Osinbajo blames decline in media on absence of vision, poor finance

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has blamed the lack of vision, poor state of finances and selfish interests for the decline in the media industry.

Osinbajo, who spoke at the renowned journalist, Kadaria Ahmed’s 50th birthday in Lagos at the weekend, blamed the poor state of media on the inability of players in the industry to visionalise business models to thrive the sector.

According to him, “without the struggles of our finest journalists, we wouldn’t have this democracy today. The Nigerian contemporary press is in battle of confidence today.

“The press has always reminded us of what happened in the past, I don’t think we have any archive on our history and events in a defined platform which is not good enough for us as a nation.”

He, however, lauded the courage of few individuals in journalism who have refused to be bought or trodden down.

He said: “We need a few people who are dedicated to the same course. I am not talking of a political platform but those who believe the country can be better, who believe in values that have helped other nations. Kadaria belongs to that group of people.”

In the same vein, the Chief Executive Officer of Channels Television, John Momoh, who also praised Kadaria, charged other journalists to follow her step to stand for the truth.

Meanwhile, a social media influencer and a blogger, Japheth Omojuwa, who posited that the falling state of the media is not good for Nigeria, said: “There is a big problem now. We are all collective players in this reality. Let us have a definition of what we want, do we have a vision for education in Nigeria that Nigerians agree with.”