Ojudu urges better treatment for Nigerian journalists
By Boye Oyeyemi –
Senator Babafemi Ojudu has called for improved treatment and motivation for journalists in Nigeria, highlighting the difficult and often life-threatening roles they play in sustaining democracy.
The lawmaker made the remarks on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti while serving as guest speaker at the 2025 Annual Lecture, Award Ceremony, and Fundraising for Digital Journalism Tools, organised by the Correspondents Chapel of the Ekiti State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He criticised journalists for focusing too much on government activities and politics at the expense of other areas of societal life, saying this has contributed to some of the challenges faced by media practitioners in the country.
Ojudu, whose lecture was titled “Role of Media in Changing the Narratives of Democracy Prospects in Nigeria – Ekiti Perspective”, stressed the importance of journalists distinguishing themselves as anchors of progress.
“If you must make a mark in journalism, do not aim to pursue money at all costs and by all means. Journalism does not condemn you to poverty, nor does it sentence you to chasing money. Look for other decent means of earning without necessarily falling into the hands of those seeking to compromise you,” he said.
“Without the courage of the media, the advent of stable democracy that many people enjoy today would have been a mirage. So, I expect the larger public to show more appreciation to journalists,” he added.
