Engr Akeem Olatunji, the Oyo State PDP Publicity Secretary has reacted to Premium Times’ journalist article on Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration.
In the Satire article, the journalists delved into the activities of Seyi Makinde in Oyo state and some of his actions since assumption of office over a month ago.
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Once material gain exchanges hand, professionalism eludes journalism and objectivity gets a new habitat in dustbin. The article credited to Oladeinde Olawoye visibly explains the above assertion. The cacophony expressed as his opinion has further confirmed the inimical decadence that has overpowered professionalism in today’s journalism.
Hitherto, genuine journalists do interrogate the facts, investigate the situations and engage in the field activities before airing their opinion because they must come from an informed point of view, but armchair nature of journalism that has enveloped the field nowadays is detrimental to information dissemination in Nigeria.
Although, we will appreciate Olawoyin for acknowledging the fact that Governor Seyi Makinde is a consistent philanthropist known to him for about a decade, but to some of us that have known GSM prior to his voyage in Politics, we know that his benevolent nature is a rare gift from Providence since he was birthed into the society.
It should be noted that Olawoyin has made more postulations from an uninformed point of view that has questioned his acclaimed professionalism and ethic of journalism. He shouldn’t have dashed out unverified information that would subject him to an opprobrium, Oyo people are cerebral and sophisticated enough to discern and decipher even the unsaid words, his concocted wishes could only be sold to the few gullible from the opposition side that are still engulfed with the acrimony of the defeat.
Olawoyin should be educated that there is big difference between “Populism” and “Pro masses Agenda”. The decision of GSM to cancel anti-masses policies of former Governor Ajimobi, especially the education levy in public school is a genuine pro masses agenda that would withstand the test of time not a mere populist agenda that is frail in nature. Oyo State is a cradle of Yoruba politics, our forefathers left a legacy of free and sound education, former Governor Ajimobi was also a product of this free education, the efforts of GSM in resuscitating the legacy of our founding fathers is a genuine intention to make Oyo State a pace setter again.
Olawoyin and his cronies should also be rightly informed that the assertion that Ajimobi awarded the reconstruction of Ibadan/Iseyin Road to a “faceless” contractor does not mean the contractor doesn’t have face or office, rather, the construction firm does not have a variable antecedence nor the needed records as the activities of the firm is ladened in obscurity. We urge Olawoyin and his cronies to learn how to read meaning to the context of the content.
GSM is a noble man with verified track record of high integrity from a noble profession that does not compromise, his coming into politics is an “Intervention measure” to safeguard the greater interest of our dear state and keep our commonwealth away from known usurpers that have hijacked the instrumentalities of power in the past.
Finally, even a daft knows that the new Governor of Oyo State is Engr. Seyi Makinde, a man from a valorous background, attempting to equate this noble name with Solo Makinde is not only ridiculous but also shows vacuity from the angle of writer. It is also an unguarded effrontery against the collective sensibility of all well-meaning citizens of Oyo State who have unanimously supported GSM before, during and after election.
Engr Akeem Olatunji is the Oyo State PDP Publicity Secretary, writes from Ibadan.
