Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday urged editors in the country to make the job of the president’s media aides less challenging.
This was issued at a reception organised by the Nigeria Guild of Editors for its members recently appointed as president’s media aides. Tinubu was represented by Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.
At the occasion, Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President and Mallam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, were honoured.
“I can already see that Femi and Garba are going to have real challenges but the men and women in this hall have all what it takes to help you to make the job less difficult,’’ he said.
“For me, the media are the best fighters. If you don’t fight, the society will not grow. Today, there are debates about poor governance. Nothing is going to change if we don’t fight.
“It is important to fight the war until we get the country of our dream; for me, let us fight a cause that is necessary in order to deliver prosperity to our people,’’ Tinubu said.
“I believe it is a reflection of the role of the media in the democracy. No matter what anyone will say, the Nigerian media remain a powerful pillar and force in the struggle for democracy.
“In history, you are on record as having been convicted for allegedly plotting a coup only with the power of your pen without a gun and you paid your prize.
“People went to prisons because you wrote pro-democracy stories that you thought that would prevent military government,’’ Tinubu said.
He mentioned that the media has the full grasps of the benefit of freedom.
“When the society is free, the media can operate. If we are celebrating democracy today, we are celebrating what Nigerian media has helped to build over the years,’’.
The Acting President of Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr Garba Muhammad, said the NGE grand reception was organised to celebrate two of its media icons, who were appointed by the president.
Garba Muhammad described the president’s media aides as exceptional professionals, who had never engaged in fighting their colleagues in the course of exercising professionalism.
Mr. Femi Adesina, who thanked the guild for the grand reception, urged the media to be fair in its reportage of the president’s activities.
