Journalism: The Noble Craft That Helped Birth A Nation
Toyyib Omowale writes Journalism: The Noble Craft That Helped Birth A Nation
Journalism is more than a profession it is a calling rooted in truth, integrity, and service. It is, without doubt, one of the noblest of callings because it connects policies to people, holds power accountable, and preserves the spirit of democracy. Through our reportage, society understands how government decisions shape everyday life from the price of bread to the fate of nations.
We are called the Fourth Estate of the Realm for a reason. Alongside the executive, legislature, and judiciary, the press plays a watchdog role. Without a free and responsible press, democracy weakens. But this role isn’t a recent development; it is the foundation upon which Nigeria’s nationhood was built.
Long before Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1960, it was journalism that gave voice to the nationalist struggle. Political pioneers such as Sir Kitoyi Ajasa, founder of The Nigerian Pioneer in 1914, Herbert Macaulay, and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe publisher of West African Pilot didn’t pick up arms; they picked up the pen.
These were men of ink and ideology. They used the power of the press to awaken a colonised people, criticize injustice, and press for self-rule. Azikiwe’s West African Pilot, founded in 1937, boldly carried the slogan “Show the light and the people will find the way.” And indeed, through fearless journalism, the light was shown, and a nation emerged.
But today, how far have we come from those ideals?
The early journalists were not protocol officers. They were interrogators of power, driven by curiosity, courage, and clarity. They asked the tough questions. They demanded answers. Today, however, we are seeing a slow drift toward protocol journalism a style that seeks to comfort the powerful rather than confront them.
I witnessed this decline first-hand not long ago. At a public event featuring top policymakers, a journalist stood to ask the first question. And what was the question? “Can you tell us why we are here?” The official, clearly unimpressed, responded sarcastically: “We are here to dance.”
It was a reminder that a microphone in hand is not the same as a mind prepared.
We must do better. Journalism is not about filling airtime or pages. It is about serving the public interest with clarity, courage, and conviction. Our questions must be intelligent, our facts verified, and our professionalism unquestionable.
Yes, we are in an era where bloggers break stories and social media influencers are seen as “news sources.” But speed is no substitute for substance. Virality is no replacement for verification.
As journalists especially in Nigeria we owe it to history, to those who came before us, and to the future we hope to build, to return to the core of our craft. Let us reclaim the strength of the Fourth Estate. Let us ask the right questions. Let us inform, educate, and inspire.
Let us show the light.💡
™ Toyyib Omowale is a broadcast journalist based in Yenagoa. He contributed this article titled Journalism: The Noble Craft That Helped Birth A Nation
