The immediate past President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Chris Isiguzo, has warned that poor remuneration, lack of legal protection and increasing online attacks on journalists are undermining the media's ability to effectively perform its watchdog role in Nigeria's democracy.
Speaking as Nigeria marks 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule on June 12, Isiguzo said many journalists across the country still face irregular salary payments, poor welfare packages and unsafe working conditions despite the critical role they play in promoting accountability and good governance.
"Journalists are not still well paid. We are still battling with very poor remuneration both in the public and private media establishments," he said, adding that some media workers go for months without receiving their salaries.
According to him, the situation is worsened by the absence of insurance protection and specific laws safeguarding journalists, even as the Constitution assigns the media the responsibility of holding government accountable.
"There is no law anywhere in Nigeria that protects journalists. Yet the Constitution expects them to hold those in power to account. It is like sending someone to catch a lion with bare hands," he said.
Isiguzo renewed calls for the passage of the proposed Media Enhancement Bill, saying the legislation would address welfare, protection and other challenges affecting journalists and media organisations.
Despite the difficulties, Isiguzo who is also the co-convener of the Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria (MOTION), added that the Nigerian media has remained resilient and continues to play a central role in sustaining democracy.
"There cannot be democracy without the media. The media is the oxygen of democracy," he said.
The former NUJ president also noted that incidents of harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrests of journalists have reduced in recent years due to improved relations between media organisations and security agencies.
However, he expressed concern over the growing threat posed by fake news, misinformation, disinformation and online attacks, which he said are increasingly affecting professional journalism.
Reflecting on Nigeria's democratic journey, Isiguzo credited the media with playing a key role in the struggle that followed the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, saying journalists helped pressure the military to return power to civilians in 1999.
While acknowledging the imperfections of the country's democratic system, he maintained that democracy remains preferable to military rule and urged journalists to remain steadfast in defending it.
"Democracy dies in darkness. We will continue to struggle and ensure that the right things are done," he said.
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