By Mohammed Danladi
“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re misinformed.” Mark Twain.
The above quote by Mark Twin, an American writer, humorist, and essayist whose real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens, only accentuates the responsibility that journalists have to uphold truth and to inform the public in a manner that they can make meaning of events, failure to the man who didn’t read the newspaper would have lost nothing not reading. Mark Twin was reacting to the deliberate falsehoods constantly churned out by newspapers which rather than inform, mis-informs readers.
There is no doubt that journalists play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion, by not only setting the agenda, but by how they frame their stories, hence the power they wield is a sacred trust that should never be betrayed on the altar of any vested interest. It’s a power that demands great responsibility; otherwise, the media would never be an effective bridge in the flow of information between political actors and the people. And in discharging this responsibility the journalist must be very informed, be analytical and provide context so that his readers can reach informed decisions on any issue including government policies.
There is no doubt that the Daily Trust editorial “Of Governors And Traditional Rulers” of July 1st 2024 as it relates to the alleged plot to dethrone Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar the 20th Sultan of Sokoto, the removal of some District and Village Heads found wanting by a properly constituted panel, was certainly in bad faith, even though am tempted to describe it more as a hatchet job because it doesn’t make sense why Daily Trust insisted on relying on a discredited information to reach its conclusions.
Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Sole Administrator of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) who first raised the alarm only relied on the proposed amendment to the law on the appointment of traditional rulers, the removal of some District and Village Heads over what the government described as “unbecoming behaviours, such as land racketeering, aiding insecurity as well as insubordination to constituted authority”, and the extension of the tenure of local government chairmen. He never bothered to cross-check his fertile imagination with the government before raising his false alarm.
The editorial didn’t educate, because it wasn’t meant to. The impression I got reading the lazy editorial is that it was filler hurriedly written to fill the page, the reason why it lacked logic and deep reasoning. A good editorial must give a balanced view on the subject matter it is treating lucidly.
Thankfully the Daily Trust editorial failed to achieve its unstated objective of pitching the people against Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto who harbours the Sultan no malice. While the editorial did insinuate that the crisis was a result of the “Sultan telling truth to power”, it tragically failed to mention what exactly the Sultan told the governor that must have irked him so much that in retaliation he wants the Sultan dethroned.
The editorial made several conjectures that are not backed up by facts. For instance, Daily Trust claims again without any evidence that the removal of the District and Village Heads has “been seen by stakeholders as a first step towards deposing the sultan for allegedly telling the truth to power”. How on earth did Daily Trust reach that tragic conclusion? The first step would be a query and not an amendment that has nothing to do with his office.
For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto is only reforming the institution for better service delivery. The law doesn’t or hasn’t changed the power of the Sultan; rather it’s to check abuse which Daily Trust seems to have no problem with.
Why did Daily Trust bluntly refuse to drop the Sokoto State angle in its editorial, considering the explanation by Sambo Bello Danchadi the Commissioner of Information and Orientation that the amendment of the traditional ruler’s law is to “align the law with what has been in practice for decades” until 2007, during the administration of former Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, when the Law was amended to give Sole Powers to the Sultan to appoint Village Heads without recourse to the State Government”, which would have made the Sultan an imperial lord.
If and when the law is amended the Sultanate Council would remain responsible, for collating applications of all aspirants to the thrones of District and Village Heads, the shortlisting and the submission of the three shortlisted candidates to the Governor for approval. And for the avoidance of any doubt, the commissioner stressed that “the essence of the amendment, is not in any way intended to alter the already existing Powers of the Governor or the role of the Sultanate Council in the appointment of District and Village Heads”. This explanation should have cleared any doubt but the Sokoto State government had to be included to create the impression that the traditional institution is under siege. Power like they say corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Again is Daily Trust like MURIC saying that the state government ought not to have disciplined the affected District and Village Heads who by the way are paid by the government and have been accused amongst other crimes of gross insubordination? And that they should be above the law, unlike other public servants. Daily Trust would have had a valid point were they not given a fair hearing. The glee of Daily Trust was very obvious in paragraph six which is reproduced here.” Despite the disclaimer, the governor went ahead to order the removal of 10 district heads under the Sultanate Council although the affected titleholders have since rushed to court and secured an interim injunction restraining the government from removing them. They will now have their day in court”.
It might interest Daily Trust to know that the District and Village Heads were removed more than three months ago. And that they only rushed to court at the instigation of some mischief makers who had hoped to use their removal to precipitate a crisis.
First, the disclaimer by the government that it was not plotting to dethrone the Sultan had absolutely nothing to do with the sacked District and Village Heads, but the Sultan. Secondly, the governor only sacked them based on the report of a painstaking exercise that found them guilty. The Sokoto State government would certainly defend its actions in the court of law because it followed the laid down process, so Daily Trust shouldn’t celebrate.
While Daily Trust seems to place some weight on the ill-advised statement by Senator Kashim Shettima the vice president, who has a history of goofs for its hatchet job, the fact is that the statement didn’t portray him in any positive light. How can the vice president make his statement on such a weighty issue based on an unsubstantiated allegation from a doubtful source, especially when he has unhindered access to the governor who would have clarified the true state of affairs to him?
Shettima has been severely lashed by both the Sokoto State government and several commentators for his poor judgment.
Daily Trust has an axe to grind with the Sokoto State government going by paragraph six(6) of the editorial “As expected, the state government had debunked any insinuation that it was antagonizing the sultan”. My question is, did Daily Trust expect the Sokoto State government to have kept quiet in the face of a concerted falsehood that has serious security implications? It’s a huge surprise that a major newspaper would have issues with a rebuttal.
It’s equally surprising that Daily Trust is pushing for a constitutional role for the traditional institution when many Nigerians want a serious reform that would reduce the cost of governance, and because the presidential system of government doesn’t support any role for the traditional institution.
Going by the submission of the Sultanate Council at the public hearing on the amendment the members of the Daily Trust Editorial Board must have a rethink. Represented by Dr Muhammad Jabbi Kilgori, the Council affirmed that it has no problem whatsoever with the state government and that the amendment to the law would not “strip the Sultan of his powers or functions”, a position that has dealt a serious blow to the Daily Trust editorial. The newspaper must see its failure to seek the truth and inexplicable refusal to adhere to the journalism maxim that encourages practitioners to leave out if in doubt, as a disservice to itself and its readers.
I don’t think that Daily Trust has an in-house lawyer who is a specialist on constitutional issues that would provide it with legal advice otherwise the newspaper wouldn’t have made such a gaffe. Thankfully Barrister Nasiru Binji, the state commissioner of justice and Attorney General has educated them that the existing law is inconsistent with Section 5(2) of the constitution which vests executive powers to appoint chiefs and district heads in the governor.
