Majority of the Universities in Nigeria have been very hostile to the issue of press freedom within the system. Except for a few. This cuts across federal and state universities but the impact is worse in many private higher institutions.
The level of intolerance to press freedom by many vice chancellors, Directors, provost-led administration of the institutions’ affairs is beyond comprehension Student journalists on the other hands had refused to be suppressed as they have summoned courage to continue to do their parts of reporting and informing the university as well as higher institutions’ communities where they operate. There have been several consequences for these student journalists. The consequence ranges from harassment, intimidation, suspension etc
Not quite long, I recalled an unforgettable unfortunate incident within my university. There was a fatal motor accident at the major road that links my university entrance gate. This was occasioned by a shuttle bus plying the university whose driver was reckless. The accident claimed the life of a student and injured some.
This attracted the attention of the Union of campus journalists and one of our members actually did a good story from the point of finding the cause and how to prevent such in the future. As it would be expected, the story went viral beyond the university press and got coverage by other premium media outside the campus. This, the management felt should have been managed and demanded the story be pulled down so as to reduce its further republishing.
The union of Campus journalists felt such order was against journalism ethics as the writer had not done anything wrong. There were lots of harassments and intimidation when the union refused to back down. Because the threat was becoming unbearable, and safety of the student journalist could not be guaranteed, the press yielded.
University of Ibadan internal security men beating UCJ UI President
Not quite long ago too, the internal security operative of University of Ibadan also beat, harassed some members of the University of ibadan Union of campus journalists, a team that included the President and others for covering a student union association swearing in ceremony. This was an event they were properly invited to cover. The overzealous security officers refused to listen to the voice of reason.
One can tell a litany of woes that had befallen many campus journalists in the course of doing their duties. Many private higher institutions do not even allow campus journalism unions to operate because of fear of exposure.
The campus Union of Journalists reports issues that involve student’s lifestyle, welfarism and activities. The press’s duty is to keep the populace aware of happenings around them and to make them feel more connected to their environment. It was only professional of the campus press to report the accident that happened because 1.) It is news, 2.) it involves the students of the University, and 3.) It happened within the geography of the students.
In the case cited above, the journalist had done nothing wrong by reporting the accident. However, the University was more concerned and driven by what stakeholders will say about its capacity to protect students in their custody.
For the university management, the legacy of the school which has produced countless graduates that had pioneered change in the global landscape and have contributed towards shaping the world positively is more important.
The clash of interest for the school was centered around implications of the news on its image. The university, through harassment and intimidation tactics, succeeded in ensuring the news was pulled down. This was notion short of censorship
This practice has lingered in the affairs of students in the Universities leaving them with limited options of either to conform to the instruction of the institution or stand the risk of forfeiting their studentship. This ethical dilemma poses a threat on the future of the media practice because campus journalism is a grooming ground for upcoming journalists and every detail in the practice of the profession contributes its quota to their shaping and perception of the profession.
#Joshua Weng Chuwang is a fellow of Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals 2025 Campus Journalism media fellowship
