Don tasks journalists on need to make leaders accountable

A university teacher, Prof. Anthony Kola-Olusanya, has urged journalists to be more critical in the monitoring and appraisal of government activities as they play vital role in the development and survival of the current democratic journey.

He noted that the media by virtue of their role and position have the weapon to expose and call the rulers to order from arbitrariness, urging them to raise the stake of holding public officials accountable for Nigeria to make progress.

The professor of Environment and Sustainability from Osun State University spoke as a guest speaker at a public lecture organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Chapter, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of democracy in Nigeria.

The don, who recalled the noble role played by the Fourth Estate of the Realm in the struggle for the nation’s independence and during the military era, stressed that the media should do more now to put the leadership on their toes.

Kola-Olusanya, an activist and Director, Inter-campus and Public Affairs, UNIOSUN, spoke on the theme, “Democracy @20: Analysing Emerging Trends in Nigeria’s Democratic Journey.”

The state governor, Gboyega Oyetola, described Nigeria’s democracy as a developing one, insisting that the nation’s democratic journey should not be totally condemned.

Oyetola, represented by the Head of Service, Dr. Oyebade Olowogboyega, said: “Nigeria’s democracy can be said to be in tertiary institution waiting for graduation. We should not assume that everything has failed.”

Also, Chairman of NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr. Olaniyi Ajibola, said the statutory obligation of newsmen as Fourth Estate of the Realm necessitated the lecture.

“As newsmen, we observe, report and regularly analyse, investigate and probe the pattern of democratic governance through the mirror of human capital development and physical growth. It is on that basis that we set agenda for public discourse and national conversation for the purpose of holding the political class accountable to the people.

Meanwhile, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbduRasheed Adewale Akanbi, encouraged the youths to move from the old ways of doing things and to contribute their quota to nation’s development.