The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said the National Assembly and legislature in other parts of the world is the most misunderstood organ of government.
He said this is why
the Committee on Media and Public Affairs is critical to the House for
enlightening the public on its activities.
Gbajabiamila made this known in Abuja on Monday at the
opening of a two-day capacity-building workshop for the committee.
He noted that the committee plays a major role in the
activities of the House as it is the intermediary between the lawmakers and the
public. He added that that committee’s work goes a long way in shaping the
perception that the public has of the House and correcting any misinformation
that is in the public sphere.
The Speaker said, “I took time out to actually look at the
dictionary definition of media. If you look at that definition you will
understand the importance and critical roles the House of Representatives has
to play in defining or reframing the narrative of the House of Representatives,
in giving direction to the legislature, in propelling policies of government
and indeed, that is why many of you who practise in this field of endeavour,
the institution is referred to as a 4th Estate of the Realm.
“The House of Representatives or the National Assembly in
general, like every legislature in the world, is perhaps the most misunderstood
institution in the world. Some of that misunderstanding is unintentional, based
simply on lack of knowledge; some of that misunderstanding is intentional and
sometimes it is political.
“Some of that misunderstanding, unfortunately, is pure ignorance
and lack of interest in finding out the truth.
“It, therefore, falls on the media committee to begin to
educate the public and change the much-needed narrative because we are not
aware of the unforeseen consequences of what will happen when a small committee
or an institution such as the National Assembly is misunderstood or misjudged.
It has the possibility of snowballing into a larger and more dangerous effect
on our democracy.”
The Speaker, therefore, said the committee should not be
looked at from a narrow prism but as a committee “that is so strategic to the
survival of our democracy; not the survival of the National Assembly but the
survival of democracy.”
Gbajabiamila also said, “Before I continue with my speech;
it has been mentioned already but it is worth mentioning again; I want to note
that the Vanguard Newspaper reporter in the House of Representatives, Tordue
Salem, who has been missing for some weeks now, is still yet to be found.
“I and indeed the House have been in contact with the
leadership of the Press Corps since the matter came to light. I want to
encourage the security agencies not to relent in their efforts to locate Tordue
and bring him back to his family. Anything that forces one, torches on all of
us.”
Chairman of the committee, Benjamin Kalu, in his address,
noted that the 21st Century media environment is dynamic and continues to
develop in novel, sometimes in unanticipated ways that have serious
consequences for democratic governance.
Kalu added that the new media has radically altered the way
that government institutions operate, and the way that political leaders
communicate and engage citizens.
He said, “The media today disseminates a tremendous amount
of political content, most of which are trivial, unreliable and polarising. The
media’s watchdog role, hitherto performed by trained journalists and
gatekeepers such as established mass media institutions, has evolved in the
face of technological innovation.
“Today, every actor with a smartphone is able to disseminate
information and frame political issues in their various spheres of influence.
The press has been decentralised, with oftentimes destructive outcomes. But
such is the price that we must pay for the beauty that is democracy and the
exchange that we must uphold for freedom of speech- the inalienable right of
every Nigerian.”
However, Kalu said, “The 9th House of Representatives
continues to stand for freedom of speech, recognise the value of the fourth
estate of the realm to our democracy, especially in times like this, and
remains committed to protecting free speech and independence of the media and
its journalists.”
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