Life of a journalist after retirement(2), by Eric Teniola    

From last week, continues the narrative on the life of the Nigerian journalist, his contributions to national development over the years, right from the emergence of the earliest media houses in the country

In January 1970, the The DAILY TIMES published an editorial pleading that Nigeria must adopt left hand drive policy. 

On January 30 of that year, the then head of state, General Yakubu Gowon (89), inaugurated a commission to deal with the issue. The commission was headed by the then Chief Executive of The Daily Times, Alhaji Babatunde Jose (December 13, 1925-  August 2, 2008). 

In March 1972, the then Minister of Works and Housing, whose Ministry was also in charge of Transportation, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, announced that with effect from Sunday, April 2, 1972, Nigeria would operate left hand policy. The policy is still operating till today unlike what obtains in some Commonwealth countries like United Kingdom, Kenya, Australia, Uganda and South Africa. 

I have spoken from the viewpoint of a newspaper man. I hope outstanding radio and television journalists like Mr. Gbenga Onayiga, Bayo Awosemo, Sola Atere, Bayo Adewusi, Vera Ifudu, Emman Okondo, Bisi Olatilo, Adebayo Bodunrin, Bola Oyeladun, Frank Olize, John Momoh, Nduka Obaigbena, Jimi Disu, Jones Usen, Chris Anyanwu, Jumoke Susan Fajana(now based in London), Yori Folarin, Mac Amarere, Lekan Alabi, Abike Dabiri, Bankole Laotan, Blossom Ubani, Augusta Maduegbuna, Seun Okibaloye, Stella Din Jacob, Ladi Lawal and so many others who are either here or here in spirit or have departed, will pardon me. 

A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, process it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public.  

Journalists can be broadcast, print, advertising or public relations personnel. Depending on the form of journalism, “journalist” may also describe various categories of people by the roles they play in the process. These includes reporters, correspondents, citizen journalist, editors, editorial writers, columnists and photojournalists.

A reporter is a type of journalist who researches, writes and reports on information in order to present using sources. This may entail conducting interviews, information-gathering and/or writing articles. Reporters may split their time between working in a newsroom, from home or outside to witness events or interviewing people. Reporters may be assigned a specific beat (area of coverage).

I see journalism as a way to learn more every day and try to work on my ignorance and understand the difference ways of life and how people live. Curiosity motivates every journalist. If you want to know the impact of a journalist just stay a day without listening to the news both in the radio, television or newspapers. It’s as if you are in a prison yard. 

Our job is a noble profession. After waking up every morning, checking on his health and offering his prayers, the next thing an average journalist does is to listen to the news or read the papers. It is a very interesting routine. 

Journalists always strive to be fair, accurate, and complete.

Fair means being fair to the evidence. A good rule of thumb is the more evidence you have, the less balance you need.

Accurate means verifying all the information in the story and being transparent about what you know, how you know it and what you don’t know. It also means remembering that journalistic truth is provisional. Like scientific truth, it changes over time as more evidence becomes available.

Complete means learning as much about the story through as wide an array of sources as possible so you can include a range of relevant and diverse points of view. 

In the civil service if you reach the age of 60 or put in 35 years of service, you are to retire. And when you retire in the service you will collect your gratuity and continue to live on your pension. But in our profession, we do not retire. There is no such thing as a former journalist. There is no age limit to the practice of journalism. 

The League of Veteran Journalists invited us to a lecture. League means an association of persons or group united by common interests or goals. It could also mean fellowship or solidarity, while a veteran means a person who has had long experience in a particular field or job. It is not a league of retired journalists. 

The topic given to me is to speak at the lecture was “Life After Retirement for Journalists”. I have been ruminating on the subject. And I doubt whether journalists really retire. I think the topic should have been, “Life When Journalists Stop Going to Offices”.

To be concluded 

•Teniola, a former director at the Presidency, wrote from Lagos.