Dr. Olufunke Fadugba an accomplished and resourceful journalist, is the Chairman, Editorial Board of Penpushing.com. During her reign, as Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos Council, she initiated the landownership scheme that today made many journalists landlords at Journalists Estate, Arepo, Ogun State, the first to be done by any group of journalists. That project brought her into public reckoning. Though she retired from active journlism after 35 years, she is one of the matriarchs of Nigerian media space. Anthonia Duru had an interview with Fadugba, who marked her 60th birthday the same day Nigeria also clocked 60 years of independence, and she bares her mind on some burning issues.
You were born the same day Nigeria gained her independence. What does this mean to you as a Nigerian?
It is a great privilege, sharing my birthday with Nigeria. It imposes a sense of celebration in some ways, as I have to mark the day even when I feel that the day would pass quietly. It also makes the day special, as the entire country has to celebrate the day with those of us born on that day.
Does this give you a sense of patriotism?
Patriotism has nothing to do with sharing birthday with Nigeria. However, in a way, it imposes extra responsibility to want to seek the good of the country at all times. Patriotism to ones country by my understanding ought to be a natural duty but now with receiving good wishes on such special day with Nigeria imposes that greater challenge to be patriotic regardless of events in the country.
Nigeria at 60; what do you think Nigerians can do to make Nigeria a great nation?
Nigeria naturally has every potential to be a great country but there are issues that are militating against the attainment of greatness.
It will take determination on the part of all, particularly the leaders to drive the greatness of the nation. I am saying this in view of the background that a good number of Nigerians are making exceptional contributions in various fields of endeavours within and outside the country. To achieve this greatness as a nation and not as individuals, as we presently can see requires to be driven by leaders with clear vision, exceptional leadership qualities and the zeal to put Nigeria in its right place in the comity of nations. We have all it takes, as instruments of greatness but this can only be actualised with a good driver at the helm of affairs to maximise our potential individually and collectively to attain greatness.
They say once a journalist always a journalist. As a retired journalist, is this applicable to you, ma?
I am not retired. I have only left active journalism practice but I still engage in journalistic activities, including being the chairman of Editorial board of an online medium, Penpushing.
I still nurture young ones, who consult me in wriggling out of confusing journalistic situations. Also, in my new field of endeavour, which is teaching, I found my journalism background as added advantage to achieve my set goals.
Are you okay with the state of Nigeria’s media industry?
The media has remained a challenged industry. It is a reflection of the society, which is on a fast lane to success but yet moving forward and backward at the same time.
The environment is not too ideal for media practice, as the driving force of the founding fathers of the profession is not the same with the current trend.
The myriad of challenges has remained unresolved over decades in terms of competence, proper remuneration, appropriate and efficient training and reward as at when due. The society now takes our reports with doubt, owing to collateral damage done by fake news and the invasion of the media space by almost every body. The laid back attitude of regulatory agencies or is it overzealousness to please certain powers and consequently kneeling on the neck of the media. The distraction or lack of wherewithal by coordinating bodies to play effectively their roles.
This is not the best of time for the media and I guess it reflects the social reality that all is not well with our nation.
As the Chairman of Lagos NUJ, you birthed the vision which resulted in the popular Journalists Estate at Arepo. How easy was it, accomplishing this task?
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The Journalists Estate, both Phases 1 and 2, came into being under my leadership as chairman of Lagos NUJ to meet the prevailing needs of journalists at that time about 16years ago. That era was truly challenging for media practitioners in terms of getting paid as at when due. I will attribute the success of it to God, the great Visioner, responsible followership and sense of duty of those of us in the executive to succeed. It was a novel idea but with God and the drive to succeed, we were able to leave that indelible mark in the sands of time. Achieving the task, as a woman was not easy, as I had to fall back on my inner strength to supervise, monitor and insist on getting it right. It remains a mystery how I was able to weave the available human and material resources to achieve it without controversy and getting the buy in of authorities of Ogun State then. I could only have achieved that living feat with the support of God.
As an accomplished journalist, can you predict the future of journalism in Nigeria?
The future of journalism cannot be considered in isolation. The social forces driving the nation are bound to affect the media. With unending attempts to directly or indirectly muzzle the media, the inability of employers of journalists to pay wages, the invasion of the media space (social media) by untrained people, the lack of adequate and effective legal framework to check activities of invaders of the sector, particularly the new media are issues that need to be tackled to get the media back on track. Nigeria needs a vibrant, purposeful and patriotic media that will help galvanise the citizens towards a rediscovery of those lofty attributes that once made Nigeria a powerful, prosperous and peaceful nation. A silenced, impoverished and ill equipped media spells doom for the nation. Inspite of all the seeming overwhelming challenges of poverty, insecurity and other problems facing the nation, I wish Nigeria and all of us, who share this day with it, are wonderful and better by the 61st celebration.
