AN APPRAISAL OF PRESS FREEDOM IN NIGERIA UNDER CIVILIAN RULE

AN APPRAISAL OF PRESS FREEDOM IN NIGERIA UNDER CIVILIAN RULE [A CASE STUDY OF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO REGIME 1999 â€“ 2004]

Code No: 652918

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ABSTRACT

This topic of research, â€œAn Appraisal of Press Freedom Under Civilian Rule (A case study) is a top flight, thought provoking and interestingly challenging especially in our contemporary Nigeria which has embraced democracy and has been nurturing it for five years after almost thirty years if military dictatorship or domination of political power since independence in 1960.

Since military incursion in the countryâ€™s political calendar on 14th January 1966 through a coup de-tat led by major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and four of his colleagues, it has become a recycling decimal in the countryâ€™s political history. Throughout the successive military regimes, the press has had collusion with the rough edge of the law in the pursuit of their profession. Thus, journalism became a dreaded career fraught with dangers as they were subjected to arrest, incarceration, harassment, threat, physical violence and assassination.

Then there came a new dawn on 29th May 1999 when the country turned to a democratic rule, journalism takes another dimension, there exists freedom of information though the freedom was not absolute. The reason was because of the decrees from the military era that found the way into this democratic dispensation. But there was room for media excellence and the press excels and are still excelling in fulfilling the social responsibility both to the government and the governed.

The aim of this research is to know whether the press has freedom in this present dispensation. However, freedom of the press is possible only when the rights of the press are protected. This can never be achieved in an autocratic set-up, except in a democratic environment as our appraisal of press freedom is such dispensation has shown.

This project was written in five (5) chapters in order of their priorities. Chapter one delves into the background of press freedom with an insight to the research question, hypothesis and significance among other. Chapter two handles the glace and review on the information bill. Chapter three takes care of the research methods, designs, population and data collection. Chapter four analyses the data collected from the questionnaires distributed and chapter five treats the summary and recommendations for improvement on making press freedom to be totally absolute.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

For the press to play their basic roles, it must exercise fully its freedom. In other words, for the freedom of the press to be fully appreciated, we must understand the implication of t citizen having a fundamental right to free access to facts in all matters that directly or indirectly concern him and also the right to express and publish its opinion thereon.

In describing the operation of the press in their book entitled four theories of the press, Siebert, Peterson and Schramn (1985) said that â€œThe Press is not an instrument of government but a device for presenting evidence and argument on the basis of which the people can check on government and make up their minds as to its policy. It is imperative that the press be free from control and influence so that truth can emerge.

On this premise, the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 14, 1946 declared, â€œfreedom of information is a fundamental human right and is the corner stone of all freedom to which the United Nations is consecratedâ€.

1. According to the sub-committee of Common Wealth Press Union headed by Lord Shawcross, freedom of the press is â€œthe freedom that is not a special privilege of Newspaper but derives from fundamental right of every person to have full and free access to the facts in all matters that affects himâ€. With regards to these fundamental rights, the press are expected to be free to gather news without obstruction or restriction to publish the news and to comment on it.

2. The Nigerian Constitution of 1989 Section 38 Sub-section 1 concedes that right to freedom of expression and the press by stating that â€œevery person is entitled to freedom of expression including freedom to hold opinion and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.

The administration and governance of Nigeria was predominantly military after independence in 1960 and a coup in 1966. The military ruled the country with successive coups until 1979 when there was a brief democracy, which lasted for four years before another army take-over in 1983. The military ruled until May 29th 1999 when it handed over the mantle of leadership to a democratically elected government led by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

The media as the fourth arm of government was not spared from the military obnoxious policies. Their control, which was determined by decrees led to outright closure of media house, death of some media practitioners, intimidation and harassment etc.

3. The closure of Newspaper organizations like Newwatch in April 1987, the Guardian in May 1991, Tell Magazine in August 1993 etc.

The imprisonment of journalists over reports government felt was antagonistic saw the likes of Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor jailed under the infamous decrees 4 in 1987. Others include Chris Okolie, Innocent Okparadike, Editor of the Observe in Benin etc. All these happening under the military regime did not make it conducive for the press to function optimally. The military may not be entirely written off as enemies of the media because they ushered in an era that led to competition among various media organizations. This is because the excessive dictatorial tendencies of the military caused the press to become more daring and committed to seeking its freedom.