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The Nigerian Press Under the Military - Joan Shorenstein Center on ...

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pictures of Nigeria: he said Nigeria was <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> freest<br />

country in A{rica; that its iudiciary was <strong>on</strong>e of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

most independent; that Babangida was sincere; that<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> presidential electi<strong>on</strong> was corrupted by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

supposed winner; that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> electi<strong>on</strong> did not represent<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> will of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g> people; that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

press was corrupt and that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> press in Nigeria did not<br />

represent <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> majority because <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> largest circulating<br />

newspaper, <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Daily Times, was read by <strong>on</strong>ly 60,000<br />

in a country of 100 milli<strong>on</strong>. For full text, See Gregory<br />

Copley, Testim<strong>on</strong>y Beforc <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Subcommittee <strong>on</strong><br />

Africa, August 4, 1993, pages 1-15.<br />

I24.InNigeria, a decree was to be promulgated which<br />

made it a fel<strong>on</strong>y to refer to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> fune 12 electi<strong>on</strong>.<br />

125. Chief Ernest Sh<strong>on</strong>ekan is a civilian and close ally<br />

of President Babangida, a successful businessman,<br />

chairman of Babangida's transiti<strong>on</strong>.<br />

126. Ata September 1993 recepti<strong>on</strong> in his h<strong>on</strong>or in<br />

Bost<strong>on</strong>, this writer asked Ambassador Carringt<strong>on</strong> why<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> United States was making its ambassador present<br />

credentials to an illegitimate and un-elected government<br />

imposed by a military government that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> U.S.<br />

pressured out of office. Carringt<strong>on</strong> said he and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

State Department were deeply worried by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> possible<br />

implicati<strong>on</strong>s of his posting to Nigeria.<br />

127. Sh<strong>on</strong>ekan, while addressing a three-man delegati<strong>on</strong><br />

of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Press</str<strong>on</strong>g> Council which visited him<br />

<strong>on</strong> October 14, 1993. (See News Agency of Nigeria<br />

dispatch, Abuja, October 15, 1993). <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> "<str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Press</str<strong>on</strong>g> Council" was established by Gen. Babangida's<br />

administrati<strong>on</strong> by decree in 1992.It replaced "<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g> Media Council," which was established by<br />

Decree 59 of 1988. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> chairman of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 17-member<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Press</str<strong>on</strong>g> Council shall be appointed by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> President,<br />

Commander in Chief after due c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong> of<br />

suggesti<strong>on</strong>s by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Press</str<strong>on</strong>g> Organizati<strong>on</strong>.<br />

(secti<strong>on</strong> 2 of decree). Also, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> representatives of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g> Uni<strong>on</strong> of |oumalists, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g> Guild of<br />

Editors and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Newspaper Publishers Associati<strong>on</strong> of<br />

Nigeria "shall be appointed by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> minister {of<br />

informati<strong>on</strong>) after an electi<strong>on</strong> by or <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> nominati<strong>on</strong><br />

of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> uni<strong>on</strong>, associati<strong>on</strong> or o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r body c<strong>on</strong>cerned"<br />

{secti<strong>on</strong> 31. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r members are appointed<br />

by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> minister. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Council's functi<strong>on</strong>s are, inter<br />

a7ia, to enquire into complaints about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> press,<br />

research into c<strong>on</strong>temporary press development, foster<br />

high professi<strong>on</strong>al standards, review developments<br />

likely to restrict <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> supply of informati<strong>on</strong> of public<br />

interest and ensure <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> protecti<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> rights and<br />

privileges of journalists in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> lawful per{ormance of<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir professi<strong>on</strong>al duties. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Council was unable to<br />

protect journalists under Babangida. See <str<strong>on</strong>g>Press</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

Council, At Last (Media Review, [anuary 1993 {Lagos,<br />

Nigeria, pages 12-18).<br />

128. Sh<strong>on</strong>ekan, to <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Press</str<strong>on</strong>g> Council delegati<strong>on</strong>,<br />

ibid.<br />

129. rbid.<br />

130. See West African News (New York), October 11,<br />

1993, page 3.<br />

l3I. FinancialTimes (L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong>) November 22, L993,<br />

page 14.<br />

132. rbid.<br />

133. rbid.<br />

134. rbid.<br />

135. News Agency of Nigeria dispatch (datelined<br />

Lagos), November 19, L993.<br />

136. Abiola, who had been vehemently opposed to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

interim government, kept a low profile since Abacha's<br />

coup. He met with Abacha <strong>on</strong> November 20, 1993 for<br />

90 minutes. (See <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> NewYorkTimes, November 25,<br />

1993, pagd, A10.) On November 25, he criticized <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

return of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> military, but, in a reversal of his stand<br />

<strong>on</strong> Babangida, he said "he was not calling <strong>on</strong> his<br />

supporters to rise up against it" (See Reuterc dispatch,<br />

datelined Lagos, November 25, 1993.1.<br />

137. Known as "Acti<strong>on</strong> Govemor," |akande was<br />

widely acclaimed as <strong>on</strong>e of Nigeria's most efficient<br />

. governors during <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sec<strong>on</strong>d republic.<br />

138. Samuel Ogbemudia was made <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Military</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

Govemor of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> former midwest state after <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g> federal troops took over Benin City during<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> civil war <strong>on</strong> September 20, L967.By 1975, he had<br />

acquired a farming estate at Nsukwa, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Palm Royal<br />

Hotel, four houses, a piece of land (plot 855| <strong>on</strong> pricey<br />

and prestigious Victoria Island, Lagos; and farms in<br />

eight villages in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> former midwest state (now Edo<br />

and Delta statesl. See Billy Dudley, An Introducti<strong>on</strong><br />

to <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government and Politics (Indiana<br />

University <str<strong>on</strong>g>Press</str<strong>on</strong>g>: 1982, page 318|.<br />

139. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Under</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Buhari regime, Solom<strong>on</strong> Lar, former<br />

governor of Plateau State was sentenced to 22 years in<br />

fail for misappropriating <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> equivalent of $24<br />

milli<strong>on</strong>.<br />

140. See "Nigeria's rapacious generals," Editorial in<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Bost<strong>on</strong> Globe, November 23, 1993, page 14.<br />

26 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nigerian</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Press</str<strong>on</strong>g> (Jnder <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Military</str<strong>on</strong>g>: Persecuti<strong>on</strong>, Resilience and PoliticaI Crisis (1983-1993)

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