A senior lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Ngozi Olehi, has harped on the urgent need for journalists to rise up and continue to play the roles entrusted unto them by their profession and the laws of the country.
He said by their calling as watchdogs of the society, they are supposed to be in the forefront of setting the agenda, and championing the advocacy and struggle against societal ills like injustice, abuse of people’s rights and underdevelopment.
He spoke recently in Owerri, during an interactive parley with members of Ngor Okpala Journalists Forum.According to him, all over the country, in communities,states and at the national level,allegations and cries against these ills are rampant and on the increase,making it imperative for journalists, who are among those whose callings positioned to help checkmate them, to take up the responsibility.
Barr Olehi cited example of what he was saying with the ongoing outcry by some communities in Ngor Okpala LGA, against the alleged injustice of improper and undue acquisition of large expanse of their ancestral lands by private individuals.
According to him Peoples of communities such as Amala, Alatia,Ntu and Ezema, have being alleging that their lands are being forcefully taken from them by the Zion Ministries, and have gone to court to seek justice.
He urged them to delve into matters like that, that border on justice, fairness and human rights, as that would help make these natural principles to be respected in the society,leading to peace, security, progress and development .
He also condemned in strong terms the trend in the LGA of indiscriminate sell off of indigenous lands by community leaders, positing that the practice and alleged grabbing of indigenous lands, are time bombs with the potential to turn the area into another hotbed of agitation and militancy in future.
Speaking on the wave of insecurity sweeping across the length and breath of the country, and in Ngor Okpala in particular as being orchestrated by Fulani Herders, he said the job of arresting insecurity lies majorly with the governments.
While decrying the scourge of Fulani Herders banditry, he stressed that governments at all levels could tame it and other security threats once there is the political courage and will, aligned properly with the right policies,programs and legislations.
On the issue of good governance, the legal luminary stated that years after he came up with the argument that, the three fundamental pillars of good governance, are transparency, accountability, and rule of law, his position remains unchanged till this day.
According to him, when these principles operate in a democracy,they make leaders know that they are servant leaders,make citizens build trust and confidence in their leaders, as well as in investors, paving way for collaborations, partnerships and inflow of local and foreign investments,which ultimately spur growth and development.
Reiterating his strong confidence in the transformative power of the media, he called on members of forum not to relent in championing developmental journalism, as well as fight against the myriad of ills plaguing the society.