The former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olu Akpata has challenged the Nigeria media, the judiciary and organised labour not to keep silent on issues capable of destroying the country.
Akpata made the call while delivering a lecture on the topic: ‘Freedom of the press, fake news and the rule of law’ at a memorial lecture in honour of Anyim Udeh organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in Enugu.
He called on the media to live up to the likes of Nnamdi Azikiwe and other renowned journalists of the past that lived up to their responsibilities, especially in the area of investigative Journalism.
He lamented that what is happening within the economic sector, the judiciary and many other areas in the country demanded the intervention of Journalists, Lawyers and the organissed Labour to get Nigeria out of the quagmire.
“There is a need for a healthy relationship between lawyers and Journalists for Nigeria to move forward,” he said.
He lamented that the used of smart phone by those that have not received proper training operating the social media have taken over, the media space trying to break news without finding out the facts.
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Akpata decried the lack of investigative Journalism and the take over of media space by untrained citizen without finding out the facts as “fake news.” saying that truth is the fact of journalism.
“The lawyers, Journalists and organized labour the time to act is now.”
In a goodwill message, the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Chidiebere Onyia who represented the state Governor Peter Mbah at the memorial lecture described late Anyim Ude as a disciplined statesman, who lived his life for the unity and progress of Nigeria.
He said that although the late journalist and Broadcaster is no more, he left a legacy in his people and urged journalists to emulate the footsteps of the late Ude by practicing their profession with truth.
The Deputy Governor of Ebonyi, Patricia Obima, who represented the governor thanked (NUJ) and family of late Ude for honoring their own and promised that Ebonyi State will not leave the family
Other personalities that attended the lecture include, former Minister of information, Nnia Nwido, who was the chairman of the event; Prof. Elochukwu Amuchiazu, former MAMSER (DG.), Alex Ogbonna, publicly secretary Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo world wide, among others.
In his response, the eldest son of late Anyim Ude, Nnana Ude, thanked the organiser and journalists from South East States for honouring his late father.
The family also instituted a N1million award for the best investigative journalist in the zone annually.
