EFFECT OF MILITARY DICTATORSHIP ON THE NIGERIA MASS MEDIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUD OF THE STUDY

There is the belief in some quarters that the Nigerian press under the military regime is characterized by the “Praise signing syndrome” of the Nigeria society. Some other critics say that Nigeria are strange among praise singers, accusers and sympathizer. When a government is in power people sing praises of the administration even in the face of glaring inefficiency of the public office holders.

On January 15, 1966 when the first military regime came into power, the late Major General J.T.U Agnyi Ironsi was eulogized for establishing a military government based on group of principles. When Ironsi was killed in July 1966 counter coup, he was described by one Newspaper columnist who was one of the most local adherent of the Ironsi administration as “A hard drinking general whose administration lacked a sense of direction.

In Gwon’s leadership he was praised flattered and worshipped. It is mentors and adviser referred to him as “God given leader” However when the revolutionary coup d etat by the late General Murtala mohammed swept Gwon out of Dodan Barracks. The same praise singers turned around to call the former God given leader such un complimentary names as Wanted man” frigitive offender” and so on. 

The Murtala/Obansanjo regime which handed over power to the civilian was accused of painlessness without Nigerians knowing that the successor of that regime would be on epitome of painlessness. Graft and squander mania. Again in December 31, 1984 another coup d’etal which saw major General Mohammed Buhari as the head of state and commander in chief of the armed forces of the federal republic of Nigeria came to pass with the coup, expectation of Nigeria including individuals organization and educational institution become high.

The Nigerian press as the spokes man of the people maintained ands echoed the expectations of the regime. That was another movement of looking back to what the situation was before the military came in. expressing the people’s view and opinion as to what the new military administration would do. The print media came up with editorial features, articles, opinion columns and cartoon on the military administration. The regime never lived up to the expectation of Nigeria and was flattered by the press thereafter.

On August 07, 1985 the Nigerian mass media sang another praise song and was flattered condemning the Buhari/Idiagbor led regime. Which was ousted by the Babangida regime. Before long in 1993 August 27, when Babangida relinquished power to the Ernest Shonekan headed national interim government of Nigeria following the annulment of |June 1993 presidential election. The Babangider regime had its own condemnation  by the Nigeria mass media.

The Abacha’s regime was with praises when it took over powers from Ernest Shonekan led interim national Government. These initial praises of the press to the change of government was significant especially when a mouth piece of the people, the press has followed with bewilderment, the defunct Shonekan led Nigeria as it deteriorated.

This is to say that the press, especially Nigeria newspapers saw the fall of the Shonekan led Nigeria coming and therefore has the most privileged opportunity to react the way they did when the military regime of General Abacha came to power. And the regime on the other hand humiliated the press by arresting, detaining and killing press men and even closing down media at will.

Yet the Nigerian mass media kept on their numerous task of publishing government activities and policies as well as making their stand or opinion on certain issues or actions of the government known. The Abdulsalam Abubakar’s regime was not an exception. The media praised him through out its nine month reign, but when it succeeded by civil rule in may 29, 1999, the media changed the tone of their praise to that of condemnation. Though not in totality but in areas of financial management.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study, bearing in mind that the treatment meted on the Nigeria press and the alleged praise singing culture of the Nigerian press intend to look into the performance of the Nigerian press in the military regime vis-à-vis the effect of military regime on the Nigeria mass media. Before delving into this study, it would be pertinent to look into the relationship of the Nigerian mass media and the military regime. Under which they operate. The relationship if one would say has not been all that cordial and if one should cite an example it has been unbearable. For a press 9or mass media) to perform its social responsibilities as the watch dog of the society it should be free from extreme government control and censorship and whereby (the press) does not enjoy that freedom from excess government control and censorship. It cannot perform its social responsibility role very well.