OPENING REMARKS BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND NATIONAL ORIENTATION, MOHAMMED IDRIS AT THE BUSINESS DAY CONFERENCE WITH THE THEME, “ON EMPOWERING NIGERIA’S FOURTH ESTATE: LEGAL FRAMEWORKS AND ISSUES OF MEDIA RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY” HELD IN LAGOS ON THURSDAY, 14TH NOVEMBER 2024
Protocols
I am delighted to be here today as I consider it a distinct honour to deliver a keynote address on this auspicious occasion.
When Irish statesman, Edward Burke first described the Fourth Estate of the realm as more important than the others about the clergy, nobility, and commoners, the expression was merely evolving in actual significance. Today, the influential mediating role of the press in shaping opinion and holding those in power accountable, demands an institutional response to the changing dynamics of society, among other challenges that confront the press and determine their survival.
Our nation’s rich history reserves a special place for Nigeria’s press, particularly as it concerns its political character and remarkable contributions to the struggle for independence and the enthronement and sustenance of our democracy. It is only incumbent, therefore, that we gather to rub minds together to identify with the noble objective of reinforcing this formidable fourth and indeed strongest pillar of our nation and of our democracy, to make it equally sustainable.
Media sustainability combines the dynamics of business practice and the institutional capabilities to maintain effective journalistic practice, high ethical professional ethos, and self-sustenance in revenue generation. In other words, social, institutional, and financial viability constitutes pivotal pillars for media sustainability. While this is largely determined by the interplay between production, market, technological, social, and managerial forces, it requires the necessary legal framework to engender sustainability.
Nigeria’s press has been widely cited as one of the freest among many emerging democracies, with fairly adequate guarantees secured in the nation’s constitution, forming a template of our social, governance contract. These guarantees embody our guiding egalitarian philosophies clearly about our national objectives. Beyond holding the government accountable, setting agenda, and promoting good governance, Nigeria’s free press has found expression in economic growth through huge investments and as viable enterprises for employment creation.
However, the unstable socio-economic and political environments of the news business is not in doubt. Even as this is valid, the yardsticks of news media sustainability must extend beyond financial profitability in equally prioritizing social viability both in media governance and in the fulfillment of its social responsibility mandates to society.
It is worthy of note that, the journey to economic recovery is in top gear. Beyond reforming the economy and the significant priorities placed on national security, agriculture and food security, infrastructure, and the unlocking of the many potentials of the oil and non-oil sectors, the specific deliverables of Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR’s eight-point Renewed Hope Agenda focuses on education, health, and social investment, accelerate diversification through industrialization, digitization, creative arts, manufacturing, and innovation, including improving governance for effective delivery; for which significant gains are already being recorded.
The rethinking of news media’s business purposes beyond socio-political functions, including the strengthening of same through enabling legal frameworks is therefore timely and crucial.
Distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen, the government’s complimentary role in this regard is instructive. It begins with recognizing and affirming the values of free speech, inclusivity, and the necessary enabling conditions and legislation to support the media and all other institutions in complementing good governance. It is in recognition of this, that Mr. President has prioritized transparency and sustained citizen participation and engagement.
May I reiterate the goals of the National Values Charter in this regard? For the first time in our nation’s history, Mr President is evolving a framework for the promotion of a united, peaceful, inclusive, and egalitarian society, where citizens are equally more alive to their responsibilities through a more accountable and profound sense of identity and patriotism. As one of the other objectives of the National Identity project, the Charter is aimed at redirecting all Nigerians, irrespective of class, ethnicity, and religion, to the ideals and values that were traditionally the pillars and foundations of our society and institutions. The press has a social responsibility to complement this objective.
I, therefore, wish to extend Mr. President’s call for an all-inclusive effort in our reflections on this noble challenge of fostering a vibrant and more resilient media for the benefit of our democracy and our nation’s overall prosperity.
Thank you all, and I wish you successful deliberations.
Mohammed Idris, fnipr
Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation.
Thursday, 14th November, 2024
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