Veteran investigative journalist and Director of News at TVC Communications, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, has said that Nigeria still offers greater media liberties than many African nations despite concerns over shrinking civic space. Otitoju made the remarks during the June 12 Democracy Day Town Hall edition of *Journalists’ Hangout* on TVC News,……
Veteran investigative journalist and Director of News at TVC Communications, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, has said that Nigeria still offers greater media liberties than many African nations despite concerns over shrinking civic space.
Otitoju made the remarks during the June 12 Democracy Day Town Hall edition of *Journalists’ Hangout* on TVC News, where he also weighed in on the performance of past administrations in the power sector.
On democracy and civil liberties, Otitoju maintained that Nigerians still enjoy considerable freedom of expression compared to citizens of some other African countries.
He urged critics of Nigeria’s democratic system to examine developments in countries where media freedom is heavily restricted.
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“I believe that if we say that there is not enough freedom at this stage, it is better for us to check what is going on in Burkina Faso,” he said.
The journalist pointed to the treatment of journalists and media organisations in some countries as evidence that Nigeria’s democratic environment remains relatively open.
“Just do a little check and see how the Burkina Faso leader is treating the press and how they are dealing with the free press,” he stated.
Otitoju further argued that many actions routinely carried out by journalists and media practitioners in Nigeria would not be tolerated in some African countries.
“Some of the things that we do and get away with, nobody can try them in Rwanda, and Rwanda is not even a military regime,” he said.
The journalist challenged claims that former President Olusegun Obasanjo made significant achievements in electricity generation, arguing that many of the power projects initiated during his administration were only completed and delivered under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to him, Obasanjo’s administration was slow in addressing Nigeria’s electricity challenges and only shifted attention to gas-fired power plants towards the end of its tenure.
“Obasanjo established those power stations less than eight months before the end of his administration. It was actually Jonathan who successfully delivered those power plants, Geregu, Papalanto, and all of those gas-fired power plants,” he said.
Kola-Otitoju added that the former president’s strategy for tackling the power crisis was flawed because key decisions were taken too late.
“He didn’t really do anything significant in terms of the power sector. His approach was wrong. When he discovered that he could not rely on hydro plants, he then decided to go for gas-fired power plants, but he didn’t take that decision early in his administration,” he stated.
The journalist noted that the delay contributed to persistent electricity shortages experienced during the Obasanjo years.
“That was why there was a lot of darkness during his administration,” he added.
