To Lai Mohammed, honourable minister who shoots out all truth

My heart bleeds as Jos is boiling; not only Jos, Nigeria is an abattoir, temple of killing, castle of kidnapping. In Nigeria, the worse is happening and the regions are no longer at ease.

The killings are en-mass and now at their peak. Traveling beyond one’s state has become a threat to life. Aside from bumpy roads, the fear of men of the underworld on rampage is worrisome. The death toll is on the rise as if the country is at war.

The recent attack on NDA in Kaduna by bandits was not only a national mess but a big disgrace to Nigeria’s security structure. Of what courage will bloody civilians summon when the armed military men fell to the attack of bandits that killed officers in their zone. Who else can boast of safety? The worse is happening.

The scenarios in Nigeria can not be said to be different from those in Afghanistan. A similar evacuation in Kabul is already happening in Jos. Government of different states evacuating their indigenous students from Jos like Kabul. The narrative is simple: like Kabul, like Jos.

Upon the gory scenes happening intermittently in the country, Presidency and Benue State Governor are on blame trade, throwing banters and tantrums. Governor Ortom and President Buhari have become rivals on the pages of newspapers and television channels. President Buhari’s defenders have never for once conceded defeat on killings even when Kaduna and Benue now share a border with heaven with Jos inclusive. If not the President, who is to be blamed for insecurity. The bitter truth the Presidency did not want to hear.

Despite the chancy, risky nature of the country as discussed above, the management of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria ( FRCN) seems to be inconsiderate through the risky channel explored for promotion exercise of the staff ( journalists working in the stations ).

This is 21st century and Radio Nigeria Management wants staff in different regions to endanger their lives and travel to a particular state to write promotion exams when such exams can be written in their respective states. For instance, states in South West will travel to Ibadan to write the exam while all states in South South will go to Rivers State. Journalists working in Radio Nigeria stations in North Central will travel to Nassarawa State to write promotion exam in one remote area. At times, one wonders why Nigeria is still under developed, part of the wicked policy of some Federal agencies put the clock of Nigeria’s progress backward. The country is already bleeding and wailing for help in the hands of kidnappers, bandits, Boko harams. For promotion exams that can be written and collated in their states, it is inhumane for FRCN to expose the journalists to danger all in the name of promotion.

Of course, the Honorable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammad can change the narrative and restructure the tedious, tiring and risky process of the promotion exercise for safety of journalists. Radio Nigeria in each state can conduct promotion exercise for its staff as we have in tertiary institutions and send collated results to FCT. This is digital era.

Similarly, the years of application for the promotion exercise should be reviewed to conform with other Federal Government agencies. Four years application interval is a setback for any forward-thinking government that wants its employees to develop. Journalist that misses promotion in a year should be granted the privilege to re-apply in the following year, not after four years.

To the Honorable Minister, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, for being one of the defenders in the Presidency who always shoots out any truth-revealing matter that requires serious attention. I hope this meets you well in peace to take drastic action to save the Journalists that will be exposed to danger in the name of promotion exercise. At this critical period, the review of this policy on the promotion of journalists in Federal Radio Stations is required.

Prevention is better than ransom.