A mild drama is not something that is new to the Nigerian political landscape. But it gets a bit more interesting when one of the principal character is one who is popular for other reasons.
A journalist who had a sour encounter at a press briefing with a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, in Calabar, Cross River State, has narrated his ordeal to PT.
A video being circulated via WhatsApp shows Mr Fani-Kayode abruptly leaving the briefing after pouring invective on the reporter, Eyo Charles of Daily Trust newspaper, whom he said asked him an “insulting” question.
The incident happened on Thursday at a private hotel where the former minister was briefing reporters on his tour of projects in the South-South state.
The briefing was moderated by Governor Ben Ayade’s spokesperson, Christian Ita, and attended by reporters from Vanguard, Punch, NAN, AIT, and other media houses.
“What type of stupid is that? What type of stupid question is that? Bankrolling who? Do you know who you are talking to?” Mr Fani-Kayode said angrily to the reporter.
Mr Fani-Kayode, in the video, turned and looked at Governor Ayade’s spokesperson, Mr Ita, who sat close to him. He said he was not going to take any more questions from Mr Charles.
“What type of insulting question is that? Which bankroll? To do what? Who can give me money for anything? Who do you think you are talking to? Bankroll what? Go and report yourself to your publisher.”The governor’s spokesperson, Mr Ita, stood up and tried to pacify the former minister. “Sorry sir,” Mr Ita said to him. But it appeared he was too angry to listen.
“I could see from your face before you got here, how stupid you are. Don’t ever talk to me like that,” Mr Fani-Kayode kept yelling at the reporter who was still standing and apologising — “I am sorry, sir.”
"Don’t judge me by your own standards,” the former minister kept saying.
“I have been in politics since 1990. I am not one of those politicians that you think will just come…. I was taken, I have been locked up how many times by this government. I have been prosecuted, unlike most of these politicians you follow for brown envelopes!
“Don’t ever judge me by that standard. I spend, I don’t take and I am not a poor man, I have never been and will never be.”
The other reporters appeared stupefied by the incident and did not ask Mr Fani-Kayode any further question. The minister suddenly stood up and left the room.
“I was disorganised” — Journalist
The Daily Trust reporter, Mr Charles, told PT that he was “more disorganised” and had to apologise to Mr Fani-Kayode when he heard other reporters told him right there that he should not have asked the question.He said he did not expect the former minister to “suddenly jumped” at him.
“The question was sir, you said you have gone round six or seven states to inspect projects undertaken by those governors, and now you are here in Cross River state, rounding off your one-week visit to Governor Ayade. Who is bankrolling you?” Mr Charles said.
Mr Charles said after the incident a “security aide” to the former minister walked up to him and began interrogating him. He said he had to hurriedly leave the hotel premises.
The former minister, the reporter said, later called his editor in Daily Trust and demanded his sack.
The reporter said he regretted apologising to Mr Fani-Kayode over the incident.
“I am 53, he is not much older than me. I am not a child, I am an adult and I have children,” he said.
Daily Trust Newspaper Reacts
In its official reaction, Daily Trust said: "The video clip released on one of the ex-minister’s social media accounts, was conveniently edited to exclude the question asked by Charles, totally devoid of mischief, simply sought clarification and information, like good journalism should.Said editing paved the way for a social media lynch mob to rain expletives on our reporter, labelling him as ‘rude’.
This could not be further away from the truth, and we stand by Charles, and commend him for his calmness during the ordeal.
Daily Trust reporters are responsible professionals, who uphold the tenets of journalism, as well as best practices.
That Fani-Kayode attacks a reporter doing his job, is an indication of the chilling disregard he has towards the media, and its work in investigating and reporting on issues.As always, we stand in solidarity with our reporters, and will continue to fight for the rights of all journalists. After all, journalism is part of the bedrock of democracy; therefore practitioners must not be intimidated or threatened as they carry out their work.
We urge the Nigeria Police to take note, that if anything happens to Charles, Daily Trust will hold Fani-Kayode responsible, especially due to the intensity of the verbal threats he issued during the shocking incident.
The actions of Fani-Kayode are not only reprehensible, but also constitute a setback to press freedom, in a most dire form. This kind of assault raises major concerns over the safety of journalists in Nigeria."
Fani-Kayode Takes A Stand
'During my tour of the South and after a long and successful press conference in Calabar, Cross Rivers state, a journalist put up his hand for the last question and said,"Well we do not know who is bankrolling you".This is not a question but an assertion and an insult.. And if this insulting ASSERTION were made before Trump or OBJ I know how they would have reacted. Above is my response & I have no apology to offer for it. The young man apologised to me during the press conference & sent his apologies to me after the conference..
..I have accepted his apologies & moved on. I have always had respect for journalists & always will. Those of them that know me or worked with or for me over the last 30 years can attest to that. However there is a distinction between asking a question & offering an insult.
...This is all the more so when it is clear that the assertion was sponsored and engineered by my political enemies who wanted to use the young man to insult and embarrass me and question my integrity. Well they got more than they bargained for.
.I repeat this was not a question but an assertion and an gratutious insult and I will not accept that from any man born of woman. Thank you.
Permit me to add the following. I have taken note of the report by Daily Trust on the incident. The content is false. I didn't send any of my security men to threaten their reporter. I only reprimanded him for a premeditated plan to embarrass me & he apologised.. thereafter. That was all.
This is not a battle between me and the esteemed Nigerian journalists who respect the ethics of the noble profession. I have always been and will always be a friend to journalists and a champion of freedom of speech. What I will not accept are..
..brazen insults from an individual in the name of journalism. The assertion or assumption that I am being bankrolled by anyone is deeply insulting. Finally to the NUJ I say u have got me completely wrong. It would have been better if you had heard my own side of the story..
...and established who was behind this whole incident and attempt to embarrass me, who paid for it and how much they paid before going to press. Nevertheless I still hold you in high esteem.'
Sources who spoke to Style Hub Naija said that the NUJ executive will take the lead by meeting to appropriately address the incident.
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