By Sailor
The University of Ibadan Students Representative Council on the 7th of April 2023 held its 7th plenary since its inauguration, with the issue of the SU’s Public Relations Officer, Olalekan Michael Ajibola’s (OMA) alleged mismanagement of funds being a primary item on the agenda. The aftermath of the sitting casts a spotlight on campus journalism and media operations, and it’s propensity to be used for propaganda.
By the afternoon of the same date of the plenary, two different reports pertaining to the outcome of the sitting were circulating in the public sphere of the school, with both news differing in their report of the outcome of the sitting, which calls into question two of the basic tenets of news reportage, objectivity and transparency.
Polityreporter, an independent media, reported the exoneration of OMA, with an headline which reads as follows “UI SRC Clears OMA, Dismisses Allegation Of Financial Mismanagement”, while Indypress, a local press organization, had a different version of what transpired at the sitting with their report being “UI’SRC Fines Public Relations Officer, Subjects Him to Community Service”.
The two news report might look credible on the surface because it is very possible to generate different news report from the same event, but a deeper look and investigation into the events that transpired at the SRC sitting will point out that one of the reports is farther from the truth than the other, with an attempt to circumvent fact and churn out half-truth as fact, calling into question the objectivity of such news report. In this case Polityreporter seems to be on the wrong side of the journalism rule.
One of the basic tenets of News media is Objectivity. Journalists should strive to be neutral and impartial in their reporting, avoiding bias or personal opinions. This ensures that the information provided is not influenced by personal beliefs or agendas. The use of media as a source of circumventing facts is a serious problem in today’s society. With the rise of social media and the spread of misinformation, many people are being exposed to false information that can have serious consequences.
One of the ways in which media can be used to circumvent facts is by spreading misinformation or disinformation. This can take many forms, including fake news, propaganda, or conspiracy theories. These false narratives can be spread through social media, websites, or even traditional news outlets, and can be difficult to identify as false for many people.
Another way in which media can be used to circumvent facts is by selectively reporting or emphasizing certain information over others. This can create a skewed view of reality and mislead people into believing certain things that are not necessarily true. In some cases, this may be done intentionally to push a particular agenda or narrative.
This practice best describes the actions of Polityreporter, which in effect tends to paint Indypress, a fellow news outlet, as a conveyer of fake news, with an editorial on the 7th of April which reads “UI’SU 23: Polity Reporters Says No To Fake News”. It further doubled down, after being called out about the errors of their report, by posting a rejoinder with the headline “Our Report Correct, Centers On Containing Spread Of Fake News”. A quote from the write-up states “The news report that the IndyPress fact-checked and declared to be false is in no way false when viewed in the context that we reported it.” This implied that there was a certain form of narrative which was being pushed by the news outlet in the context of their reporting.
It is important to note that, the season of political movements is upon us. The stage is set for the next UI student union elections and every aspiring candidate have been making moves behind the scenes by subtly expressing their intentions known about their aims and aspiration for positions of interest. Even though there has been no official lift on election campaigning in the school, there have been series of subtle campaigns which has been widespread within the school premises in a not-so-subtle manner.
Various faces have been dominating this period, one of such faces is that of OMA who has been part of this not-so-subtle trend of political campaign in the attempt to push himself to the forefront as a strong contender for the next election. Being a strong contender in this situation comes with its perks and drawbacks. One of such drawbacks is the scrutiny into his activities as an office holder in the present administration. This best describes the case of OMA who had a case to answer about an alleged breach of constitution and misconduct in the operation of the UISUtv, a WhatsApp tv whose operation was alleged to have breached the student union’s constitution on the allegation of mismanagement of funds.
The alleged breach of the SU constitution and misconduct created a lot of buzz after an expose by Indypress brought it to the public glare. OMA in response to the allegations, rather than defend himself with facts, attacked the person of the writer with the infamous appellation of “Self acclaimed journalist” which further created more buzz around the situation. In any case, the outcome of the allegations are clear and irrefutable.
Drawing from the resolutions of the SRC’s sitting on the 7th of April, the house accepted the findings of the Disciplinary Committee’s investigations into OMA’s allegations that there is sufficient evidence to prove that a breach of the Constitution and abuse of office have occurred. However, the house rejected the committee’s recommendation of 3 weeks suspension as penalty for OMA’s proven misconducts. Perhaps this was what Polityreporters harped on to publish that OMA is free of all allegations. It must however be noted that the house imposed against OMA the following penalties;
1. A fine of 25 thousand Naira to be paid into the Union’s account on or before 4pm on Wednesday 12th April, 2023.
2. A written letter of apology to the student body of the University of Ibadan
3. A written letter of apology to the 9th Assembly of the Students’ Representative Council.
4. Community service at the University Health Services (Jaja Clinic) between 17th April, 2023 and 21st April, 2023. Failure to comply with any of the above mentioned penalties at the stipulated time would result in suspension for 3 weeks.
Asides the penalties to be faced by the PRO, the house also decided the following:
1. That there must be no media coverage of the PRO’s time observing the community service except by officially recognized Press organisations in the University.
2. That any violation of the above, especially any attempt to make use of the community service punishment as a PR/publicity opportunity will be punished by the House.
Hence, the truth of the matter is incontrovertible in spite of contrary narratives. But the bugging questions that come to mind are, what is the motive behind a publication that is completely false but strongly aimed at whitewashing an SU office holder who has been penalised by the SRC? Isn’t it suggestive that such narrative is being pushed at a time when the SU elections are near? What benefits are to be derived from pushing this false narrative?
Members of the student populace have begun to wonder and insinuate, that OMA may have a link with the Polityreporter, as the outlet have always had favourable report about him while seemingly posing as an unbiased entity. What is most important is for individuals to be critical consumers of media releases, and to fact-check information before accepting it as true. It is also important for media outlets to prioritize factual reporting and to avoid sensationalizing or manipulating information for the sake of gaining views or clicks. Ultimately, the responsible use of media can help ensure that accurate information is disseminated and that people are able to make informed decisions based on facts.
