•Reveals plan for national reorientation, promises free press
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The federal government has expressed concern that the Nigerian electorate no longer trust people they vote into office, thus necessitating the reintroduction of national discourse on reorientation.
Minister for Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, hinted this yesterday while speaking with newsmen after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
He said the belief in the concept of nationhood and patriotism had broken down, but that the president had now given him the marching orders to initiate a programme to reconstruct it.
His words: “Well, of course, you know, that the belief in the concept of nationhood and patriotism has broken down in this country. This is not in doubt. We’re trying to rebuild that, to reconstruct that.
“Mr. President gave me a marching order to see that Nigerians believe in this country once again. We’re coming up with national discourse on orientation or reorientation so that Nigerians can believe in their country.
“You know that people don’t even believe leaders that they themselves have elected. Flags are not flying anymore. You go to the government overseas, you don’t even see the symbol of our collective existence, flying even in public buildings.
“We’re bringing that about. We are bringing back this concept of discipline that Nigerians should have. Patriotism. Belief in the nationhood that our founding fathers have told us. So, it is going to be a new ministry of information and national orientation and national orientation is going to be at the center of it.”
Idris also disclosed that plans were underway to revive the information offices in all the 774 local government areas in the country to have the required personnel to implement the new reorientation drive.
“Well, the national orientation agency has offices in the 774 LGAs. Of course,there’s attrition now, not all the people that will man these local government offices are there, but we are rebuilding that.
“We are going to put officers of the envoy around all the 774 LGAs and we are coming up with a roadmap that will revamp that sector so that Nigerians can believe in their country once again,” he said.
The minister assured the people that the Tinubu administration was not interested in gagging the media being a believer in freedom of the press himself, but warned that the media must exercise such freedom with responsibility.
He also stated that the government had noted the suggestion by the Nigerian Press Council on registering journalists as a way to sanitise the profession.
He said, “Well, that is being looked at. You know that Mr. President believes in press freedom. He believes in the freedom of expression, and he’s not going to gag the press in any way, shape or form. He’s going to work assiduously to ensure that the Nigerian press that has been free is even freer. Yeah.
“But like I said all the time, this freedom also comes with enormous responsibility. You can’t just say what is not right, because you’re enjoying press freedom. There’ll be freedom, but responsible freedom.”
On managing the excesses of the social media, the minister affirmed that even though some of the posts could be unpatriotic, it was a sensitive issue that must be handled with care, stressing that the government must not be perceived as curtailing press freedom.
According to him, “You know that is a very delicate line to toe. While the government and Mr. President and all of us in that sector are committed to ensuring that there’s press freedom; that freedom, like I said, comes with responsibility.
“A lot of things that some of these people on social media are doing are also not very patriotic. Sometimes you say news that is not factual. But I don’t want a situation where it will be seen that the government is trying to gag the press. I want that to be underscored.
“There is no attempt by the government to gag the press. We’re going to do whatever it takes; that is responsible and also accountable. Responsible journalism is the way to go.”
