Maritime Journalists Welfare Initiative: The Adeniyi Proposition

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

In 2004, the then Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief James Idornigie in the  middle of an interview l was having with him lamented that lots of reports he felt undermine the image of Nigeria were due mainly to the poor state of media remuneration.

CGC Adeniyi on the dais as Dr. Ovie Edomi reads his citation

He said while the western press projects more positive reportage of their home countries and dance around societal ills; their African counterparts and Nigeria journalists particularly, promote more negative stories he believed are sponsored through via the ‘carrot and stick’ syndrome, flowing from the practitioners poor remuneration and welfare.

He shared a story of how a London based reporter contacted him for a media chat regarding freight forwarding operations in Nigeria whilst he was in New York, with the promise to pay for his lunch and drink during the interview.

Dwelling on poor media wage he said, “Maybe during the 1970s to early 1980s, journalist in Nigeria could do that with people like Enahoro and Osoba, nowadays, with a little amount of money that can cook a pot of soup, a journalist will publish anything given to him. He does not care about the image of the country anymore because he is hungry; the reporting industry has become one of survival.

Adeniyi, second from right, receiving his award plaque from Aare Olarewaju, Chairman, Customs Consultative Council

“I was telling somebody recently here in this office that our government should organize a welfare programme for journalists, the media is too important to be neglected, but the man just laughed.

“When l frowned at the way he was laughing, he said ‘Chief that is really something that only a military government can do”, he said, laughing also.

Time was when journalists complain of been under-employed, a term that speaks to the same issue of poor remuneration. Today, due to lack of employment the media industry has become a thriving informal sector populated by all manner of ‘practitioners on the basis of self-employ.

From the barefaced industry hustlers to itinerant publicity agents, office-to-office traders to informants, corporate arena sundry messengers to marketers, from content creators, book writers, novelists to photographers; and all shades of intellectual scavengers, passing themselves off as journalists.

Adeniyi leaving the podium after the conferment of award, followed by Mr. Okey Ibeke, veteran maritime journalist and ACG Charles Edike Rtd, to his left hand side, and other stakeholders at the event

So, over time, there has grown a very prodigious, bustling media industry courtesy of the ever busy printing press in Mushin Lagos where anything in the name of a newspaper or magazine is thrown in and thrown out; and courtesy of the internet assisted social media with no limitation as to qualification or vetting.

Since whatever form of infiltration and quackery can hopefully be ‘checkmated’ by the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) under a future reform and sanitization programme, perhaps the present challenge is how to reorganize the profession as a social contract task that holds the system accountable to the people and also give it more sense of dignity in terms of professionalism, plus some form of living wage and welfare.

Chairman of the occassion, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, speaking

This was precisely the position of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR at the Lagos Aiport Hotel Ikeja, last Thursday, during the conferment of the Iconic Maritime Personality of the Year 2024 Award on him by the Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (MJN).

Addressing industry stakeholders and journalists present at the event, Adeniyi lamented the twin problem of proliferation of maritime media associations and lack of organized welfare initiative for journalists, which he explained was largely due to the factionalization of the maritime beat.

To drum home his pains, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) boss explained he would have resisted the recognition if they had come individually and expressed happiness that the industry media practitioners were sensitive to doing the right by coming together as one body under the MJN to honour him; which symbolic gesture, he said he appreciates.

Veteran maritime journalists at the event

But going forward, he urged the beat reporters to build on the current gesture to sustain the new unity by collapsing the various factions into one formidable body; noting that the benefits are huge and can open the window for better, respected professionals with equally better prospect for welfare schemes, and improved engagements, including training.

His words: “Initially l said l was not going to make any long speech but this award has inspired me to raise one or two issues. The first one is to express my deep and sincere gratitude to all of you for putting this together.

“It has been mooted a number of times, perhaps some of you know what attitude l have towards this kind of awards, what l have always said is ‘look, you’re in a better position to access and put us in the right place’, l am not really keen about these awards but there was persistence from different people until a time when l got a call that all the maritime beat associations have unanimously decided to confer on me this award.

L-R: Moses Eremosele, Godwin Obi, Funsho Olojo and Sesan Onileimon, senior maritime journalists and editors at the event

“And for me it is a very symbolic gesture, symbolic because somebody have said this is the very first time in the history of the maritime industry that this is happening. Before l became CG l have worked with some of you to see what we can do to address the proliferation of the beat associations. And l got one of you who shared the same vision with me, and incidentally that gentleman at that time was heading one of the associations. And l told him ‘my friend you guys will make better impact if you are able to collapse all of these associations into one.

“He agreed to work with me, but to demonstrate his sincerity and the kind of gentleman that he is, he said first, he will have to step down as head of the association he was leading. And l became very, very appreciative of that gesture…Ismaila Aniemu, he was President of Maritime Reporters Congress of Nigeria (MARCON). He said he will start to speak with the groups and their leaders to see what we can do.

Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, Apapa ustoms Area Controller (l) and VP ANLCA, Prince Segun Oduntan at the event

“It did not materialize and then of course, Wale Adeniyi became CG. One year on, everybody decided to come together to say ‘let us give him this award’. The symbolism of this is that if we use this popular social media mein of 2023 which says ‘what God does not do does not exist’ it means that we could  have something that can serve as a rallying point, a unifying factor for all of these beat associations who never see any issue from the same point.

“It is indeed a very humbling experience for me and it tells me that if we actually get it right, in the interest of the maritime industry that we want to project, it is still not too late for all us to begin to work together as a very strong unit.

“If we come together l am not sure there is any beat within the NUJ that will be as strong, that will be as portent, that will be as impactful as this maritime journalists beat; something tells me that your beat is unbeatable.

“And I will enjoin you to continue to find things that will bring you together rather than operate separately… Look for training programmes,  the agencies can come together to sponsor you to go to Togo to do stories on the league of African ports, or how customs is funded in other climes.

Godfrey Bivbere and Wale Oni, both senior maritime journalists exchanging banters at the venue of the event

“I believe that when we stand together, we stand to benefit more. It is important that we put into priority one maritime journalist group, if all the players and operators in the industry are prospering, if they are getting bigger in their businesses…some of them started as portfolio customs agents and they are becoming bigger and bigger…journalists can do same.”

The Customs boss did not stop there, he also offered useful advice on how best maritime journalists can map out workable welfare schemes for themselves, even as he offered to put in words across to his fellow CEOs.

“l rose from a two-star staff in the Public Relations and became the CG and you are  reporting, l also believe that your welfare should be the concern of all the agencies that is in the port. There is a lot that we can do for you in customs and we have been trying to do some but there is also a lot more that you can do by yourselves.

“You must now begin to see how you can come up with initiatives that will help to drive your welfare programmes. Yes, you organize programmes for agencies in the industry, l have not seen programmes that you’re organizing for yourselves, let’s work on initiatives about your welfare, take for example insurance cover for journalists. This is something that you can start, you can call for assistance and this is one thing that l believe, l can speak to my brother heads of agencies in the maritime industry for us to join hands with you to look into your welfare initiatives only if you come together as a united body.

“It is a big industry, maritime journalists reporting the beat should also be house owners like yourselves. Journalists in the maritime sector can come together with a scheme that will allow them to own individual houses. And it is not rocket science, the federal mortgage bank has been doing it, there are lot of companies that are doing it, it is just for you to come together, establish a scheme to fund the seed money we can use to start it; and you can take it up from there.”

It is not surprising how Adeniyi spoke from the heart with the same passion he has attended to his assignment that has literally put customs operations in a higher pedestal of performance since coming on board in the past eighteen months.

A unique trade mark that is unarguably interwoven with his character, Adeniyi not only speaks his conviction and mind with utmost clarity, he also walks his talks as a ‘say and do’ personality.

The CGC appeal for the maritime beat reporters to unite and make their struggle for improved assistance and support easier also speak of his strong character in keeping and nourishing friendship; even after climbing the proverbial leadership position that makes may beneficiaries shut the door of relationship.

While ensconced in the corridor of power and the super high ambience it offers, Adeniyi never for once wrote off his media constituency. Any opportunity he finds, he throws jabs at friends and makes jokes; always leaving his media friends and first constituency people as a former customs public relations head, in lighter moods.

It’s up to his professional friends in the maritime media to hear the words of truth and lend themselves to the inherent benefits they offer. Before Adeniyi, a former Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi kick started the move to unite the maritime beat associations.

The minister flew from Abuja to Lagos twice, to speak to maritime journalists, the same way the Customs boss just did. Unfortunately, we didn’t give him a positive response and when the man got tired; he went his way.

Like Adeniyi, a former Assistant Director, Public Relations Department of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Hajia Lami Tumaka who retired as director also pushed for an understanding between the different beat associations and the need to come under one umbrella. She got tired and faced other issues.

Upon becoming the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh also made efforts to drive the unification but was again resisted, he too, gave up and went his way.

Since his appeal, there has been an atmosphere of genial mood by maritime media practitioners. While it is hoped that this mood will translate into meaningful progress, history will not only vindicate the customs service helmsman for speaking to the issue and very emotionally and involved; his Iconic Maritime Personality Award will for all time stand him out as a rare Bridge Builder and Economic Development Pillar to walk the corridor of power in recent years.

As an agent of change and apostle of progress, Adeniyi has proved his mettle as a policy implementer per excellence, a public servant with a midas touch, a team player and a listening state economic adjuster.

Unassuming and attentive to the sway of national interest, his honour always laid on doing the right things with unquestionable focus; true to self and the ordinance of state.