By Ismaeel Uthman
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun has charged the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to device measure of separating the ‘wheat from the chaff’ – the amateur and imposters from the professional journalists.
According to Aregbesola, quacks and impersonators have infiltrated the journalism professional and are causing harm to the educative, enlightenment and informative role of media practitioners.
Aregbesola spoke at the opening ceremony of the Press Week of the Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun Council on Monday.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Adelani Baderinwa at the event.
The governor lamented that the infiltration of the journalism profession by those he described as charlatans and quacks who are either deficient in its ethics and principles of conduct or are totally bereft of necessary preparations for practice is a serious threat to the credibility and integrity of the media practitioners and the journalism profession.
Aregbesola said: “In most cases, these impostors, being scarcely versed in the requisite preparation for satisfactory conduct that is beneficial to the society, throw ethics to the thin winds; in rabid and inordinate crave for bread and butter, and for quick riches and gratification.
“Mostly, these amateurs have lent themselves, most pitiably and whimsically to the odd-jobber engagement of cheap, petty, desperate and unconscionable whims and caprices of renegade politicians who see nothing good and beneficial in the good, people-oriented programmes and initiatives of an administration that is dear to the hearts of the people.
“This clarion call goes to the entire fold of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to embrace a measure at this time to separate the wheat from the chaff so that the good image of this great union could be salvaged and redeemed.”
