Evang.Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko is alarmed that there is a contemplation to shut down one of Nigeria’s leading tabloid
The frightening reports that a team from the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) visited, marked and informed the management and staff of The Sun Newspapers, of plans to take over and shut down the newspaper is unbelievable and the beginning of the long awaited season of anomy predicted by sundry prophets and seers and definitely the heart desire of all agents of doom and elements who do not wish Nigeria well.
The devil and his demons are obviously rejoicing that the day has finally come. Fear has seized the land. Tomorrow has become unpredictable. Lovers of war, horror and anarchy are smiling. Rumour merchants are grinning, mocking us all, chanting, ‘we told you people it will inevitably come to this.’ Sun today, who tomorrow?
Not in the wildest imaginations of even the worst pessimist, could anyone contemplate that a day would ever come, in this 21stcentury, that a court judgement over supposed corrupt dealings of a politician, in this case, a former governor, could lead to targeting one of the most popular newspapers in the country.
If the plan to crush the newspaper, or at least, forcefully change the ownership is real, then the long awaited era of the junta predicted by naysayers at the beginning of this regime has eventually arrived. Those who mocked the nation: “You people don’t know this man, you will soon see pepper.”
We can only hope that’s not true. Nobody would believe shutting down The Sun newspapers is not actually about the politics of 2023, nobody. It will be difficult, if not impossible to convince anyone that the court found it impossible to punish Ex-governor Orji Uzor Kalu, without laying hands on one of Nigeria’s most colourful newspaper.
Anybody or cabal, who targets to cripple The Sun newspapers ahead 2023, without considering the far reaching consequences of such action, can only be displaying a total lack of knowledge over the complex ethnic composition of Nigeria and the very sensitive nature of our politics. The fellows are also ignorant of the general mood in the land. That would be so unfortunate.
The faltering economy, the joblessness in the land, a stubborn insurgency in the North-east, agitation for secession in the east, terror from armed bandits everywhere, protests for revolution still simmering, very loud complaints over disobedience to court orders, hunger, anger and emotion running high all over the country. Add these to the rumours that this government is desperate to clampdown on free speech and shut down free press, what everyone sees, is an unpleasant cocktail of fear, a clear case of a government seemingly overwhelmed by a landslide, pleading for an earthquake. God forbid!
Whoever set this in motion, should go back to sleep and please wake up on the right side of the bed, before this bad dream turns into a nightmare.
Shutting down The Sun newspapers even for a minute is a dangerously wild idea that should not even be contemplated. Forceful takeover is worse. Even school children know that a thriving news medium should not be drawn into war against corruption on a politician, unless the actors are no longer pretending over 2023 political battle. There is no wisdom in opening war fronts everywhere. That actually, will be deliberately twisting the tail of a sleeping angry lion.
Ugochukwu-Uko is the Founder, Igbo Youth Movement and Secretary, Eastern Consultative Assembly
