Osoba commends TheCable for credible journalism, says he’ll always champion press freedom

Olusegun Osoba, former governor of Ogun state, says he respects TheCable for its professional approach to journalism.

He also commended Premium Times for its professionalism.

In an interview with Arise Television on Thursday, the legendary former editor of Daily Times, spoke on the role of the media in the fight against military dictators.

Osoba, a founding member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), recalled how journalists were assaulted and jailed by the military junta during the struggle for democracy.

The former governor said he has always been at the forefront of the fight for press freedom in Nigeria.

Osoba lamented that in recent times, he has observed how bloggers who parade themselves as journalists churn out fake news in the social media space.

“As a journalist, I have fought and I’m still fighting for the right to information. I will always condemn anything that has to do with harassment, incarceration and abduction of journalists,” Osoba said.

“Unfortunately for me, when I fight I get thoroughly embarrassed by a lot of so-called bloggers. Those of us who are trained journalists must know that we have a code of conduct.

“Many of these people don’t know anything about journalists. They write things that are even embarrassing to us journalists.

“I will continue to fight the so-called journalists, some of them call themselves investigative journalists but they don’t know anything about journalism… they write fake news.

“I respect platforms like TheCable by Simon Kolawole and Dapo Olorunyomi’s Premium Times.

“When you see an investigated item on Olorunyomi’s Premium Times, you will be happy to be a journalist.”

He said the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) and other media organisations must enforce the code of conduct for journalists to stem the trend of fake news.

In August 1975, he became the editor of the Daily Times before taking up the role of general manager of Nigerian Herald.

He returned to Daily Times in 1984 as the managing director.

He worked as local correspondent for the BBC, The Times of London, Newsweek magazine, and United Press International News Agency.