‘Tell government Nigerians are not smiling,’ Kogi clergyman urges journalists

By Richard Elesho

A clergyman, Rev. Mathew Odoh has likened journalists to the biblical Moses who bridged the gap between God and the Israelites and, as such, charged them to devote themselves to truth and the highest ethics of their profession.

Rev. Odoh of the United Evangelical Church, UEC, Lokoja said this on Sunday at a church service organised as part of activities to mark the 2024 Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Press Week.

Odoh, who said Nigerians are hungry, committed the media men and women to God’s protection and tasked them to be diligent, truthful, and rugged in the discharge of their duties

His words “Journalists are like Middle men. You are like the Biblical Moses. You hear from the people and relate to the government about our cries. You are standing between the government and people. Tell us rightly what the government is saying.

“Also hear from us and tell them what we are saying and what our problems are. Presently, as citizens, we are hungry. We need light. The cost of electricity tarif is too high. We need jobs for our children. Let the government address issues around the economy and let us have money in our pockets. Nigerians are suffering”.

The clergyman prayed for God to strengthen President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to do what is needful, pointing out that Nigerians are no longer finding the cost of living easy.

“There is so much of maladministration. We are not smiling. Let the government at all levels do what is needful. We beg you as Journalists to tell the government that Nigerians are not smiling, they need a breath of fresh air”.

Rev. Odoh, who prayed to God to preserve all journalists in the country, described the journalism profession as one with great risks.

He, however, expressed optimism that with professionalism and balanced reportage, the safety of journalists is guaranteed.

He commended Kogi journalists for their sense of professionalism and unbiased reportage, pointing out that the only way democracy and a better society can thrive is when journalists operate in an enabling environment.

Earlier, the Secretary, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Kogi State chapter Comrade Oluwasegun Oyenibi, said the church service, was part of the NUJ 2024 Press Week geared towards thanking God for preservation and to seek for his protection for members.