The viral video that exposed the fractious attitude of the Former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani Kayode presented more to the question that degenerated into an insulting and verbal attack against the River State Correspondent of Daily Trust, Mr. Eyo Charles. The temperamental outburst of the former minister to the reporter is a show of growing mockery of journalism in the country. It’s a matter of whether journalists could, anymore, hold firm to their constitutional right.
Even before now, the likes of Fani Kayode have questioned the integrity of journalism as a profession and its entire mode of operation. You could all see him threatening the journalist with his political achievements, status and wealth. You also see the brag and blinded comparison of law and journalism. Well, I’m yet to know who told the former minister that one profession is more professional than the other.
The personality of Fani Kayode since he delved into politics has been the one that use his social media handles to haul insults and hold government officials accountable for their activities. But, it came as a surprise that the same Kayode couldn’t sustain a simple and direct question posed by a journalist.
Unfortunately, journalism is fast losing its essence and image from the end of radical politicians in the country. But, we must not allow this to hold. We can’t afford to rally our support for journalism to always take its natural course. It’s the most visible image of the masses through which transparency and good governance is largely displayed.
So, like the profession entails, the Daily Trust reporter might not have seen any atom of offensiveness or “rudeness” coming from asking the former minister to unmask those behind his tour when he’s currently not holding any public office.
Rather, the former minister took the way of a dictator to decide when, who and what question to be and not to be asked. And the truth is that, taking a cursory look at the whole phenomenon that played out at the press conference, one would see clearly that the outburst wasn’t about the journalist, Mr Charles. It’s about the truthfulness and quick wittedness that rudely shock the former minister at the realm of his unexpectedness.
That such a simple and direct question would amount to all sorts of insults remain unacceptable and incomprehensible on the path of Mr. Fani Kayode, who claimed to be an upright citizen, and have fought for human rights throughout his career to the extent of being found worthy of ministerial appointment twice.
Like minds of Fani Kayode must be reminded that not until we are ready to give maximum respect to one another’s profession and personality, could we be eligible to call for, and deserve self-respect from others.