Stella Oduah:Only If The Media Could Read In Between The Lines By Mabadeje Dododawa

The media frenzy that followed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)’s purported purchase of two bullet-proof cars for its logistic use and ferrying of foreign missions to Nigeria has shown the inability of the Nigerian media to determine when it is unconsciously lending itself to frivolity or dutifully discharging its function of keeping the public abreast of developments in the society.  The sustained attention on Ministry of Aviation is an intelligent exploitation of the agenda-setting role of the media by career politicians, self-acclaimed activists and battered concessionaires who have age-long scores to settle with Stella Oduah for her transformational efforts.

Surprisingly, we read more noise than the real issue in the papers; and the media seem to be failing in its responsibility by acting lame as evidenced by its inability to intelligently investigate the matter rather than joining the frenzy; and becoming an ordinary tool in the hands of a gang with interest, even not known to the media.

I desire some level of sanity and professionalism in the reportage of this matter to enable the reading public whose addiction to reading newspapers remains the oxygen on which the lives of the various publications hang, have value for their daily investment, as against the unwitting response to orchestrated campaigns that enlist Oduah’s and the Aviation ministry on front-pages of newspapers daily since the leakage of “the armoured cars purchase documents” to Sahara Reporters by a faceless Nigerian Edward Snowmen.

Since then, the Nigerian media has gone to bed, only feasting on ‘outbreak of news’ from a not-too credible source. Shockingly, publications that were hitherto reputed for editorial objectivity have dedicated their front-pages to prosecuting a vindictive fight against a perceived enemy. 

But really, should the media not conduct its own investigation before taking a position? Also, in some of the opinion pieces I have read on this issue, it was suggested that the ongoing unintentional media-framing of Stella Oduah as a corrupt officer of the state had the hands of concessionaires that her revolution at the Aviation industry had swept away and political opponents who have decided to take the opportunity to deal with her because of her effectiveness and closeness to the President.

Taking all these with a pinch of salt, if I were a Journalist, I may be motivated to seek the underbelly of this travesty by embarking on a review of the performance of the Minister and activities in the Aviation sector. This will enable an understanding of the reforms that pitched her against the resolute concessionaires who are determined to empty their pockets in dressing her in an attire of corruption.

See, Wale Babalakin’s Bi-Courtney has been fingered in this. Femi Fani-Kayode’s name has come up in this mess, so as Dino Melaye’s efforts at colouring the situation as official corruption very visible through self-driven crusade and activism.  I really think the media should stop dancing to the rhythm of mischief coming from marauders attired in affluence and fame.  The media in any nation is the only defence of the masses and harbinger of fairness and impartiality but I am shocked to the bone-marrow that there seem not to be any ingenuity or demonstration of professionalism in the reportage of this unfolding event.

Imagine the following scenarios and contemplate what the integrity of our media will be in months to come. Let us say Ms. Stella Oduah appears before the respective panels of enquiries and it turns out that the purchase of 2 armoured BMW cars by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is a hoax or at best an idea that is yet to be executed.  Also, has someone in the media thought that the documents hosted on Sahara Reporters could be fake, created to attack and unsettle the Hon. Minister of Aviation or has anyone attempted to obtain a copy of the same document from the responsible agency?

Could it not possibly be that these documents do not exist in the records of the NCAA and associated agencies in the Ministry of Aviation, and this nonexistence explains why the cars were not sighted or registered with the National Security Agency (NSA) and the State Security Services (SSS)?  Do you know that this position can be validated by the fact that Sahara Reporters did not obtain the documents from any of the agencies under the Ministry of Aviation? Is it Sahara Reporters that will substantiate the originality and existence of the trouble-generating documents? Or has Sahara Reporters told anyone that it has a copy of the order made by NCAA for purchase of the armoured vehicles?  And if it does, do the documents show that the cars are for the personal use of the Aviation Minister or registered in her name?

Has anyone thought that Stella Oduah’s response to this allegation of unsubstantiated corruption could become the most embarrassing moment for the Nigerian media for its non-diligence and lack of professionalism in reportage of the event?  I thought of this because inferences drawn from newspaper reports and the judgmental posture assumed by some of the newspapers of have shown the inability of our media to read in-between the lines to sense the dangers in partaking in a mob action. 

Okay, let us imagine that there was actually a bid for the purchase of the cars and First Bank won the bid but the cars are yet to be purchased, and a project at ideation stage has unfortunately generated so much controversy, in the media and our streets. What will the media tell the reading public?   Or say the vehicles were ordered; do people not know that vehicles financed by financial institutions are less expensive? Considering available information, these vehicles were said to be on lease for 36 months and financed by First Bank, can’t a journalist go to First Bank to find out the terms of the agreement instead of tarnishing the women with corruption?

It has just occurred to me too that should this hypothesis play out in this manner, the only individual who could help unravel the misery will be the person who leaked the documents to Sahara Reporters in the interest of the country. He/she will have to come out and say what he/she knows about the transaction and tell Nigerians that the document leaked is indeed authentic, otherwise I will not be fooled by the daily headlining of Stella Oduah as a wrongdoer. Rather, the name will continue to resonate in my mind as a champion of the Nigerian Aviation sector transformation and will continue to wait for her building of the Aeropolis that will total change the face of air travel in Nigeria.

Our own Edward Snowden needs to show his/her identity. If he or she does not show and loses the opportunity of confronting the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah with his/her facts, do we need to believe the exaggerated reportage and accounts of events by a faceless individual?  We have to be wary of instituting a culture of framing and staging of public officers by a tiny cabal that has sworn to destroy the country. I feel this individual will not come out because the rationale for his/her action is mischief and deceit, which his/her appearance will unravel. Accordingly, the media will get to know the malodorous side of the story which it has innocently been protecting in the name of fighting corruption!

Editors need to avoid the pressure that interfere with good judgment and get them to pretentiously enlist their support for a mob action as it were in this case. I hope that Ms. Stella Oduah would be allowed a fair hearing beyond the obvious media alignments which are capable of destroying available facts.

I will expect Stella to ask the panels of inquiries to determine the source of the documents or ask that the individual who leaked the document to Sahara Reporter show his face to enable Nigerians know that the action was indeed in the interest of the nation, and give validity to the documents.  After all, Edward Snowden showed his face because he believed that his action is in the interest of humanity.

But sincerely if either the House Committee or the Presidential Panel of Inquiry could not bring the Nigerian responsible for the leakage face-to-face with Stella Oduah during the hearings, it may appear that she is being staged for vilification. Would it be impossible that the same individual, who generated and justified the needs for the vehicles, if they indeed exist, leaked the documents to Sahara Reporters? If it turns out that way what do say? By leaking the documents, the responsible individual believes his or her action is appropriate and defendable, and he would be a hero for it. So, let should be confident to act in good faith and authenticate the documents with his/her appearance at the panels too.

Dododawa,  a public analyst, writes from Ondo State