The Panelists of a panel session organised by Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria in partnership with the International Press Institute (IPI) highlighted critical challenges bedeviling the media and strategies for strengthening media resilience in Africa.
Newsconnect reports that the Panelists at the Africa International Human Rights Film Festival include Founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) Fisayo Soyombo, Nompilo Simanje
Africa Advocacy and Partnerships Lead at IPI, Kehinde Adegboyega
Human Rights Defender and Executive Director of Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria. While the moderator is
Blessing Oladunjoye
Publisher of BONews, a platform focusing on underrepresented groups.
In an interview with Kehinde Adegboyega, The Executive Director of HRJN after the panel session opined that even if is just to rant, we need to let it out that journalists are being repressed while doing their job.
“Journalists are just doing their job asking basic questions. We are suppose to speak out and hold government accountable on press freedom.
“If there can be s day to end impunity against journalist by African Union, then fight for press freedom by Journalists can’t be overemphasized .
“Journalists need to be safe to hold government accountable, to speak up. The oppress can’t determine how I will cry. When people are feeling repressed, gnashing under bad economy policy, Freedom of the press must be emphasized especially on International Human rights day like this.
“The media should creatively see how they can gather opportunities and resources from the digital platforms to ensure they are sustainable and not relying on Politicians that they need to hold accountable”. He said
Fisayo Soyombo mentioned his recent detention by Nigeria military while doing his job as an investigative journalist. He clarified that he didn’t have an issue with the army, he said the army had an issue with him.
In his words, he said;
“I was just doing my job as a journalist but they didn’t initially know that I was an investigative journalist but after a while, I told them, gave them proofs, they still kept me in detention.
“I will still be in detention by now if that Information didn’t get out. Independent journalism is under threat. To work as a Journalist in this country, you need to be courageous.
“Courage is what you need. As a journalist you should be talking about ethics, balance, rigour of your story. You should not be thinking about consequences of publishing a story, and how to keep yourself alive after publishing a story.
“As an independent journalist, an investigative journalist you can’t live a normal life. You can’t go to club, go to parties. The house address of lots of journalists are everywhere.
“For every story you do that ruffle feathers, there are new security threats. The analysis is continuous”. He said
Nompilo Simanje
Africa Advocacy and Partnerships Lead at IPI, with expertise in media freedom, access to information, and tech law among other things talked about the importance of every independent journalists having a lawyer. That many independent journalists don’t have personal lawyers to defend them when oppressed and repressed.