social media publications is the in thing globally despite that some of the
peddlers dish out fake news, but, again he tells the audience that faithfulness,
frankness, honesty, timeliness et’al are the rules of the game which are news
gathering and dissemination.
Speaking
as the president of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) Ladipo
heavily challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress APC at the centre to
quickly come down with palliative measures because according to him the rate of
inflation has gone above the roof top. He said that there is heavy tension in
the body polity of the nation adding that there is insecurity everywhere as no
one is free from the falls out of the insurgents applications on regular basis.
He called the president retired General Muhammadu Buhari to speedily begin to
provide dividends of democracy for all Nigerians.
He
concurs that there is heavy hungry in the land, the unemployment rate is
nothing to write home about, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, kidnapping, cultism
et’al. Good will messages were received from the Executive Vice Chairman of
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta but, he was
ably represented by Omoniyi Ibietan.
Speaking
with the good will message Ibietan said that NCC is always delighted to be part
of the Annual conference of Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) adding
that GOCOP has over the years remained a segment of the commission broad media
stakeholders who had continually supported in disseminating their activities,
policies, programmes and decisions to various stakeholders.
Speaking
again he said that the theme of the event “Economy, Security and National
Development: The way forward in Nigeria is very apt and timely as it speaks to
the fundamental issues that underpinning the nation” development outlook.
Speaking
to the audience with good will message the media spokesman of the president of
the republic PMB, Femi Adesina saluted the audience with greetings from the
presidency adding that he had carefully listened to the key note speaker Dr.
Kukah and the two discussants with their sharp views as regards the theme of 3rd
Annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), Economy,
Security and National Development: The way forward. He said that the speakers
had taken time to present a well-researched conference papers to the audience,
but, he quickly averred that his boss PMB meant well for Nigeria and Nigerians
with next Level of All Progressives Congress (APC) policies adding that
Nigerians should have faith in the economic policies of the ruling party at the
centre, that her next level economic policies would soon begin to yield
dividends of democracy for all the citizenry. But, if truth must be told
Adesina goofed with his submissions because all Nigerians do largely know the
administration of PMB has apparently decimated all and sundry to high level
poverty.
The
truth remains that nothing is working out for the citizenry in all
ramifications because there is heavy insecurity in the la
Recently
reports are everywhere how the insurgents set ablaze the place of an Emir and
the list of their atrocities is endless. Adesina branded former president Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan (GET) a very feeble and clueless leader who could not control
his cronies and all that. But again, if truth be told PMB is more feeble and
clueless than GET, PMB cronies are stealing blindly from the national treasury
and PMB is looking away the other side. Jesus Christ said to the believers that
all of them that they have problems should run to Him for cover of blessings
but, PMB is telingl all corrupt persons in the land should run to him so that
he would set them free, what an irony of a tale of two cities. Nigerians are
really suffering under this administration of PMB in all fronts. Only God
Himself will bail the down trodden masses out from the clueless policies dished
out from the APC Next Level band wagon.
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