Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has challenged media and media owners in Nigeria to take the front seat in setting agenda for the progress of the country.
According to him it is the media, editors and media owners that should set agenda for politicians in the country not the other way round.
“If you allow the politicians to continue to set the agenda for this country, especially in the area of selecting leaders, from top-down or bottom-up, then, I don’t think we are ready to get the country on the right track.
” This is because, whether we like it or not, Nigeria will always be who or what we want it to be when journalists and media owners set the correct agenda for the politicians, and Nigerians and drive it through.
“If you don’t, only God knows what will happen after 2023. However, it is worthy to ask what agenda are we setting, is it ethic, religious, or class agenda,” Yahaya Bello asked.
The governor, who spoke today, October 22 at the 17th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference 2021 (ANEC) organised by Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) said that media practitioner should not be doing the old thing in the current trend and expect different result.
He noted that media agencies have reporters all over the country, and “it is high time they tell themselves the truth and set the agenda,” adding that God would not send an angel to become the president of Nigeria.
“It is Nigerians that will have to choose their leaders to fix the various challenges facing the country.”
“By the time you allow the politicians to continue to drive the agenda, whatever you see, you should take it. This is democracy and numbers matter.
” Also, communication to the masses are usually through the media. How you set the agenda and messages to the people matter. If you do not communicate the right message to the people, we will continue to have who we do not desire.
“It takes decisive, courageous, fair-minded and balanced leader to be able to fix this country and to be able to fix our challenges as a nation.
“However, it requires the collaboration, understanding, and painstaking agenda setting of the media, to educate, sensitive and teach our people on the various steps of how to select the next leader or leadership.”
