By Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed
_”If you are emotionally attached to your tribe, religion, or political leanings to the point that Truth and Justice become secondary considerations, your education is useless. Your exposure is useless. If you cannot reason beyond petty sentiments, you are a liability to mankind”._ – Dr. Chuba Okadigbo
Let me begin by commending the Nigerian Guild of Editors for sustaining this important tradition. Your commitment to dialogue and remembrance is not only noble — it is necessary. Gatherings like this must be encouraged and institutionalized, for they allow us to learn from our past, reflect on our present, and chart a course for our future.
*The Immortal Power of the Press*
The history of Nigeria is, in many ways, the history of its journalism. Long before we gained independence, it was the Nigerian press that laid the foundation for our freedom.
Men like Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Anthony Enahoro did not just write editorials — they stirred national consciousness. Azikiwe’s West African Pilot bore the profound motto: “Show the light and the people will find the way.”
Others followed: Bisi Onabanjo, Sa’adu Zungur, Bob Ogbuagu, Mokwugo Okoye — names that should not merely be remembered but taught in every school of journalism. These were journalists who became leaders, not by switching careers but, by extending their service from the newsroom to the nation.
Indeed, there is hardly any profession better suited to train future public servants than journalism. For the journalist is trained to listen, to investigate, to challenge power, and above all — to serve the public interest.
That was the philosophy of Alhaji Lateef Jakande. As Governor of Lagos State, his journalistic values became governance values: simplicity, honesty, accessibility, and efficiency. Jakande governed with the pen still in his heart, even if not in his hand.
Even when he served under General Abacha — a decision that drew sharp criticism and even scorn — he endured it quietly, out of a deep belief in unity, nationhood, and the possibility of service in difficult circumstances. That experience is a reminder to all of us that sometimes, history judges not by the noise of the crowd, but by the integrity of the motive.
I can relate to that experience personally. In 2010, I moved the Doctrine of Necessity motion in the Senate — a decision that allowed Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to assume presidential powers at a moment of constitutional uncertainty. The backlash was fierce. My constituents accused me of betrayal. Petitions to recall me circulated like wildfire. Yet I knew that the path of nation-building often runs through the terrain of misunderstanding. In that moment, I understood something deeper about Alhaji Jakande’s own journey.
*Journalism Under Fire: Then and Now*
The Nigerian press has endured and resisted oppression in many forms.
Under colonialism, it fought for independence. Under military rule, it fought for democracy. Under both, it paid dearly.
We must never forget the dark years when newspapers were proscribed, and journalists detained. African Concord (1992), Champion Newspapers and Vanguard (1990), The Guardian (1994), and The Sunday Magazine (1995) — all silenced temporarily, but never conquered. It was a time when pens were confiscated, but not courage. A time when truth was a dangerous act — but it was acted upon, nonetheless.
Today, the threats are different but no less insidious. The digital age has opened the floodgates of information — and misinformation. Social media has democratized speech but also diluted truth. Artificial intelligence now creates headlines, but who checks the heart behind them?
And then, there is the corrosive influence of big money. Politicians, corporations, and special interests now compete to own narratives, not just policies. Editorial independence is constantly under siege, and the temptation to trade truth for access is greater than ever.
Yet the challenge is not only external. It is also internal.
Some media houses lack the institutional discipline to be the watchdogs they aspire to be. Young journalists are often exploited, poorly trained, and handed a pen without principles. You cannot promote ethics in society if your own house is in disorder. Journalists must not only write truth — they must live it.
The veterans must mentor. The institutions must reform. And we must invest in civic education, media literacy, and training that equips the next generation with not just tools — but with a mission.
*Journalism’s Role in Nation-Building*
Let me be clear: journalism is not just about reporting events. It is about shaping the nation’s soul.
In a multi-ethnic society like ours, where language, religion, and geography too often define identity, the media must help create national consciousness — a consciousness that values justice, merit, and shared destiny. We must not merely be a federation of ethnicities. We must be a nation of citizens.
This requires cultivating national ethos: values that transcend our differences. Respect for life. Rule of law. Dignity of labour. Truth over tribe. As Martin Luther King Jr. famously said: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Permit me to localize that dream: “I dream of a Nigeria where children are not judged by their surname, their state of origin, or their place of worship, but by the content of their character and the strength of their service.”
That dream can become reality — with the right leadership, and with the right media. Let me cite an example from our own experience in Bauchi State. Despite our diverse population — religiously, ethnically, linguistically — Bauchi remains one of the most peaceful and united states in Nigeria. This is not by chance. It is the result of deliberate, inclusive policies that reflect our belief in fairness, merit, and unity. We appoint based on ability, not ancestry. We build schools and health centres where they are needed, not where they are politically convenient. Our traditional and religious leaders are empowered to act as bridges, not barricades.
*What Journalists Must Do — Now*
In this light, allow me to offer five humble propositions:
1. Defend the Rule of Law: The moment a society begins to ignore judicial decisions, it is on the path to lawlessness. No nation can survive selective justice. The media must call out every instance where court orders are flouted — not because of who is involved, but because of what is at stake: the soul of the republic. And when conflict brews, let dialogue — not denial — be our first response.
2. Demand Credible Leadership: Journalists must question every candidate, scrutinize every promise, and highlight integrity over popularity. Elections should be contests of ideas, not identities. Leadership must never be reduced to entitlement.
3. Champion National Reconciliation: Nigeria must confront its past. We can no longer sweep historic grievances under the rug. A Truth and Reconciliation Summit, led in part by the media, could help heal our wounds.
4. Promote Civic Education and Language Inclusion: Encourage — not mandate — the learning of Nigerian languages outside one’s own. Understanding each other is the first step to loving each other.
5. Begin With Housekeeping: The media must fix its own broken windows. Exploiting interns, hoarding opportunities, turning a blind eye to corruption within — these must stop. The pen must remain clean to remain powerful.
*Why Nigeria Must Not Fail*
Our survival as a nation is not optional. It is imperative.
Our size gives us leverage.
Our diversity, properly harnessed, is strength.
Our shared history binds us more than it divides.
Our natural resources can fuel prosperity — if managed with integrity. Let the Nigerian media be the spark of that integrity.
*Closing Reflection*
In closing, let me return to the life of Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
Here was a man who lived simply, governed wisely, and died with dignity. He never used his office to build empires. He built schools. He built houses. He built people. Let his life be a reminder that power is not what we hold — it is what we do with what we hold.
To my colleagues in journalism: remain steadfast. Remain principled. Remain patriotic. Even when others falter, let the Nigerian press be remembered as “the last men and women standing.”
Senator Mohammed, CON, Governor of Bauchi State, delivered this speech at the 3rd Lateef Jakande Memorial lecture in Lagos, on July 23, 2025
