By Ahmad Abdullahi
Journalism as “The Forth Estate of The Realm”, is globally identified with the ethics of balance, fairness, accuracy, non bias and so forth. In other words, good journalism is guided by facts and truths, objectivism and devoid of sensationalism. These are what earns it the noble profession upon which all persons have trust.
When journalism, and by extension journalists build trust in the minds of readers and listeners, such trust lingers on until the truth is betrayed through false reports, claims, which sometimes lead to retraction, apologies or even litigation.
What comes to mind is a recent report (though now pulled down and apology tendered) by Moonlight, an online platform that, in November 2020, carried a pretty defamatory story, filled with unsubstantiated claims, allegations and devoid of ethics, about alleged misappropriation of funds at the National Ear Care Center, Kaduna.
The platform reported that the medical director and his management team had indulged in “pervasive” corruption, gross malpractice, “financial malpractices” and “misappropriation of funds.”
That story was a true burst, probably triggered by the innate hunch for unraveling the truth, or best still, powered by the negative forces for profiteering. In any case, the content of the story is such that tickles the investigative mind for onward revelation of the salient facts; and this should begin NOW. However, that Moonlight’s whole story was based on interviews granted by “anonymous sources,” and without data to support the allegation, reduced it to question and probable defamation.
Weirdly, in line with my thought, the story was pulled down no sooner than it was uploaded, and an apology published on November 15th 2020. This wouldn’t happen if thorough investigation was carried out. It wouldn’t have been published, at least in the way it was. But, whether those whose names were intended to be tarnished have so been, remain in the eyes of the story ‘sponsors’.
Hasn’t Moonlight pointed its hired gun and shot its own feet in an effort to kill a story it initially dished out to the gullible public?
Moonlight, in its apology captioned, “Misrepresentation of Monumental Facts on Monumental Fraud Abuse of Office in National Ear Care Center Kaduna,” apologised that its story was false, a “misrepresentation” of facts and was not “thoroughly investigated.” But what about apology to the public who were fed up with falsehood?
It wrote: “We wish to sincerely apologize for smearing the name of the Center and equally we will follow up the matter and give details in our subsequent publication.” This apology is most weird. Any credible medium refrain from sensational mudslinging for its dignity and of course, for fear of the obvious – libel encrypted suits.
Moonlight’s apology, to the investigative mind, is most insulting and denting to the image of NECC as well as our collective intelligence. The masterminds behind that write-up only succeeded in creating more areas of suspicion in their bid to bury it. Our elders have wisely queried: “What brings about the question of a hole if there is none (Hausa)?” The truth shall soon be revealed because others are being inquisitive and yearning to unravel the truth.
Abdullahi sends in this piece through jaambaqi@gmail.com
