Ezekwesili Seeks Change in Media Roles


Nigeria: Ezekwesili Seeks Change in Media Roles
24 JULY 2012
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Immediate past Vice-President, Africa region of the World Bank, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, has canvassed for an improvement in the way the media discharges its role.
Ezekwesili, at a reception held for her in Abuja at the weekend by THISDAY to mark the completion of her four-year tenure in the multilateral donor bank, also questioned the capacity of African journalists to consistently engage public policy makers in sound socio-economic policy dialogue and debates.
She spoke at the occasion where the Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY Newspapers and President, Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, said Ezekwesili was being honoured for her meritorious service at the World Bank to Africa.
Ezekwesili expressed her desire to see African news media outlets metamorphose from their status of passive policy observers to hybrid purveyors of policy knowledge.
"There is one message I want us to take away from here tonight; the role of the media in Africa has got to be a different thing from what it is now. The role of the media must be a role that shows it as a very enlightened purveyor of policy knowledge.
"They must have content because it is not sufficient to comment on things you know little about; you do nobody any good by doing so, and actually endanger your own altruistic purpose and intentions," she said.
While stressing the importance of credible knowledge-based news media houses in Africa, Ezekwesili explained that with such competence as holders and acquaintances of vital policy frameworks of government and its development agencies, African journalists would be better equipped to challenge their leaders to improve on their approach to leadership and management of the countries' resources.
In appreciation of the honour bestowed on her by THISDAY as well as the leading role of the newspaper in African media circles, Ezekwesili urged the newspaper to upgrade and sustain the content of leaders celebrated in Nigeria.
She said: "I really think that THISDAY, beyond the kind of great things that you have done this evening in recognising me and giving me this award, you need to do a little bit more; you need to bring content into the quality of leadership that is celebrated in our nation."
Commenting on her stewardship at the World Bank as well as the benefits that accrued to the continent during her tenure, she said: "What I did was to give myself no rest and every single nation on the continent where its leader was interested in reforming its economy, I visited and I gave my best to it.
"For example, President Kagame of Rwanda understood what I was doing and that is why when you go to Rwanda, you would see what the mix of integrity, character, capacity and competency, with the right amount of goodwill, can do for a nation.
"So I applied myself to the effort of trying to make whatever difference that I could in working with these leaders.
"But my dear brothers and sisters, I have to say to you that even though I am home, in my current dispensation, what I am doing is working with George Soros to continue to be an economic adviser to a number of the presidents on the continent.
"We are doing this through the Centre for Economic Policy Expertise because something that came out clearly is that it does not matter how much integrity some of the leaders may have, until they could find the right economic policy skills around, they are never going to make sound economic policy, and so the countries will struggle."
Obaigbena in his wrap-up of events at the dinner, announced to the audience which comprised former Head of Service, Mr. Steve Oronsaye; Chairman of Nigerian Electricity Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi; Director, Budget Office of the Federation, Dr. Bright Okogu; Senator Magnus Abbe; President of Trade Union Council (TUC), Mr. Peter Esele; and former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia, among others, said that THISDAY was proud of Ezekwesili's achievements and would continue to recognise achievers such as herself.

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