An Appraisal Of Press Freedom In Nigeria Under Civilian Rule
[A CASE STUDY OF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO REGIME 1999 – 2004]

The high handedness of the military reduced some media houses into government mega-phone for fear of being harassed or closed down.  Such media who owe their existence, control and sustenance to the government of the day depended on it for subvention as a means of survival.  Mostly affected were the electronic media and some print media owned and controlled by those in power.  This led to the deregulation in 1989 of media houses by issuing operating licenses especially to those who want to own and operate the electronic media.  This development led to the establishment of private radio and television houses in the country thus breaking government monopoly of the electronic media industry.

Coming up on the heels of these deregulations were stations like the African Independence Television (AIT), MINAJ, DBN etc.  Inspite of these welcome developments, the torture on the media houses that were closed down and opened some months before the exit of the military in the governance of the country cannot be quantified.

The military quit leadership of the country in May 1999 and handed over to a democratically elected government led by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, which has long been the agitation of the press and the entire country.  Under this administration, the press may be said to have an air of freedom in the exercise of its constitutional role as the eye and ear of the society.  Innovations in the operations of the media may have resulted due to advance in technology; enough have not been achieved if any in terms of ownership of the media in the last five years of the current administration.

Although the administration has done its best in initiating policies that can lead to the protection of infant industries and manufacturers, especially the local manufacturers.  It has not done much in the area of information technology or high way that is the order of the day in making the world a global village.

There are still feelings that the news content of the media are being doctored to fit or rather suit the aspiration of those in power.  There is also a feeling that the sectional political nature of the society may have polarized the media in such a that each pursues an agenda favourable to its ethnic origin or its ethnic consideration.

The other school of thought has it that the media has lost its bite and is no longer that which fought for the enthronement of democracy in the country thus, allowing a lot of malpractices to have their way into the nation’s polity.  While most people attribute this to their resolve in supporting the democratic dispensation, others felt that the media for fear of being intimidated, have succumbed to the feelings and aspirations of the government.

These issues therefore make this study very important as we will in the following chapters discuss the operations of the media in the current administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo; the attempt will hinge on providing solutions to some of the startling issues posed in this background.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study under review has the operations of the press at its epi-centre in the current democratic dispensation of Olusegun Obasanjo.  We are going to look at some of the policies that have undermined the social responsibility of the press, as well as policies that have favoured the activities of the press in the aforementioned administration.

Is the word “Press Freedom” in existence in the true reality of life and, if so, how does it function?  Or are they determined by the kind of government in operation from society to society or country to country?

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1. To understand the problems militating against press freedom in Nigeria.

2. To understand how the press has operated in Nigeria since 1999.

3. To understand what the future holds for the press in the event of discontinued governance of President Obasanjo.

The result achieved here will enable us to say in concrete terms whether the press should be left free or should not be left free in discharging their statutory functions.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is significant in view of the negative feelings the present administration has received from its citizens and, the belief of what the press have played in the hands of government.  But it no longer carries her activities in line with the constitution that sets them up.  Also is the fact that the present administration tends to intimidate the press on their activities, thus lending credence to the allegation that the press have been bough over.