*Slander Against Delta State Official
The new genuine professional zeal and desire championed by hardworking Nigerian journalists to evolve the new media popularly known as internet news outlet appears headed for the ruins, as more unscrupulous individuals and mushrooming outfits now exploit the platform for scam, blackmail and extortion.
Sharpedgenews.com’s investigations revealed that the menace of quackery which has always dogged conventional news reporting in Nigeria has now found its way to the hitherto disciplined body of online journalism.
According to reports, some individuals who have mischievous plans have now started sending messages, mostly text and e-mails, to targeted executives whom they often tell that they have stories and reports to which they are “always open for discussions”, so that such could not circulate on the internet. Also, they scare corporate and government officials to give them advertisement deals which they have seen on leading outlets such as sharpedgenews.com, pointblanknews.com, AfricanExaminer.com, and other such foreign-based Nigerian news outlets. They often warn such officials that if their co-operation could not be secured, they would “splash” scandalous stories on them.
The pioneers of online journalism like Jackson Ude, Oladimeji Abitogun and Sunday Fashe never intended the game to be hijacked by misfits. They had always dreamt of on-line journalism as an organized sub-sector capable of existing alongside newspapers, radio, television and others. And they remain committed to this vision. They are leading lights of journalism who operate from the United States and employ colleagues in Nigeria, they award scholarships for students in the Universities and even get pro-active on how to make Nigeria work.
For example, the editor-in-chief and publisher of sharpedgenews.com, Oladimeji Abitogun is legally blind, but in spite of his challenges, he is everywhere and can be seen talking on issues of peace, education and developmental news reports.
The case of the Director of Multi-Lateral Relations for Delta State who was recently smeared in the online edition of Weekly Trust comes to mind in buttressing the reality of how such misguided media fraudsters now employ internet journalism to damage people’s name and hard-earned reputation.
Weekend Trust had gone online to make a false report that the Director of Multi-Lateral Relations of Delta State, who oversees operations of the Delta State Liason Office in Abuja, was one of those arrested and is being investigated for drug-related offences.
The truth is that Honorable Gloria Okolugbo was never arrested or investigated for any crime, much less of a serious crime such as drug-running, diplomatic passport forgery and visa racketeering.
Okolugbo explained her travails and concerns to the media in Abuja on Monday.
Her words: “My esteemed Nigerian journalists within the country and in the Diaspora, I wish to thank you all for the publicity you have given me and the Delta State so fa. Do please keep up the good work.
“My attention has been drawn to a publication on page 11 of the Weekly Trust Newspaper dated Saturday October 15th, 2011. Indeed the online version was widely circulated via a Blackberry link that was being around all through the weekend.
“The Article, “Delta State Commissioner Nabbed Over Cocaine possession”, written by one Shehu Abubakar and Monday Osayande is in bad taste and we see it as a calculated attempt capable of rubbishing the hard work put in by hard working Nigerians because of the unscrupulous activities of one or two Nigerians.
“Gentlemen of the Press, sometime last week, my colleague the Honorable Commissioner Information (of Delta State) had requested from me an input to enable him address this wild rumor. Having briefed him, he painstakingly gave accurate information of what happened to the journalists. It is unfortunate therefore that of all the journalists who made enquiries on the matter, this bundle of falsehood emanated from the stables of Weekly Trust.
“Ladies and gentlemen , it came to our attention sometime in August 2011 that in the course of carrying out investigations on some persons who were arrested for some international crime, the persons had alluded to the fact that they were Officials of Delta State Government.
“Further investigation still at the preliminary stage showed that they were not officials of Delta State, but linkages to access to forged documents were traced. As I speak to you, no employee in my office has either travelled or been arrested for being in possession of cocaine. Only one person within the regular civil service system of protocol was invited for questioning in connection with the falsification of documents, (and) he is still helping in investigations to enable them track who has been issued what and by whom.
“He is co -operating in the investigations is ongoing. My Office does not issue diplomatic pass ports.
“It is embarrassing, therefore, that after the Honorable Commissioner of Information had revealed that what had happened was a clear case of impersonation, these persons still went (ahead) to press with this gross falsehood. I am worried that they did not consider the implication of such wild allegations within the International Community and our collective image as a people and Delta State in particular.
“The Directorate of Multi Lateral Relations & Abuja Office is a new creation by the Delta State Governor, mandated to oversee the activities of the Delta State Liaison Office. Since I came on board in July 2011, we have completely computerized the process of issuing Identification to indigenes of Delta State.
“In addition, the new Directorate in my 100 days has liaised closely with embassies and international organizations. Recently an embassy approached us with a document that was forged not from my office but had to do with Delta State and we quickly identified and informed them that it was forged documents.
“I use this opportunity to urge stakeholders who wish to transact business with Delta State or handle transactions with us (that) our Office is open to such persons for verifications, investigations of intent and for whatever purpose as long as it affects Delta State.
Liaison Offices amongst other things are meant to aide indigenes of states to get Identification certificates. Now, however, we have put so many checks and balances so that Delta state is not party to fraud and falsifications. The indigene-ship of Delta State is the exclusive of our state; we keep data backed up with biometrics. We are also putting a lot of things in place. Scams are international problems not just to Delta State, so I urge us all to be careful in our write-ups.
“I will not end this without calling on the management of Weekly Trust to look at the implication and urgently publish a retraction of same as widely as they circulated the first online publication. Countries are watching and reading our write-ups. We have berated ourselves by setting the diplomatic and green passport backwards.
“This publication has caused embarrassment for our people. The target may be Delta but the implications runs far beyond. I sue for your co-operation and responsible reportage and in all my interaction with the media, I have never had any such experience. Do not allow a few to rubbish the reputation of the Nigerian press who have worked so hard for our nation.
“My Directorate will excel if we all join hands. I count on the Nigerian Press for a smooth working operation. Once again I thank you all.