SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THE POLITICS OF NIGERIA JOURNALISM

NKEBEM SAMUEL SOLOMON
11/MAC/088

In our society today, one observes that just as the freedom of expression or information bill is being ill-treated by our law-makers, so too the freedom of the press has suffered the most from those in leadership. Side by side with freedom of expression is aimed at the enhancement of the common good. it is to actually do the right thing at the right time. In the Nigeria society, some journalist find it difficult to speak or die for the truth. In other words, some have lost the sense of responsibility they owe to the populace and the profession.
Examining social responsibility
The commission on freedom of the press considers social responsibility as a moral and ideological responsibility of an individual, or government, or group to society. This responsibility can either be refraining to act, or acting for the good of that particular society. Generally, in the Nigeria context we can talk about social responsibility which is to do something beneficial for the society, or simply put, to be proactive. However, it could be stated that it is very much voluntary, and goes beyond what is required by the law. It usually means facing a problem head-on and being proactive, or just getting angry about the problem. The adage that says being part of the solution and not the problem rings true in this case.
Basically, the main objective of social responsibility could be eliminating corruption, irresponsible of unethical behavior that might bring harm to the community, its people, or the environment, preferably before the behavior happens. In Nigeria however, the restrictions against freedom of expression with respect to journalism are notorious, and goes beyond ‘sensitive issues.’ Most media writers especially(poor) political writers place themselves under a lot of scrutiny when write pieces that are critical of the government or its policies. They are subject to such repressive laws, which almost immediately places everything as a secret, which means you are unable to report on it, and the yearly submissions for your license is a nerve wrecking affair that plunges most of them in despair.
Freedom of information creates an avenue for society, most importantly in the government. Though this public officials are held accountable through criticisms that can pone the way for their replacement through fair and due process. Naturally, being responsible for our actions, by being a accountable, is very important. However, in the Nigeria context, being responsible with this free speech is often, in my view, a means of keeping quiet. But the fact is that, when citizens are afraid to lend a voice to their discontent, it is usually because they fear retribution, making the government unresponsive to them, and thus the government becomes less accountable for its actions.
So the question we know ask is: How is freedom of speech made tangible in our society? And how does it move from being a vague concept? It is made tangible in circumstances where views from all sectors of society, majority and minority are heard. This information is then disseminated through all forms of media in the general digital, print and so forth. In a situation like ours where a large urban Population now have access to the internet, we have seen a huge increase in the blogging and utilization of new media to promote social responsibility and freedom of expression. Some of us might have heard of bloggers like Reuben Abati, Okey Debia, and lots of others who are largely political commentators on the internet. Politicians are often found cursing at bloggers even in parliament, when more time could be used discussing more pressing matters, like “where is all our money going to?”
Conclusion
We have been able to state the notion of social responsibility as it affect media writing, but I want to conclude here by inviting us to contemplate on a poem keeps me in focus my responsibilities as a journalist, and a citizen of a country to continue exercising the rights to express myself and be socially responsible, by Rev. Martin Niemoller: “first they came for the communist, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn’t speak up, because I was a protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me.

NKEBEM SAMUEL SOLOMON

Sir, here is my assignment

LOVE

LOVE

 

STORY BY AKPOSI BLESSING OUT

REG NO:     12/MAC/015

 

Lost and drifting in  time,

The captain gives the hour glass a turn.

Its been months that the ship has wandered the weaves,

Each dip is followed by a swelling rise

Each ay becomes another journal’s page

“another day lost at sea” is how the book tends to flow

 

The crew dreams at night, the distant memories flow.

They’re brought back to a better time.

A lover’s kiss or a gilded page

In a family bible fill their heads, each in turn

But once the morning light rise,

Their joy is drowned beneath the weaves

 

Such was life without you. But your love brought waves of joy that sent my sorrows on to flow

Out and away. I let my aspirations rise and cherished each sweet second of the time we had together. This was our turn to be happy.

Your love was the pen and my heart was the page

 

And so the ink dipped and blothed the journal’s page

The crewman cried, “land ho!” and beyond wind & laves,

The sight of golden shores make each sailor’s eyes turn skyward upward, thankful prayers flows,

From salt-cracked lips, move used for cursing those in recent times forgiveness seemed mutual as the crew heard the Cry of seegulls rise

Now home for years, each day he would rise and look anew on his journal’s last, unfinished page

The captain remembers  not the dreary, hopeless time, but rather the harbour’s colours in the breeze. “it waves for me, “he thinks, and onward the years flow.

No one is so forsaken that their fortune cannot turn.

 

And so I bless the day we met, for it makes the turn of my sadness to joy, my spirits rise

With passions that flows

From my heart onto this page

You rescued me from being tossed about on misery’s waves

May our love that saved me out last even time

 

In life’s great book, we turn together each golden page side by side, we rise above the mountains, together we dive beneath the weaves

Our ship may flow where it will, but my heart will be yours for all the time.

 

THE MAGIC KITCHEN

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THE MAGIC KITCHEN

 

STORY BY:       OKPE, JUDE EMEKA

REG NO:          12/MAC/099

 

Once upon a time, they was a family that stays somewhere in Lagos. Mr Amadi, his wife and his little son junior and okon being their house boy. One day Mr Amadi came back from work very tired he now called.

 

Mr Amadi:          Okon, Okon

Okon:                (ran out of the kitchen before answering ogar) am here

Mr Amadi:          Where have you been that I have been calling you?

Okon:                Ogar you no go understand, that kitchen o.

Mr. Amadi:         You will not understand what, is there anything in that kitchen that makes people not to talk?

Okon:                Oga if you dey that kitchen, you no go fit talk

Mr. Amadi:        Stupid boy it’s a lie

Okon:                Ok oga try make we see na enter the kitchen make I ask you questions.

Eventually madam came in and was asking what the problem is and Okon briefed her

Okon:                “Oga that shoe and pant wey dey your pigeon hole for motor who get am?

Mr. Amadi:        Oga could not respond

Okon:                Oga that mama Nneka daughter were you dey carry come house if madam dey shop, na your sister?

Mr. Amadi:         Oga could not answer and came out of the kitchen sweating all over his body.

Madam:             Useless man, so this is what you have been doing if am not around. You will see today, am leaving these house for you and that girl.

Okon:                Madam even you enter there you no go fit talk too and she now said okay let me enter and see what is closing peoples mouth in the kitchen and then she went inside he ask her,

Okon:                Madam is oga the true father of junior?

Madam:             there was no response from the kitchen

Okon:                Madam, that day wey oga travel were you been no sleep wey you dey come back for morning?

Madam:             no answer and okon asked again

Okon:                Madam you don tell oga say your small brother dey come sleep for oga bedroom some times if oga travel?

Madam:             she angrily left the kitchen and ran out to her room, oga followed her angrily.

Okon:                Una don see watin I dey talk?

 

STORY: THE MAN WHO DID NOT WANT TO DIE:

A STORY BY:

NAME: ENI, NDODEYE IKPI

REG NO. 12/MAC/045:

 

Long, long ago there lived a man called Ego. His surname meant millionaire, ” but although he was not rice as that, he was still very far from being poor. He had inherited a small fortune from his father and lived on that, spending his time carelessly without any serious thoughts of work, until he was about thirty-two years of age.

              One day, without any reason whatsoever, the thought of death and sickness came to him. The idea of falling ill or dying made him very wretched.

             ” i should like to live,” he said to himself, till i am five or six hundred years old at least, free from all sickness. The ordinary span of a man’s live is very short.

               He wondered whether it were possible by living simply and frugally henceforth, to prolong his life as long as he wished.

He knew there were many stories in ancient history of emperors who had lived a thousand years, and there was a princess of Yamato, who, it was said, died at the age of five hundred. This was the latest story of a very long life record.

            Ego had often heard that the tale of Chinese King named Shin-no-Shiko. He was one of the most able and powerful rulers in Chinese history. He built all the large palaces, and also the famous Great Wall of China. He had everything in the world he could wish for, but in spite of all his happiness, the luxury, the splendor of his Court, the wisdom of his councilors and the glory of his reign, he was miserable because he knew that one day he would die and leave it all.

             Shin-no-Shiko went to bed at night and rose the next morning, the thought of death occurred to him. He could not get away from it. Ah! if only he could find the “Elixir of life, he would be happy. The emperor at last called a meeting of his Courtiers and asked them all if they could not find for him the ” Elixir of life” of which he had so often read and heard.

            One old courtiers, Jofuku by name, said that far away across the seas there was a country called horaizan, and the certain hermits lived there who possessed the secret of the “Elixir of Life”whoever drank some of this wonderful draught lived forever. The Emperor ordered Jofuku to set out for the land of Horaizan, to find the hermits, and to bring him a phial of the magic elixir. He gave Jofuku one of his best junks, fitted it out for him, and loaded it with great quantities of treasures and precious stones for Jofuku to take as present to the hermits. Jofuk sailed for the land of Horaizan, but he never returned to the waiting Emperor; ever since that time Mount Fuji has been said to be the fabled Horaizan and the home of hermits who had the secret of elixir, and Jofuku has been worshiped as their patron god.  

              Now Ego was determined to set out to find the hermits, and if he could, become one, so that he might obtain the water of perpetual life.He remembered that as a child he had been told that not only did this hermit live on mount fuji, but that there were said to inhabit the very high peaks. so he left his own home in the care of his elatives, and started out on his quest. He traveled through all the mountainous regions of the land, climbing to the top of the highest peaks, but never did he find the hermit. 

            At last, after wandering in a unknown region for many days he came back without the elixir of life.

                                                         THE END

 

Title: Above all powers Artist: Women of faith Album: Gospel song

NAME: IKPI, BASSEY ENANG

REG. NO: 12/MAC/062

Verse I
Above all powers
Above all Kings
Above all nature
And all created things
Above all wisdom
Above all the ways of man
You were here
Before the world began

Verse II
Above all Kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders
The world has ever known
Above all wealth
And treasures of the earth
There’s no way to measure
What you’re worth

Chorus
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all……

THE CHALLENGE OF CHILD TRAINING TODAY AND CHILD ABUSE/CHILD RIGHT

NAME: ENEBIENI JENNY ACHOM

REG. NO: 12/MAC/043

As you likely know, this real life situation illustrates that in many families, child training is not going well. The reason vary some parents, permissively leave their children to their own devices thinking that children should be raised in a spirit of freedom because their lives are so busy, parents may not take the time to give their children careful attention and needed training. Some parent feel that their children school is the most important thing. So they give the child almost unlimited freedom as long as he/she gets good grades in school and gets into a prestigious college. Yet, some say that the value of parents and society in general need to be adjusted. The argue that children are becoming involved in crimes of every kind and school violence is escalating day by day. Hence, a principal of a middle school in Seoul, Republic of Korea, emphasized that personality training should have priority. He said “After you build a fine character comes who impute of knowledge”. Many parent who want their children to enter college and succeed in life turn a deaf ear to cautioning voices. If you are a parent, what kind of person do you want your child to be? An adult with a sense of morality and responsibility. Someone who is considerate of others, who is adaptable and who has a positive spirit? If so, please consider the following:
• Example from parent is the best education. A chairman of the Seoul Board of Education said “example in word and deed is the best child education”. If parent do not set a good example in speech and conduct and give their child specific instruction, the child will quickly assume they are hypocritical. The parent’s words will lose their effect.
• Keep the lines of communication open: It is stated that children early become accustomed to communicating with their parents. Otherwise, when the children are adolescent and perhaps face problems, they will not think of their parents as friends who they can talk to.
• Discipline based on love is essential: To get good result, your manner of giving loving discipline is important. How is it that parent can “irritate their children”? If the discipline does not fit the seriousness of the mistake or if it is given in highly critical way, children will resist. Discipline should in all cased be given love.
• Wholesome recreation has value: Leisure time and wholesome, balanced recreation are necessary for the mind and body of a child to develop. When parents enjoy recreation with their children, family ties are strengthened and the children gain a sense of security.
• Help your children make good friends: The importance of choice of friends cannot be overemphasized. One bad friend can destroy all the work you’ve done. Parent can help their children choose good friends by asking wisely. Who is your closest friend? Why do you like him/her? Or you can arrange for your child to meet close friends home, you then observe them and give your child appropriate guidance. Train up a child in the way he/she should go, and when he grow up, he will not depart form it”.

CHILD ABUSE/CHILD RIGHT
Child abuse refers to a situation ere children are forced to work abuse their capabilities and strength, child labour is the employment in full time, occupations of children. These two related societal ills are noticed mostly in the developing countries. As a result of these ills, children who are mostly under the ages of eighteen suffer human treatments and are denied their rights such children are subjected to such dehumanizing labours, drug peddlers, force labour, sex workers etc.
In rural areas, most people engage in this ills act of ignorance. They are not aware of the fact that this is a societal ill and the dangers of engaging in it. And since they are not formally educated, such parent sees no reason why their children should pursue same.
It is true that a few of the children are abused and ignored because of the desire by their parent to a mass wealth. Those in this group own shops and super market but still send their own children or those of other to hawk articles from their large shops.
Why most of the children who are potential leaders be exposed to such dangers? These are children who as any other citizens have equal human right. The reason adduced from those who engage in this act may sound convincing but the disinteresting consequences cannot be ignored.
Some of these consequences are: these children are forced into unimaginable bad acts given the slightest opportunity. This is for the singular reason that such children have no one to care, guide and counsel them. Such children end up as armed robbers, dupes, drug addicts, cheats etc as they learn these bad habit form the peers who also have been abuse and labored. On the parts of girls, most of them engaged in premarital sex, they end up either with unwanted pregnancy or contract sexual transmitted diseases (STDs).
The most dreaded of these is HIV/AIDs. These pregnancies are either aborted with the attendance consequences of death, or the end up giving birth to bastards who ends us as threats to the society. Above all abused children end as menace and threats to the society.
They are denied their right in the society. To save out children form all forms of abuse, the child rights as adopted in 1990 by the African Union (AU) have been spelt out as favours:
– Every child has the right to live and be allowed to survive and develop.
– Every child is entitled to a name, family and nationality
– Every child is free to belong to any association or assembly according to the law.
– Every child is entitled to adequate rest, recreation (leisure and play) according to his/her age and culture.
– Every child has the right to express opinions and freely communicate them on only issues subject to restriction under the law.
– Every child (both sexes) is entitled to receive compulsory basic education and equal opportunity for higher education depending on individual ability.
– Every child is entitled to good health, protection from illness and proper medical attention for survival, personal growth and development.
– Every child must be protected form indecent and human treatment through sexual exploitation, drug abuse, child labour, torture, maltreatment and neglect.
– Every child should suffer any discrimination irrespective of ethnic, origin, birth, colour, sex, language, religion, political and social beliefs, stratus or disability.
Always remember that the only thing a parent can give to a child is quality and sound training. Children’s right are human right, lets rise up and safeguard our children our hope for tomorrow. Thank you.

HIP HOP: SEE YOU AGAIN

NAME: ODEN, GODSWIL S.

REG. NO: 12/MAC/084

Enter Chorus
Oh my Dad (x2)… why you leave me
Oh my Mum (x2)… why you leave me
Oh my head, oh my head in the family…
Where you day now… shey I fit see you again.

Rap 1
Dear mama, you gat to understand me I’ve tried the life I can,… cos I came from broken family, my uncle use to touch me I never told you back… say what you mind took I’ve gat the homies back… I keep it deep inside and let the few my anger, I’m down for my homies no mercy will be slept but am believing on my strength, is sixteen will be stract, is all I still back then I trap, them I live in hell,…
I shouldn’t let them catch me… instead of living inside the jail I couldn’t die free happy, and my soul make strick on the down, but best on ramazon… you can hear it ass hold getting down…
They made me an animal… can’t sleep is better going shit niggers gone dynable (dynable)…

Enter Chorus
Oh my Dad (x2)… why you leave me
Oh my Mum (x2)… why you leave me
Oh my head, oh my head in the family…
Where you day now… shey I fit see you again.

Rap 2
Dear mama, am counting very breadth am better cos I’m dieing so much, I haven’t seen, I know you never dreamed your baby will be death at it… I get beef for this society that doesn’t give a shit. And they too quick to say good bye to me… bye to me… and tell me bitches death for me he’s a cook with the fuck that mother fucker that never cared for me…
Here’s only have to be sure I’ve the trap about the crime he’s committing on the poor and how can this people judge me… make me beers on the know me sheers they never loved me I never gat to be a man must be part of some big plan you nigger have the state black.. and to my homies have the varies mother fucker…… stay clear have the varies mother fucker…… cos once they gat me locked up… they gat me trapped… you better holes cam shark HA!… un-convine of they way… stay shark back again… back again…? Will I wouldn’t know while I was back they now I straight heading for a chance… sixteen on the dead raw.
Oh my Dad (x2)… why you leave me
Oh my Mum (x2)… why you leave me
Oh my head, oh my head in the family…
Where you day now… shey I fit see you again.
REPEAT CHORUS

THE END

THE ESSENCE OF E-LIBRARY IN CRUTECH

NAME: LUCKY JAMES UDO

DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION

FACULTY OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

REG. NO. 12/MAC/127

ARTICLE ON THE ESSENCE OF E-LIBRARY IN CRUTECH ESPECIALLY IN MASS COMMUNICATION DEPT. (CT)

 

INTRODUCTION

        Student all over the world have come to realized that the basic way of learning is the vital thing in the world of nowadays, for the cause of this, scientists, researchers, and creative thinkers have surmone the easiest way of learning by inventing and creating the most innovative facilities for learning.

        Good way of learning can be achieve by the most advance facilities being implement especially, the use of E-library which can enhance the learning process simple and user-friendly to some of the student who find it hard to study either by reading, assimilating or inability things that has been taught by a lecturer.

        Due to standardization in our educational sector of the world and in order to meet up the basic learning processes with other part of the world. The implementation of the latest technology is highly mandatory and recommended which can help in curbing the insurmountable and egregious learning ability in the life of students. So, i will foster for the need of providing E-library in the school campus with adequate computers and creating the use of it, especially in mass communication department.

        To start with a full detail about E-library, what is E-library? E-library is a library in which collections are stored in digital formats as opposed to print, microform or other media and accessible via computers. The digital comment may be stored locally, or accessed remotely via computer networks.

 

VISION FOR BUILDING E-LIBRARY IN MASS COMMUNICATION

        Our vision for building E-library in the department of mass communication is that we as the student of communication technology, lack material in our field of study, we lack resources, we lack textbook in our school library. This is the time that we mass communication student must be functional and quantitative student which with serve as the catalyst for development, job, exaction, poverty alleviation and as a foundation for our envisage communication technology and industrial revolution.

        To achieved the designed functionality and quality in our department, this sector which is the main determinant of our collective future must be totally reorganised our strategy is to build a quality E-library that will be mainly use in our department since we can’t get enough information in our library, in terms of assignment term paper, research work, and project work etc.

        E-library is growing highly in many institution and it has come to a time that (CRUTECH) must see the possibility of implementing this method in each of the department to make learning very easy. Since 21^st century comes with everything being use in a computerize way, we must not be behind, by following the standard way of doing things, our institution will also be rank as the best university. Things must be done in the way it suppose to be, not by embezzlement of money that suppose to be use in infrastructure of our insalubrious structures.

        The main key advantages of this e-library is base on the flexibility, connection which must be available and at one’s own pace, not a situation whereby, we as the student of (CRUTECH) cannot have access to our wireless network (W.F). we the student of mass communication have come to the level of maturing whereby, our need’s must be provided and things must be put in places because we merit it.

        The e-library will be base on mass communication department material, like journal, articles, latest news in the campus and the world at large. The textbook will be mainly on PDF format which will be published through department blog that is about to be build.

 

In conclusion, the demand for E-library is growing day by day. As a result, library services have taken on another dimension. Libraries and academicians should collaborate to evaluate and provide links no authoritative web resources related to programmes and courses taught, not in mass communication department but the entire school. They may develop a portal for providing a seamless integrated access to e-collections. The enabling technology infrastructures for building a virtual library must include stable electricity and upgrading or installing a high speed internet connection to support a variety of services, such as was servers, such as proxy servers for remote access, FTP servers for up warding and downloading large file, with appropriate digital library software, system librarians need to be trained or employed.

THE THRILLING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SUG AND MANAGEMENT OF CRUTECH

NAME: EBAN ABIGAIL BLESSING

REG. NO: 12/MAC/025

“Just like the two wheels of a motorcycle that aids its movement frequently”. The Cross River University of Technology and its Students Union Government body operate as a team now.
Five years ago, the school management use to operate separately from the SUG body and this brought about pandemonium and anarchy amongst the students which led to several riots and social vices in the campus.
The school management was later addressed by his Excellency Governor Liyel Imoke, the executive governor of Cross River State on his visit to a convocation ceremony in the school. These were his word’, the state is determined more than ever to quis quality education to the teering youth in the state, so the management should always know the needs of the students and meet up with them”. This spurred the management to action an extent but the agitations of the students only kept them in the mind of the management but they found it difficult to give them a listening ear.
Last year during Ekong Ika’s tenure as the SUG president, based on fee increment, the students due to the deaf ear given to them by the management had no choice but to demonstrate to the governor’s office which led to the dissolution of Ekong Ika’s led exco.
The VC of the institution came to realize all these fault and the issue have been redressed event tot eh extent of the management choosing or influencing the leadership of the SUG of CRUTECH till date in other to meet up with needs of the students and to work as a team and to speak with one voice.
Above all, the VC must be commended in terms of employment of lecturers, admitting of students and for upgrading the school to a greater height. Infact VC has given students the sense of belonging in the state more that students form other institution. Kudos! Prof Ene-obong.