Images from YMCI's First National Youth Media Forum

Youth Media and the Promotion of National Interest
On April 24, 2008, the Youth Media & Communication Initiative held its first National Youth Media Forum. The inaugural lecture, “Youth Media and the Promotion of National Interest” was delivered by Dr. Sam Amadi, Director, Centre for Public Policy & Research (CPPR), Nigeria. The occasion also marked the official presentation of Youth Link! the journal of YMCI.
Youth Media and the Promotion of National Interest
By Sam Amadi
Preamble:
It is a great privilege to speak on Youth Media and National Interests at such an important event. This event is important because it is about empowering and motivating young people. The greatest wealth of any country is its human resources. Economists now claim that human capital is the fifth and most decisive factor of production. In the new economy dominated by knowledge industry, the wealth of nations is now measured in brain power rather than in natural resources or financial resources. The great societies of the future are those that are seriously developing its human capital so that they will become globally competitive. If the wealth of a nation consists mainly in its human capital, its brainpower, then youths are the greatest treasure of the nation. Any development plan that is not pivoted in the moral, political, social and physical well-being of young people is not yet an attainable plan.
This being the case, you can then imagine the importance of today’s events. To talk about young people and how they can use the public media to promote national interests is an important event. So, I consider myself privileged to be the guest speaker at today’s event.
The New World and the Forces shaping Communication:
The new world order is best defined by changes in communication. Changes in the technology and structure of communication have become one of the markers of the new world order. We are living at a time of great changes in mass communication. This is the age of communication. One significant incident of an age of communication is that the intensity and extensity of communication increase. This intensification of communication poses both an opportunity and a threat. Theorists of communication and globalization have often focused on how the instantaneity of communication and its extensity threaten to wipe out the cultural diversities and peculiarities that make the world a better place. But, ultimately, it all depends on how we handle the changes in the global order.
The present era can also be described as a period of increased influence of young people in the economic, social and political affairs of nation. This increased influence of young people is enhanced by the new communications. The new communications like emails and websites have enabled young persons to play more active role in shaping world events through the power of network. Today, the voice of the young have increased in influence.
The Media in Nigeria:
According to the Encarta Dictionaries 2003-2007, the media can be defined as collectively: the various means of mass communication considered as a whole, including television, radio, magazines and newspapers, together with the people involved in their production. Martin Kingsley, the reputed editor of the online magazine, The Slate, approximates the media to the press. He states that “the press is often referred to as the media. Like “Fourth Estate,” the term “media” reflects a certain understanding about the role of the press in society. Media, the plural of medium, literally means the various technologies that convey information—from ink on paper to telephones and television to the Internet. Despite its literal meaning, however, the word has come to imply information itself, and those who deal in it, more than actual newsprint and copper wires. In what is rightly called the Age of Information, purveyors of information are an inevitable influence on society and government”. So the media could well mean the press and all those who work in the press.
The media has historically played a defining role in the political and economic development of any nation. The importance of the media in economic and political development is underlined by the fact that during the formation and nurture of the United States of America, the greatest democracy in the world, its founding fathers seriously considered making newspapers and magazines, what Benjamin Franklin referred to as ‘Journals of Opinion’ tax-free. The same Franklin argued famously that where the people are literate and the press free, democracy is guaranteed. It is further instructive in this regard that one of the enduring monuments of liberal democracy, The Federalist Papers, is a result of public communication between the founding fathers of US democracy on the values that should guide American politics and how the institutions of government should be structured in order to guarantee to the people the virtues of liberty, prosperity and the pursuit of happiness. The Federalist Papers have become an icon of deliberative democracy all over the world.
The role of the media in Nigerian political development is privileged in the annals of history. Independence was achieved largely due to the vibrancy of the media. The earliest nationalist struggles were motivated and sustained by the press. Such was the role of the media that the earliest nationalists like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Anthony Enaharo and Ernest Ikoli were journalists. Even those like Chief Obafemi Awolowo who were not formally employed in media houses intensely engaged in journalistic activities. These journalists were frontline in denouncing the oppressive rule of British colonialists and in demanding independence for Nigeria. From the West African Pilot to the Daily Times, the strident voice continued to sound louder and louder that Nigeria should be granted independence now.
It could be said that the nationalist struggle for independence gave birth to serious journalism in Nigeria. The earliest newspapers, including the local ones, were the vehicles for demanding independence from the British. The first newspaper in Nigeria was published in Lagos in the 1930s. The first television house, the Western Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation was established by the Western Region Government of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1958. These institutions gave voice to local agitation for independence. The influence of these ‘journals of opinion’ was enhanced by the quality of persons who worked there as journalists. They were easily the most educated young Nigerians who could not tolerate the indignity suffered by Nigerians in their country.
Today, Nigeria has vibrant and courageous electronic and print media. During the years of military rule in Nigeria these Nigerian media houses were at the vanguard of civil society confrontations with military dictatorship. In the process of this creative and courageous engagement, many newspaper and magazines like the Punch, Guardian, the Tell, the News and Newswatch were at various times proscribed and many of their editors and journalists detained, and occasionally convicted and jailed. The most notable of these assaults against the media are the killing of Mr. Dele Giwa, editor of Newswatch through letter-bomb and the assassination of Mr. Baguda Kaltho under the General Abacha military junta.
The Media and National Interests:
Although the Nigeria ruling class may find it difficult to believe, the media in Nigeria has been one of the most passionate in defense of national interests. Because of its defense of national interests, the media often finds itself opposed to the ruling political class. This opposition is wrongly, and at times self-indulgently, described as undermining national interest. But, nothing can be far from the truth. In a country like where the ruling class- whether military or civilians- has been in the main irresponsible and incompetent, a truly patriotic media will often find itself challenging and opposing the ruling political class. This is what has happened in Nigeria which some political leaders have called ‘unpatriotic’.
How do the media promote national interest? It is important to first clarify what is ‘national interest’. ‘National interest’ is one of those words that can easily be manipulated and become a portmanteau word, containing varied and often conflicting baggage. What amounts to national interest changes with different historic epochs. In the days of monarchs, the preservation of the monarchy and the welfare the King and his immediate family easily become the national interest. Under the military dictatorship or other forms of oligarchic regimes, the interest of the military class and the perpetuation of oligarchic privilege are often bandied about as national interests. But, in a real democracy, the national interest is the protection of the welfare of the citizens. In a constitutional democracy the national interest is clearly espoused in the constitution. It is usually expressed in the ideals of human rights, freedom, equality and security of lives and properties of the citizens and the protection of the territorial integrity of the country.
The Nigerian constitution succinctly articulates the national interests in its chapters 2 and 4. Chapter 2 mandates the managers of the society and economy to apply all diligence to ensure maximal enjoyment of freedom, equality and economic welfare for every Nigerian citizen. Section 17 defines the state’s social order as founded on the triple ideals of “freedom, equality and justice”. In this wise, every citizen is guaranteed equal rights and equal protection of the law; government must recognize the sanctity and dignity of the lives of the citizens and act humanely towards the citizens; human and natural resources in Nigeria can only be exploited if it adds to the good of the community (this means that privatization is forbidden except as it clearly evident that it results in the public good); and the courts must be independent, impartial and accessible to the people. This national interest is made legally enforceable under the fundamental rights provisions in chapter 4 of the constitution.
The expression of national interest in the Nigerian constitution is somewhat similar to that of the United States. The United States constitution postulates the country’s national interests as the protection of liberty, life and the pursuit of happiness of the citizen. Throughout its history the US media has used this constitutional expression of national interest to assess the performance of its government and to direct the country’s social and economic development. During the struggles for civil rights, the media teamed up with civil rights and the whole social movement to highlight the various social wrongs that needed to be righted in order to make for ‘a more perfect union’ as the founding father envisioned the United States. When President Roosevelt proclaimed the New Deal to reverse the impoverishment of American citizens, the media played a very supportive role. And right now, as the United States engages in another political campaign to elect a new President who will lead the nation to a better relationship with itself and the world, the media is focusing critical attention on those issues that protect the liberty, life and happiness of American citizens.
The Nigerian media posts a powerful score on promotion of national interest. Whether under the colonial, military or democratic administrations, the media has remained consistent in the promotion of those ideals and objectives espoused in the constitution. The media has exposed financial corruption and challenged unpatriotic aspirations to dictatorship and life-presidency of military and civilian rulers. The Nigerian media has raised its voice powerfully against electoral malpractices and other political misconducts. It has spoken on behalf of the victims of oppression.
The role of media in promoting national interest therefore is to focus on the fundamental rights and the ideals of equality, freedom and social justice which the Nigerian constitution has wisely made the bedrock of the Nigerian state. It is sad that sometime in moments of great national conflict some sections of the media have taken side with the powerful and the mighty as against the just and the oppressed. It is expected that some sections of the media may fall under the corrupting influence and intimidation of the political class. But, on the whole the media has acted in promotion of the national interest.
Youth Media and National Interest:
The ongoing US presidential primary has brought into focus the power of young people and the relevance of youth media. For the first time since the anti-war days the voice of the young seems to be drowning the voice of the old. Former President Jimmy Cartar, while on a visit to Nigeria told the media that he was under tremendous pressure from his children to support Barack Obama as the democratic presidential nominee. Mr. Obama is the overwhelming choice of young Americans. Just a few days ago, the former US Labor Secretary, Robert Reich, a Bill Clinton appointee, expressed his support for Barack Obama. He gave his reason as Obama’s unprecedented ability to get young people interested in politics. This new phenomenon is being hailed as capable of reinvigorating politics in the US and bringing back the glory days of populist democracy which the French philosopher Tocqueville wrote in the classic, Democracy in America.
The important thing about this phenomenon is that it is riding on the crest of the growth of youth media in the US. Youth media can be described as television, newspapers, radios, internet sites, etc, that are dedicated to the propagation of issues that affect young persons or are managed and directed at young people. Driving youth participation in the US election are such unconventional media as ‘Face-book’, SLATE, YOUTUBE, etc. These media present information in a manner that is accessible to young people, especially in pictorials. Because young people are more online that offline, these web-based media attract and retain the attention of young people. Those who care much about issues that young people care about, especially economic justice and peace issues, rally the troops through these media. These young people and their organizers understand that there is a social conflict in the society. Not everyone will support those issues which promote the vision of liberty, life and pursuit of happiness for every American which the US constitution promotes. The challenge therefore is to enter into the political fray, not necessarily as candidates but as policy combatants, to defend the national interest as against special interests of special groups.
This is the lesson Nigerian youth should learn and learn quickly. Since after independence when Nigerian youths under the aegis of the Nigerian Youth Movement and the students of Kings College, Lagos played key roles to stop imperialist invasion of Nigeria, there have been no serious moment of youth movement in the country. Under the military, Nigerian students under the platform of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) gave hell to military dictators and succeeded in preserving constitutional liberty in Nigeria. But, even during this period there was no serious national youth movement. It was just NANS affairs.
Today, we need to revive the spirit and energies of young people. We need to awake our youths from intellectual slumber, moral degradation and political indifference in order to overcome the huge challenges of national building. It is obvious that our leaders have failed us. They do not embody the competence and morality to provide quality leadership that can defeat corruption and poverty in the land. Nigeria has fallen far behind other countries with similar natural and human endowments in all human development indicators. The future lies in the awakened engagement of young people.
It is young people who will provoke quality action on meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs touch more on the life and liberty of young people. The special interests that controlled politics will prefer to invest Nigerian resources in something else other than the MDGs. It is young people through youth media that can bring urgency to the issues of political accountability and the rule of law. If the young people organize around national interests and network their various intellectual resources that will force the state to change from a predator to a protector of freedom, justice and equality, then the end to our disarray is near. It is only young people who can develop the fresh perspective that sees Nigeria not from what I can get for myself and my clan or tribe; but from what I can contribute to the common good. The old generation has largely conceived Nigeria from the lens of personal aggrandizement and ethnic competition. The young people should re-theorize and re-conceptualize Nigeria from the perspective of a joint enterprise for justice, freedom and prosperity.
To be able to get to this point of radical departure, we need new media that can speak directly and clearly to young people. The government, the business community and the development partners should invest in creating critical platforms to nurture new mentalities and social cognition for young Nigerians. Nigerian problems cannot be solved through technical interventions and physical projects alone. The value and social capital dimensions of Nigeria’s underdevelopment can only be effective redressed when we begin to build new mentality and social imagination in the young people so that they can lead Nigeria away from the past of failure, corruption and poverty.
The scandals emanating from the ongoing public hearings show that Nigeria is ethically challenged. Nigeria needs to address urgently the questions of accountability and transparency. I submit that if we energize and politically organize young people on the platform of the ideals of freedom, equality and justice as provided by the constitution we will sooner than later get out of the woodwork of corruption and incompetence. The mass media should lead in this urgent and patriotic task.
Thank you.