By Justine John DYIKUK

Dele Giwa may have gone but for all who care, memories of him still linger on. No other time is appropriate to remember the dead than November – a month in which Christian Catholics around the world traditionally dedicate to the Souls of the departed be they Christians or not. This pious act of charitable remembrance resonates with the spirit of the man in question. The writer feels obliged in conscience to chronicle this sage ofaccountability reporting in Nigeria at a time that religious reminiscence places lessons for both personal and corporate considerations.

Giwa was and remains a hero as far as investigative journalism in our country is concerned. However, that his assailants are still free; roaming the streets of our country is a burden on our collective conscience(s). This piece does not intend to heighten tempers. On the contrary, it shows where we have inappropriately placed truth and justice in our national life. It aims at setting this press-officer as a model of self-less reporting while drawing lessons from his life and times for both present and would be press-practitioners.

The Man GIWA
Records have it that he was born on March 16, 1947 to a poor family working in the palace of Oba Adesoji Aderemi, the Ooni of Ife. Dele Giwa, hails from the Ugbekpe-kingdom in Etsako Central local government area of Edo State. He attended the local Authority Modern School in Lagere, Ile-lfe. He went to Oduduwa College, in the same village when his father moved there as a laundry man. Giwa had his higher education in the USA. He was married to Florence Ita Giwa, one time Senator and Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo and Funmi. Upon graduation, the father of five became a reporter and an entrepreneur. As an editor and founder of NEWSWATCH magazine, he showed excellence in service and strength of character thus becoming a veteran Nigerian journalist and frontline editor!

Newswatch: Emergence of dogged print/investigative journalism in Nigeria
Nigerians cannot easily forget Dele Giwa and his fellow journalists; Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese and Yakubu Mohammed. These veteran journalists founded NEWSWATCH in 1984. Its first edition was distributed on January 28, 1985. The paper which initially seemed compromising began to cave its own creative and journalistic niche via investigation of technical issues, including business practices and numerous interviews. Its whistleblowing techniques namely visiting Federal or State governments to get documents data and informative parcels is what endeared most Nigerians to the paper under review.

It should be said that investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. Prof. Steve Weinberg (University of Missouri) conceives it as; “reporting, through one’s own initiative and work product, matters of importance to readers, viewers or listeners” while Ansell et al (2002, 4-5) sees it as a process thatinvolves digging deeply into an issue or topic usually of public interest.

NEWSWATCH epitomized this as it had an in-depth style of reporting that was original and proactive in content and character. One is not surprised that in a 1989 description of the magazine, James Phillip Jeter (1996) said: It ‘changed the format of print journalism in Nigeria [and] introduced bold, investigative formats to news reporting in Nigeria.’ (Cf;International Afro mass media: a reference guide. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 30).

Uncanny exit of a journalistic Icon
The focus here is not going into details of the investigation, litigation and controversy surrounding Giwa’s death. However, it is necessary to recall that he met his end in his home on 19 October 1986 courtesy a letter bomb. His son, Billy who handed over the parcel to his father was in the study with Kayode Soyinka, the London Bureau Chief of the (Newswatch) Magazine. He reported that the brown envelope that killed his Dad was heavy and had a white sticker on which Dele Giwa’s name and address were written. It was marked ‘Secret and Confidential’ with a warning that it should only be opened by the addressee -The sticker also had the Nigerian Coat of Arms with the inscription ‘From the office of the C-in-C’ (Cf.,Vanguard October 19, 2011).

The journalist’s death may not be separated from NEWSWATCH magazine. Lyn S. Graybill et al, had observed that at the inception of General Ibrahim Babangida’s administration (August 1985), the magazine flattered him and shamelessly so. This it did by printing his face on the cover four times and even criticized “anyone who attempted to make life unpleasant for Babangida” (Lyn S. Graybill, Kenneth W. Thompson, White Burkett Miller Center (1998). Africa’s second wave of freedom: development, democracy, and rights. University Press of America. p. 150). Whatever may have happened, things took a nose-drive. The paper began to take an unfriendly view of his regime (e. g, his structural adjustment program). Such became the unfolding of fishing in trouble waters…
Occupational hazards of journalists in Nigeria: What lessons?
Reporters without Borders’ most recent Press Freedom Index places Nigeria 126 position out of 179 countries. The list indicates that media freedom is better in Venezuela and Zimbabwe than in Nigeria. Nigeria may have moved almost 20 places higher than last year’s ranking (145th place) but it is still seen as a ‘difficult situation’. This shows the difficulty of being a reporter here and worst for accountability reporting!

In a public lecture to mark the 75th birthday anniversary of Noble Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, titled Narrating the Nigeria Story: The Challenge for Journalism, Dr. Olatunji Dare listed the occupational hazards Nigerian journalists face. He noted that the story of the press is that of persecution and perseverance and “closure of newspapers, often without an enabling law. Flogging, of a journalist who ruined a military governor’s birthday by reporting a strike by teachers demanding payment of their salaries…shaving his head with broken glass. Beating, by aides of a military governor, of a television reporter on duty – a beating so severe that the reporter’s leg had to be amputated…”
Dare orated that it is not unlikely for journalists to be jailed for publishing a story that was only 99 percent accurate. Other times, the wives of journalists are seized. It did not matter if the wife was eight months pregnant or had an infant children at the breast and the children would be left to fend for themselves.

Touching on Giwa episode Dare said: “Murder by parcel-bomb, with threats of more of the same if the media did not stop asking: Who killed Dele Giwa? To which we should add: Who killed Bagauda Kaltho? Jailing journalists for life on false charges of being “accessories” to a phantom coup plot. Forcing journalists to choose between being shot on sight and exile…” Such is the ugly side of watchdog journalism in Nigeria!

According to Nigeria’s award-winning investigative reporter Idris Akinbajo, “When you really want to expose human rights abuses (proper investigative reporting)… it becomes more dangerous.” He further descried the difficulty thus: “Sometimes we get intimidation from security agencies. You get threat calls, you get a lot of bribe offers. People offer you extreme sums of money to stop investigating a story. And despite the Freedom of Information law that was passed last year, government agencies don’t want to give information. They hoard information. You have to go the extra mile to get information.” (Cf., Interview by, Peter Teffer 30/01/2012, ‘The price of free information in Nigeria’ – http://www.dc4mf.org/en/content/price-free-information-nigeria).
Between 192 and 2012, the following Nigerian journalists were killed:

1. Enenche Akogwu, Channels TV – January 20, 2012, in Kano

2. Zakariya Isa, Nigeria Television Authority – October 22, 2011, in Maiduguri

3. Sunday Gyang Bwede, The Light Bearer – April 24, 2010, in Jos, Plateau State

4. Nathan S. Dabak, The Light Bearer – April 24, 2010, in Jos, Plateau State

5. Bayo Ohu, The Guardian – September 20, 2009, in Lagos

6. Samson Boyi, The Scope – November 5, 1999, in Adamawa State

7. Sam Nimfa-Jan, Details – May 27, 1999, in Kafanchan

8. Fidelis Ikwuebe, Freelancer – April 18, 1999, in Anambra

9. Okezie Amaruben, Newsservice – September 2, 1998, in Enugu

10. Tunde Oladepo, The Guardian – February 26, 1998, in Abeokuta

11. Nansok Sallah, Highland FM – January 18, 2012, in Jos

12. Edo Sule Ugbagwu, The Nation – April 24, 2010, in an area outside Lagos

13. Eiphraim Audu, Nasarawa State Broadcasting Service – October 16, 2008, in Lafia

14. Paul Aboyomi Ogundeji, ThisDay – August 16, 2008, in Dopemu

15. Godwin Agbroko, ThisDay – December 22, 2006, in Nigeria

16. Bolade Fasasi, National Association of Women Journalists – March 31, 1999, in Ibadan

17. Chinedu Offoaro, The Guardian – May 1, 1996, in Nigeria

18. Baguda Kaltho, TheNEWS – March 1, 1996, in Nigeria, Nigeria (Cf.http://cpj.org/killed/africa/nigeria/)

Also, Benedict Uwalaka a photojournalist with Leadership Newspaper was on August 9 brutally assaulted at a government hospital in Lagos – 22 days later, precisely August 31, one of his assailants, Bayo Ogunsola was arranged before a court on a two-count charge of assault and destruction of a journalist’s camera; though he pleaded not-guilty to the charges (http://www.cpj.org/africa/nigeria/).

The hazards of investigative journalism are occasioned by problems like; local community publications, small staffs, limited time and money (sometimes pushing journalists take bribes i.e., brown envelops). Some of these may have been the twist of events which affected Giwa’s erstwhile NEWSWATCH. The suspension of the magazine by Ibrahim Jimoh and the war of words between Jimoh and other board members leaves much to be desired. Commenting on this, one Isiguzo Hyacinth said: “I feel very sad about the fate that has befallen NEWSWATCH. In fact, Dele Giwa’s spirit must have been disturbed by now because of the DEATH OF HIS DREAM.” It is said, behind every cloud there is a silver lining. “The presence of VERBATIM, (Newswatch pickin) in the news stand is a palliative pill that has saved some of us Newswatch addicts from our present hopeless situation,” said Linus Ogboukiri. He added, “Verbatim is a reassurance that all hope is not lost. Since it is a pickin, we pray that it will live above the father’s records.” Time shall tell!

Way(s) out
Is the recent passed Freedom of Information clamored by the NUJ, Civil Liberties Organizations and Media Rights Agenda able to help matters? The powers and functions of the press as enshrined in chapter II section 22 of the 1999 constitution must be safeguarded. The writer agrees the sentiments of Charles Akolo Katsibi on the Constitution and the Nigerian Press namely that, since the press/media has been given the title and responsibility of the ‘fourth estate of the realm,’ that is a helper to the three tiers of government, why doesn’t the constitution protect her?

The judicial victory of Desmond Utomwen is one worth recalling. The senior correspondent with TheNews Magazine/PM News was on October 4th awarded 100 million naira (US $ 637,000) by the Nigeria Police Force and Guarantee Trust Bank Plc as special damages courtesy of a High Court injunction. A bold step, one would say; though one out of many neglected cases!

The strong words of the Lagos State chapter of the NUJ on the commemoration of the 26th anniversary of the death of Giwa are timely. The body wondered by Giwa’s killers are yet to be found and called for urgent investigation. In a statement signed by its Chairman Mr. Deji Elumoye and Secretary Comrade Sylver Okereke, the body said; “…the only way the issue would be resolved is to bring the culprits to book” and, “anything short of this is nothing but an unresolved murder, which will linger on for many years to come.” Are we able but not willing? Are we willing but not able? Posterity shall judge us if we think and act undesirably. We have chronicled Giwa after 25. What remains is what his life and times portend for investigative journalism in Nigeria!

Fr. Justine John DYIKUK, a Catholic priest, freelance writer/poet and Public Affairs Commentator writes from Centre for the Study of African Culture and Communication, Catholic Institute of West Africa, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he is a post-graduate student in Pastoral Communication!
Emails: justdyik@yahoo.com and justinejohndyikuk@gmail.com
Tract me on Tweeter: @just4realsquare