When fake news becomes a dress code

BY CHRISTOPHER NYONG

We, Akwa Ibom people have really got ahead of ourselves in recent weeks. Our eagerness to navigate the future closer than what we think, particularly in relation to post Udom Emmanuel’s reign, manifests itself in a hunger for conjecture in places that we once relied on to deliver fact — in particular, journalism. Reporters and editors of state-based media now resort to guesses at what might happen rather than reporting what has happened, which results in speculative journalism.

While this tendency to speculate has existed as an innate trait in the life of a typical Akwa Ibom person, its prevalence in recent weeks strikes more especially when we should be calling for more truth and less fake news. Because according to Christy Wampole of New York Times, “speculation is neither true nor false, it seems to work as a strange compromise, a third way that shelves for now the question of what is real and true.”

One Siamese twin of speculation which has become our lot in this part of the world is, fake news. Fake news breeds oddity and our society seems to rely much on oddity. Everybody wants to hear how president Buhari slapped his wife; how Governor Emmanuel walked out Ephraim Inyang from his office; how commissioners fought during the last Wednesday State Executive Council meeting; how Gov Emmanuel punched Senator Akpabio inside the tribunal, and many more. In the midst of this oddity, threads of coordinated lies are showcased with the sole target of swaying the public and deceiving the gullible.

Virtually every top shot within and outside Nigeria from the state has had a fair share of lies neatly served as blackmail on them, and members of the public are sometimes coerced to live with these lies. From the beginning days of late Akpan Isemin, to the era of new Akwa Ibom championed by Obng Victor Attah, and the season of uncommon transformation of Senator Godswill Akpabio, to the ongoing phase of industrialization, dissemination of fake news still flows through the blood of most Akwa Ibom people. With fake news, we have dethroned kings, killed our leaders, buried our talents, severe relationship, stripped naked our hidden life and opened doors for our enemies to attack us.

Fake news, False News or Hoax, is news content that intentionally and can be proved wrong, and can mislead the readers. This includes news articles that are deliberately created, as well as from articles derived from satirical sites but can be misunderstood as facts, especially if viewed separately on the news originating from Twitter or Facebook feeds. Some definitions of false news include; unintentional reporting errors; rumors that do not come from specific news articles that have authority; conspiracy theories (these, by definition, are difficult to verify as true or false, and they usually come from people who believe they are right); satire that can be misunderstood as fact; false statements by politicians; and reporting that appears or is misleading.

There are two primary motivations for providing false news. First is money: news articles that become viral on social media can attract significant advertising revenue when users to the medium. The second motivation is ideological. Some fake news providers are trying to advance candidates.

At a more general level, significant research findings underscore the threat that fake news poses to democratic society. The aim of using fake news as propaganda is to make people think and behave in ways they wouldn’t otherwise—for example, hold a view that is contradicted by overwhelming facts on ground about the person involved. When this nefarious aim is achieved, citizens no longer have the ability to act in their own self-interest. In the logic of democracy, this isn’t just bad for that citizen—it’s bad for society.

In the annals of our dear state, during the intensive heat of Onshore/Offshore dichotomy and Resource Control fight championed by Obong Victor Attah against the Federal Government then, some senior Akwa Ibom sons under the guise of Abuja front, blackmailed and spread fake news to President Obasanjo about Obong Attach and even connived with presidency to resist moves for the abolition of that obnoxious onshore/offshore policy which had telling effect on the state purse. Besides this, when Obong Attah conceived Ibom Deep Seaport, Airport and the now Ibom hotels, some Akwa Ibomites in connivance with outsiders, went to Aso Rock and began a campaign against the projects on the ground that Attah, was embarking on a secede plan.

The tragic story of Ambassador Sam Edem, the former chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, perhaps doesn’t deserve a recap because of its loaded miasma. It was the worst ever attack ochestrated by Akwa Ibomites, who perhaps saw Ambassador Edem’s emergence as NDDC Chairman as threat to their political ambition and existence.

Senator Udoedehe cannot be extricated from those who have had good share in the porridge of shame. He has been a victim of media bashes. He was accused of treasonous act where the media, without stint of research, fed endlessly on.

Senator Eme Ekaete has also had her neck dipped into blackmail and fake news by the very people who should no protect her. Many more top technocrats and political office holders from Akwa Ibom State are still suffering from the pangs of media speculation. Could it be why some of our best brain stay off the state even when they have the capacity to assist Government in one way or the other?

The latest in the onslaught of fake news is on Mr. Udom Inoyo. Udom Inoyo became a well known persona in this clime following his appointment as Vice-Chairman of the Boards of the Companies, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL) with effect from March 19, 2018.

Until his appointment, Inoyo was an Executive Director and In-Country Human Resources Manager for MPN and EEPNL.Udom joined the MPN in 1989 and after several Human Resources roles in Nigeria, USA and Belgium, was appointed Manager, HR Policies & Programmes in 2001. He became the General Manager, External Affairs between 2002 and 2006, and, thereafter, the In-country HR Manager. He was elected to the Board of MPN as Executive Director in 2004.

His silent ascension into his current position, leaves many to wonder whether a typical Akwa Ibom person could be that high yet still humble. As a man from the minority setting of the country, people may wonder how he fought through the rigorous boardroom politics to such a towering position. With Inoyo’s years of clean record in the multinational oil company, he is not only worth celebrating by every right thinking member of the public, but deserves protection in all fronts from Akwa Ibom people. Tarnishing or portraying in bad light a man who has spent years to build good reputation, shows how we hate ourselves. While other tribes in Nigeria protect and defend their own in any position of authority, Akwa Ibomites are known to be bearers of pull-him-down syndrome.

The recent spread of fake news about Mr. Inoyo’s political ambition is nothing short of speculative journalism. Inoyo had never, either openly or secretly, by proxy or in person declared interest for the position of governorship in 2023. Then what informed the propagation of such fake news that his ambition has gotten wide acceptance and at the same time rejected by a cleric? Mr. Inoyo has been a well known friend of Governor Udom Emmanuel right from the days of yore. However, as it is typical of most people that once they grab power, their friends should be shielded off the power fence. It becomes surprising when they see rare breeds who don’t align to such weird ideology. They believe both are nursing something in the offing. Anybody who expects Governor Udom Emmanuel to block out his long standing friend, Mr. Inoyo from Government House does not know the value of true friendship.

If there is one man Akwa Ibom people owe great depth of appreciation and protection, it is Mr. Udom Inoyo. He is one of the few Nigerians who value sound education. His unceasing love for education made him, in 2007 to establish Inoyo Toro Foundation-a platform to further the recognition of Public Secondary School Teachers and Students’ mentorship in Akwa Ibom State.

In 2014, Mr. Inoyo opened a library in his village, Ikot Okoro Ubium, to provide learning facilities, and create access to research development of reading and writing skills in secondary school students. In 2015, he facilitated the start-up of the International Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Research (ICEESR) in University of Uyo.

Mr. Inoyo possesses an admiring pedigree we all should jealously guard. Let us learn from other tribes-Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa/Fulani-with large crowd of people of common identity, yet they love, value and protect one another. Akwa Ibom people should desist from the pull-him-down syndrome through fake news.

Based on Standards of Business Conduct of ExxonMobil of April 2017, on Political Activities Policy, it is clearly stated that, “It is the policy of Exxon Mobil Corporation to refrain from making contributions to political candidates and political parties, except as permitted by applicable laws and authorized by the Board of Directors.

“It is the Corporation’s policy to communicate information and views on issues of public concern that have an important impact on the Corporation.”

Going by this rule, we risk humiliating our brother out of his lofty office if we continue spreading fake news and making his employer believes that Mr. Inoyo is surreptitiously using his company’s worthy course to further his unconfirmed political ambition.

The recent attribution of ExxonMobil’s visit to select public office holders in the state as campaign is nothing but sheer expression of ignorance. Mr. Inoyo who joined in the visit, did not go there on his personal capacity but as representative of ExxonMobil. The company, in his characteristics, believes in liaising with opinion leaders in it core mandate areas to achieve their targets.

We were all witnesses to how the world bashed at Ambassador Sam Edem because he was perceived to be a threat to powers that be and as such needed to be silenced through fake news. At the end, we succeeded in killing our brother, sold his body to the public and we stood back to watch the world chewed him row.

The intensity of 2019 electioneering was strong enough to weaken early suspicious aspirations by Akwa Ibom people. Politics are over. It is time to hold public office holders accountable on their electioneering campaign promises. It is time to give way for governance. Let us learn to hold ladder for our brothers who climb higher to reach the Zenith of their career. Let us collectively protect our own. In doing this, we shall succeed in eroding blackmail, fake news and false as part of us.

Nyong, a public sffairs analyst lives in Uyo