Nigeria media urged to vet potential leaders by Human Rights lawyer
By Correspondent Chinyere Ogbonna – The Nigerian media have been challenged to investigate people called to leadership positions in the country. This is the only way the most populous black nation in the world can ensure that better leaders are found in positions of authority.
A Human Rights Lawyer and former President of the West African Bar Association, Mr. Femi Falana made the point while fielding questions at this year’s Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Lagos Chapter at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja in Lagos, South-West Nigeria.
Mr Falana urged the NUJ to monitor their colleagues in government. He appealed to the media that they must not have standards for the government in the discharge of their duties. The human rights lawyer blamed d media for what he called being generous to some public figures. He called on the media to call some of their colleagues to order. Mr Falana advised the media to always be truthful in their reportage. The human rights lawyer blamed lack of infrastructure in the country to wasteful spending by government and legislators.
He condemned the idea of building residential houses for legislators stressing that such money would have been channelled to providing infrastructure for Nigerians.
He charged the Nigerian media to continue to fight corruption in the land to a standstill by exposing corrupt leaders.
The human rights lawyer called on the Nigerian media to re-visit d privatization programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria with particular reference to the sell of the Daily Times Newspaper.
