The past few days have been filled with a mixture of experiences for me ranging from the good to the bad and then to the ugly.
I would have just kept mute but my desire to put things in the right perspective especially as some scally wags capitalised on an issue that has nothing to do with them to cheaply bring themselves into prominence.
My offence is that some pitiable fellows don’t understand how I dare adhere to laid down guidelines/code of ethics to carry out my duties as a journalist.
A colleague had forwarded to me a report he did on the inauguration of the new exco of the Edo NAWOJ(Nigeria Association of Women Journalists) led by Comrade Adesuwa Ehimuan by some national officers of the association who came into Benin from different parts of the country to carry out the assignment which also had in attendance the Chairman of the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Festus Alenkhe, a horde of the council’s exco members and national officers of the parent NUJ.
In line with what is permissible I had to fine comb the write up to ensure that it tallies with my news blog site style of reporting. Thereafter, I went on to share the publication to different forums as I am used to doing.
In no time a pitiable fellow who took it upon herself that since she was not elected the best thing to do is to denigrate the process and even force other people to black out anything relating to it took offence for my action.
She lambast me querying why I should do the publication. I responded to her idiotic posturing and her response was that I should go ahead with whatever I intended doing.
“Lion or chicken in you? Go ahead and write all the trash you so wish, i dare you mr professional,” she ordered.
It came as a shock that my response to her challenge caused her to start calling different gods to come to her rescue, to vindicate her as she accused me of telling lies against her.
What a pitiable response to the ‘trash’ a ‘chicken’ wrote in response to an open challenge.
Barely had my publication made its round of the news space when I started getting some outrageous responses from some of her co block heads some of who I had in time past unknowingly given very unbefitting high rating in character scope.
One of such pitiable characters, who should be giving praises to God that he was spared been imprisoned for certificate forgery a few years ago, decided to take sides with his town’s woman passing very uncomplimentary comments on my person. Another using a new found dictum asked, “Who is this writer trying to please biko.”
From different corners came such very nasty comments from people who can barely spell their names and whose braggado is “I am a journalist.”
In the midst of all these some sensible individuals called to know what really transpired and to offer their support while giving me invaluable tips on the next line of action that should be taken.
Even overheard the market woman during a phone conversation telling whoever is on the other side “no mind am e waka enter Edo na head e go carry go.”
What a foolhardy comment. You don’t threaten a ‘deity’. I am giving you an ‘expo’. If you know you know.
A last warning. If you are not fit to be in my space keep off my territory. I am presently cutting off some dead woods from my surrounding. I have the inalienable right to choose who I associate with or who is admissible within a distance.
This is the second part of a four part series.
