“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re misinformed” – Mark Twain.
When an old aphorism says, “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown”, it must have had Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR, the Governor of Ogun State at the centre of its thought. For Ogun State, the saying rings true as it has recently been a tree blossoming with abundant fruit for which it cannot escape the stones and sticks thrown at it by hungry political children. The enemies of progress are on the prowl with malevolent gusto. If they are not cyber-attacking the Governor to disrupt its operations and whip up sentiments against it, they are unleashing destructive physical attacks on or causing violence within the state in order to daub the administration. When they fail, they resort to engaging hungry writers and greedy journalists to weave lies against the State and the Governor in the media.
In his The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown actually refers to the media as “the right arm of anarchy,” and this was affirmed by the maliciously false report— “Ogun attorney-general Gbolahan Adeniran resigns over ‘massive corruption’ in Governor Abiodun’s government”— that was published on Monday 15 November,2021 in one online news medium, “Peoples gazette”, that is infamous for the publication of fake news and the incitement of fears. Therein, journalism was taken to the abattoir and it was murdered on the slaughter slab of imbalanced reporting, inaccuracy, unverified reporting and hearsay— a lazy and unethical style of journalism.
A part of the false report reads: “Akingbolahan Adeniran has resigned as Ogun State attorney-general effective later this month, Peoples Gazette was told, after he spent weeks seething about Governor Dapo Abiodun’s corrupt practices, incompetence and general maladministration.” They continued: “Two sources who spoke with The Gazette separately about the development said Mr Adeniran has expressed concerns about unbridled corruption and incompetence in government and unsuccessfully took initiatives to curb such vices in public services.” It is not strange that whenever the media are set to publish fake news, in Nigeria, they resort to quoting anonymous sources. And that marks one of the hydra-headed problems that has been plaguing credible journalism in Nigeria.
In his response titled, “MY REASONS FOR RESIGNING AS ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND COMMISSIONER FOR JUSTICE, OGUN STATE”, the outgoing CJ, Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran, dismissed the fake news and said: “My attention has been drawn to some online news publications purporting to provide reasons for my resignation from the Ogun State Government as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. While it is true that on 8 November 2021, I formally notified His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR, the Governor of the State, of my decision to resign from the cabinet, I must state that contrary to the online news publications, my reasons for resigning are purely personal. I am not aware of any “massive corruption” in the Administration and I am indeed very proud of what we have been able to achieve in the administration of justice over the past two years”. Afterwards, he rolled out the massive list of the feats they have recorded.
The false report by the online medium provides additional evidence of the piquancy of Mark Twain regarding newspapers. An American author, journalist and intellectual, Twain had submitted that one is at the risk of being misinformed if one reads newspapers and being uninformed if one does not read them. As neither of the two is desirable, it means that a middle course should be charted by readers. Little wonder lawyers would say, “caveat emptor” or buyers beware. Therefore, you don’t trust or believe all you read in the press.
I have observed Prince Dapo Abiodun since his assumption of office as the Governor of Ogun State in 2019, and I can confidently say he has left no one in doubt, including the doubting Thomases, about his prodigious administrative acumen, robust intellect, keen vision, transparent honesty and the sheer capacity to organise men and materials for outstanding results.
In the Nigerian space where public service is largely synonymous with self-service, Prince Abiodun has remained constant as one of the exceptional few who are passionate about their jobs, patriotic to the Nigerian nation and conscious of the fact that leadership is a call to service that must be religiously and conscientiously done.
To the utter consternation of the dramatic news medium and its sponsors, the energy and resources invested in the project amounted to a sheer waste of time. At best, it was akin to shaking the giant baobab tree to gain dewdrops. The State remains strong and unscathed by the undiluted lies and half-truths that are strewn throughout the ineffectual political gymnastics.
Finally, as everyone gives only what they have, if Prince Dapo Abiodun always gives quality service, his detractors should always give spineless opposition and lamentation. Afterall, reproach doesn’t diminish the sweetness of honey as honey is naturally sweetened.
•Olamilekan Sotayow rites in from Abeokuta.
