Watchdog — Not Watched Dog
The media as the fourth estate of democracy is saddled with the responsibility of informing the people about the social, economic, and political activities happening around them. It also serves as a powerful sentry of the nation's democratic ideals.
Corruption in High Places
Nigeria’s political and private institutions are bedeviled with corruption. It has eaten deep into every brick that holds the structure of the nation, from the legislative and judicial arms to the civil service and the private institutions.
Despite being endowed with natural, human, and capital resources, most Nigerian citizenry still wallows in indigence due to corrupt practices perpetrated by its tin-pot kleptocratic leaders. Corruption in the form of bribery, fraud, embezzlement, extortion, electoral malpractices, favoritism, among others, have contributed unimaginably to the underdevelopment of Nigeria.
The Watchdog
The media shapes public opinion by giving the people information from which the people make relevant decisions and hold the government accountable. Away from the routine reportage, investigative journalism is the arm of the media which plays the watchdog function. It goes a step further to investigate and uncover corruption in government and private institutions to bring about positive social change. It promotes transparency and accountability and protects the democratic values of a nation.
Investigative Journalism has a critical role to play in the fight against corruption. Over the years, investigative journalists have helped expose corrupt practices that cause the nation millions of dollars and thousands of lives. For example, Dele Giwa and Ray Ekpo exposed the corrupt practices of the military regime. And in recent years, Fisayo Soyombo has uncovered the gross maladministration in many federal institutions.
From Watchdog to Watched Dog
The media in performing its watchdog function faces relentless threats from the government and corrupt elites. According to the Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ), 12 journalists have been killed in Nigeria since 1992 and hundreds have been arrested.
Media freedom and independence determine how well it functions in its watchdog role. Despite the right to freedom of expression and the Freedom of Information Act, the government, politicians, and private corporations circuitously tie the media to its aprons’ strings. Some media houses are owned or financed by politicians. Hence, it cannot report anything against its owners or stakeholders. As Silvio Waisbord noted,
Watchdogs do not bite their owners…nor do they chomp neighbors with whom they have amicable relationships
More so, the biggest advertisers on media are government and politicians. To avoid the withdrawal of patronage from this huge clientele, media houses are careful about what they report about their patronizers. Political and economic interests have impeded professionalism.
Unleashing the Watched Dog
Investigative journalism can fight corruption undoubtedly. Despite the numerous challenges, the media and investigative journalism still owe it to themselves and the people to investigate and report corruption to foster national development. Santel et al. in a 2018 paper, recommended collaboration with security agencies, teamwork, and fortification of the investigative journalist, as some ways to help minimize the dangers confronting the watchdog.
