PRESS FREEDOM DEPEENS DEMOCRACY… By Cletus Opukeme

“No amount of threat, harassment and blackmail will stop us from carrying out our responsibilities as investigative journalists to dig out the rots in government and their ministries as well as villages and worship centers where more atrocities are being perpetrated and go unreported”.... Opukeme

“The government should protect the operation of independent media agencies and their journalistic freedom. ”.

“Journalists are integral parts in government. Therefore, ensure their freedom; Freedom to do their vital work and to serve the people”.

The role of the media or journalists in developing countries cannot be over-emphasized, especially in Nigeria, as the nation needs genuine and robust uninterrupted journalism to report both the government and the governed. 

This was the assertion of Cletus Opukeme, a season journalist and publisher in a statement issued on Friday, 12 June 2020 to commemorate his birthday, which also coincides with the now acknowledged date set aside to celebrate the re-birth of Democracy in Nigeria.

According to Opukeme, “Journalists are the mirror of any society and are described as the fourth realm of the estate”. 

In his statement, Opukeme who is also the Publisher of Daily Watch Newspaper, said “Journalists are considered the fourth organ of any government because they played a pivotal role in the overall development and the growth of the society apart from the executive, legislature and judiciary in government”.

He said; “But in developing countries in Africa, especially in Nigeria, today, journalists are harassed, detained, tortured and killed for doing their job. They have had enough fair share in a profession less appreciated by both the oppressors and the oppressed in the country”. 

“Why I choose to mark my birthday celebration with an official statement on press freedom in Nigeria and Africa is because, in the last two weeks as a journalist who report the news, I would have been killed”.

“However, God spared my life for reasons best known Him. I narrowly escaped an abduction and assassination attempt by killer-policemen, alleged to have come from Inspector General of police, Abuja, capital of Nigeria, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, which to the best of my knowledge were sent by Nigerian most richest former governor and Minister of Niger Delta and supervisory Minister of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Godswill Akpabio over my discrete investigation and reportage of financial misappropriation in the commission of billions squandered”. 

“My life was threatened by both police and hired assassins to eliminate me. Since that day, last two weeks, I have been away from home, hiding for my life suffering in the mosquito-infested creeks of Niger Delta as a journalist from the creek as Ijaw man”.

“The policemen arrested six journalists in manhunt for me”, he stated. 

“I thank my supporters who prayed for my survival, especially both local and International media as well as human rights lawyers who volunteered to defend me and other journalists in Warri NUJ office”.

“In a democratic state, if a journalists had published or reported an offensive report, the best and most appropriate thing to do is to sue him before a competent court of law for the court to decide whether the published contents are libelous or not”.        

“A free press makes for a free society. The work journalists do is crucial for everyone in Nigeria; and the law should never silence the truth”. 

“Journalists are integral parts in government. Therefore, I am calling on the government to ensure their freedom; Freedom to do their vital work and to serve the people”.

“They need your support to make the government listen.  Rise up with them and sign up to make Nigeria a free and open society”. 

“Ensure that media houses are allowed to operate independently and journalists in government owned media houses enjoy the right to freedom of expression and can carry out their job without fear of reprisals”.  

“The government should protect the operation of independent media agencies and their journalistic freedom. Nigeria will move forward, if the media is not censored wrongly to cover their misdeeds in government”. 

“We in Daily Watch Newspaper, I want to say, no amount of threat, harassment and blackmail will stop us from carrying out our responsibilities as investigative journalists to dig out the rots in government and their ministries as well as villages and worshipping centers where more atrocities are being perpetrated and go unreported”. 

“We urge the government to train and instruct the police and other security forces to protect journalists and other media professionals and refrain from harassing, intimidating, arbitrarily arresting journalists  and raiding media houses”.

“Publicly acknowledge the important role of journalists in informing the public and promoting human rights and accountability of leaders in Nigeria”. 

“At the moment, I am still being haunted by the Nigerian police for reasons yet to be made public. I am sending this press statement from my hideout”.

“Therefore, I appeal to my fans and friends who want to celebrate my birthday to write the #PolicetelluscrimeofCletusOpukeme? as part of your birthday message to join me to fight for press freedom in the country”.