…..or send back to school of journalism
By Amechi Innocent, Abakaliki
A youth organization known as Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo constituency,, OHANIVO Youth Forum has called for the sanction of Arise TV presenter Oseni Rufai over alleged unprofessional attack on Minister of Works, Chief Dave Umahi during a television programme last week.
The group who describe Umahi as a Colossus, star, pillar and an iroko not only in OHANIVO, in Ebonyi State but in Nigeria and beyond should be respected and accorded good behavioral approach and conduct.
The National President of OHANIVO Youth Forum, Mr. George Chimeebere Nwoye flanked by other members of the group in a press conference in Abakaliki said Rufai should be relieved of his duties or be sent back to school to get grounded on the ethics and professional conduct required of a television presenter and journalist.
Nwoye insisted that Rufai should be encouraged to pursue opportunities within his trained field, Zoology where he can contribute meaningfully and professionally to the development of the country rather than continue to remain what he described as an embarrassment to the media profession.
The group said: “We emphasize the importance of respecting the boundaries between professions. Journalism is a critical pillar of democracy and must be practiced by those trained to maintain its integrity and values.
” Allowing media professionals to engage in personal or politically motivated attacks can erode public trust in any platform and the profession at large. We urge Arise Media to address this matter to preserve it’s credibility.
“Oseni Rufai’s academic background is reportedly in Zoology and Animal Anatomy. While we respect all fields of study, we believe every profession has its designated space of practice. His current role in journalism, without formal training or qualification in the field, raises questions about adherence to professional standards.
“We have observed what appears to be repeated instances of biased reportage and targeted commentary, particularly aimed at demeaning the personality of certain leaders of the country, including recent attack on the Star-o-the light of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Senator David Umahi, the Minister of Works,a respected professional in his field.
“We believe that such behavior, if left unchecked is capable of tarnishing the reputation of your media organization and dragging the respected media profession to the mud.
“We the OHANIVO Youth Forum, without equivocation, respectfully request that Arise Media takes immediate steps to address these concerns, failure of which may prompt broader action from concerned Nigerian youths and civil society organizations who are equally interested in promoting professionalism and accountability across all sectors, ” the group concluded.
