In defence of ethical Journalism:  Daily trust and ethnic profiling of plateau stories

 Dakwom Longgul, Jos.

A quotation credited to PLO Lumumba defines who a journalist is; in a simple description, he says, “the Modern Journalist is equated to the traditional town-crier, a town-crier does not shout fire where there is none”.

 At the backdrop of that poignant quote, the reportage from the platform of daily trust news is of immense concern and an anti-thesis to PLO Lumumba’s school of thought.

Being a student of journalism one feels that first, a journalist is ethically responsible for the contribution to peace and national cohesion, because only when there is peace can the capitalist comprador journalist make a living.

But undoubted, journalists are “agenda setters” because they set the pace for social discourse which will engender democratic principles. While this is positive, journalists can also be set negative agendas like in the case of Rwanda. During the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, radio broadcasts played an important role in inciting ordinary citizens to take part in the massacres of their Tutsi, and moderate Hutu, neighbours. Two major radio stations transmitted hate propaganda to the illiterate masses–Radio Rwanda, and Radio Télévision des Milles Collines (RTLM).

From October 1993 to late 1994, RTLM was used by Hutu leaders to advance an extremist Hutu message and anti-Tutsi disinformation, spreading fear of a Tutsi genocide against Hutu, identifying specific Tutsi targets or areas where they could be found, and encouraging the progress of the genocide. In April 1994, Radio Rwanda began to advance a similar message, speaking for the national authorities, issuing directives on how and where to kill Tutsis, and congratulating those who had already taken part.

A teacher once says ‘History is bound to be repeated if the lessons are not taken” it seems daily trust newspaper is taking an active role in becoming the present-day radio Rwanda or the RTLM and since the Nigerian Press Council, Nigerian Union of Journalists, NBC, and other media gatekeepers do not see the caution danger, one must quickly remind the sleeping intuitions to wake up!

I have profiled below a selection of the dangerous reportage by daily trust below:

1. 12 persons, 19 cattle killed in Plateau attacks reported By  Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos Mon, 04 Apr 2022 07:18:26 GMT
2.  intext quote -Daily Trust reports that in recent times, there were attacks and counterattacks between Irigwe and Fulani in the area with both sides accusing each other of being responsible for the attacks.

• 4 travellers killed in Jos-By Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos and Dickson Adama Thu, 17 Feb 2022 05:33:17 GMT
•  intext quote: The attack happened hours after two miners were killed at a mining site in Yelwa Zagam community of Jos North LGA.

• Plateau crisis: Three killed in fresh attacks-    repots  By     Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos Mon, 06 Sep 2021 11:08:13 GMT
• intext quote: “The first attack occurred on Sunday evening in Kwachudu community where a herder was beheaded.”

• “The State Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Malam Nura Abdullahi, accused members of the Irigwe ethnic group of beheading one Musa Sale and injuring Abdulsalam Nuhu while rearing cattle around Kwachudu area”
• “Irigwe ethnic group denied the allegation, saying it was unfounded.”

• Again, 4 Kano, Nassarawa travellers killed in Jos-    reported By     Ado A. Musa Wed, 16 Feb 2022 12:50:30 GMT
• ” Daily Trust reposts that the travellers were on their way from Kano to Nasarawa State when hoodlums who blocked the popular Zaria Road highway beat up and macheted the travellers.”

1. Jos killings: We’ve forgiven Plateau people – South-West Fulani leaders- reported by     Ado Abubakar Musa Sat, 21 Aug 2021 04:55:51 GMT
2. Teenage herder murdered in Jos-   reported   By     Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos Sun, 23 Jan 2022 14:13:43 GMT
3. intext quote: A 14-year -old herder, Idris Idris, has been shot dead in Dong community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

1. Tension as over 100 cattle killed in Plateau community-  reported by     Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos Fri, 04 Mar 2022 06:07:58 GMT
2.  intext quote: Daily Trust reports that for the past one month, Bassa general area had not recorded any attack of killing until this Wednesday when gunmen attacked the herders and their cattle.
3. Investigation: How JUTH denies Hausa, Fulani treatment for claiming Plateau State- reprted by Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos  Sat, 19 Mar 2022 03:41:36 GMT

In text quotation – Hausa and Fulani Muslims living in Jos, the Plateau State capital, are being forced by record officers at the General Out-Patient Department (GOPD) of…  

Let me stop the “daily trust” reading here, for it is visible to drive home my point. Who benefits from the ethnic classification? could it be said to be the editorial policy of daily trust? and why centred on the plateau?

Reading from the above, the agenda is clear and well set, while most of these aforementioned communities are perpetually attacked, profiling can be said to be the compass for justifying it. Like our historical Rwanda, it is time for daily trust to understand its role in the sustenance of peace on the Plateau and stop the profiling of communities. it is better for one understands the remote cause rather than a blanket use of an ethnic group like Anaguta, Berom, and Irigwe often against the Fulani Muslim Harder the circle of hate will never break with such narratives on tabloids of daily trust.

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In defence of ethical Journalism:  Daily trust and ethnic profiling of plateau stories