I am sure a few people would be surprised when Lérè Olayinka, SSA media to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, said Chief Dele Momodu is not a journalist on ARISE TV yesterday. He went further that Chief Dele Momodu studied Yoruba and not journalism. As such, he can’t claim to be a journalist. When reminded that Chief Momodu has been publishing Ovation International for decades, he said what Chief Dele Momodu publishes is a “photo book” after interviewing “military heads of states” and not journalism. For him, publishing a “photo book” does not make him a journalist.
At the right time, Chief Dele Momodu is capable of and will defend himself.
There has been a never ending debate about who qualifies to be a journalist especially as it relates to academic qualifications. In fact, nowhere is the struggle for journalism “ownership” more pronounced than at the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos. It has always been a case of we vs them.
Historically, it dates back to early 80s. It was a cause people like late Dr Borishade fought and died for. For people like him, those who did not study Mass Communication should not be found around Mass Communication Department in UNILAG, let alone teach it. He even promised to get a lecturer who did not have Mass Comm background out of the department. Before he could achieve that, he died. Late Professor Luke Uka Uche also carried on that supremacy battle among other battles. Till Professor Ralph Akinfeleye retired, he failed to recognize graduates of Communication and Language Art of U.I in particular and denied them admission to into M.Sc direct with their B.A. degree. For him, Communication and Language Art is not the same as Mass Communication.
I agree with them all. Mass Communication Department is heavy on statistics, precision journalism, quali-quant data analytics.
To be fair to those who hold this notion and that include me, curriculum wise, the two courses are different. The two courses began on different orientation and research traditions. For years, Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, as H.O.D, insisted that B.A holders in Communication and Language Art or Lingustistics and Communication Art who are coming to do master’s in Mass Communication must first obtain PGD in Mass Communication before they would be allowed to proceed to M.Sc. programme. Anyone who has had to cross from U.I or Uniport or Unical to UNILAG Mass Comm would have experienced this. At a point, U.I had to retaliate by turning back Mass Communication graduates from UNILAG who applied to do either M.Sc or Ph.D.
With the new approved curriculum for Communication and Media Studies, the friction between the two training institutions may be over.
While it is somewhat straightforward in terms of training at the University level, it is a different ball game in the industry. Mass Communication prepares one to be more than being a journalist. It teaches more than journalism. It teaches writing, photography, development, communication, PR, Advertising, health message design and so on. So it is not unusual to find people of other disciplines in journalism practice. In fact, journalism practice encourages a crosstabulation of disciplines in practice. That is why we have editorial board that either comprises all line editors, news editor and editor with Editor-in-chief as Chair or one with professionals in different fields with Chair also from a different field.
So the idea of having professionals from other fields in journalism is not new. Even the Nigerian Press Council recognises this by explaining that for anyone to become journalist, he or she must either obtain a recognized academic qualification or get trained under a seasoned journalist in a recognised media organization for a period after which such a person will be issued Certificate of Experience.
Is Chief Dele Momodu, therefore a journalist?
He was first employed as Staff Writer at African Concord between 1988 and 1989. Later, he became a News Editor of Weekend Concord. He moved to Classique Magazine published by May Ezekiel (RMD’s late wife) as Editor.
In addition to his Yoruba and English Literature degrees, would all these positions be enough to earn him a Certificate of Experience?
The answer is yes.
Lérè Olayinka derogatorily referred to Ovation International as “Photo book”. In all ramifications, he was wrong and will be wrong all day as long as he holds this notion. What he said shows a knowledge gap in his own journalism training and knowledge. For undiscerning minds and supporters of Nyesom Wike and the ruling party, Lérè knew what he was talking about by bragging and defining who qualifies to be a journalist. He has massaged their ego by given the “enemies” of their political gods woto woto. But he was wrong.
Perhaps, Lérè Olayinka and his hallelujah chorister have not heard of photo journalism. Photo journalism is a 2nd semester 200 level journalism course in UNILAG. I have attached my own course forms to show that “photo book” publishing is part of journalism regardless of who the publisher is. News has been categorised has hard news and soft news. It is not every time audience wants to read news about Nigerian military vs. Boko Haram or Nyesom Wike fighting Sim Fubara. Sometimes too, people want to read news that will entertain and relax them. Ovation International serves that purpose.
I am not blaming Lérè if he has not heard of photo journalism or soft news. I read somewhere he only spent two years at NIJ for a diploma in journalism. That is a far cry from journalism training.
Similarly, whoever studies Yoruba can practice journalism. Let us assume Yoruba is the only thing Chief Dele Momodu studied. How has that denied him the chance to be recognized as a journalist considering how long he has been in the industry? Journalism itself started in Nigeria with Ìwé Ìròhìn. It was published in Yoruba language. We have Alaroye, Akede and we have had Isokan published by the Concord Group. FRCN broadcasts news in Yorùbá, Igbo and Hausa. LTV 8 has news not only Yorùbá but in Ègún as well. Whoever studies Yoruba will write and read news in Yoruba language better, after undergoing in-house training on news writing and presentation, than someone who only holds the ND of NIJ.
I agree that requisite training is necessary to become a professional journalist. I also believe those who have been trained perform well in their job. Deji Badmus Chamberlain Usoh and Ayodele Ezekiel Ozugbakun are classic example in broadcast journalism. No question, they know and handle the job better than Rufai Oseni in my view. So training is important.
However, after about 40 years in journalism, Chief Dele Momodu is more than qualified to be recognized as a journalist.
He deserves his flower.
