By Foster Obi
Recently the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) hosted the Lagos State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Adeleye Ajayi at the Rockview Hotel Apapa, Lagos. Leye, as he is popularly called defeated the incumbent, in a fiercely contested election to assume the position. The hosting was a unique way by MARAN to make a bold statement that ‘this is our own and we must honour him.’
Leye a former MARAN President and a Deputy Editor in Chief at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has covered the ports for over a decade.
The hosting was also metaphorical; being the first time a MARAN President would consider honouring his predecessor in office. For Anya Njoku who is the current MARAN President, it was a masterstroke that would last his political career. Anya had insisted in his opening remarks that Leye deserved no less because of his leadership style and political makeup.
Besides, the occasion created opportunity to bring all the past MARAN Presidents together in a convivial atmosphere to gather and jaw jaw. Again, Anya scored a bulls eye mark there, being the first to gather these men of ‘Timbre and Calibre,’ under one roof.
But you could see that uneasiness at some quarters. Most people consider reporters covering the Maritime beat as an admixture of the good, the bad and the ugly. There are over 400 covering the beat and the contention by some analysts is that the beat is under reported because half of the reporters are idle while some others put pecuniary interests above professional calling. The veracity of this claim is however debatable.
Also there is this assertion that the beat is filled with bitter rivalry among folks as everybody wants to lead, hence this ‘vaulting ambition which overleaps itself and falls on the other’ (apologies to Macbeth, one of Shakespearean tragedies). Ever wonder why you have five splinter groups from MARAN.
Sesan Onilemo, Publisher of Shipping Position, a maritime newspaper, who was a former MARAN President drew allusion to this in his message. ‘This was not the MARAN we had in mind,’ he said regrettably. Also Sesan fingered this vaulting ambition by some people that has made it difficult for Maritime reporters to speak with one voice.
While ‘The Godfather’ Asu Beks spoke on this bitter rivalry and backstabbing by reporters who prefer to demarket others before stakeholders to buy favour, Ray Ugochukwu, the longest serving MARAN President in his remarks laced with proverbs, talked of severally failed moves for merger which is unfortunate. Other past presidents also highlighted the attitudinal tragedy that has befallen the beat.
One of the signs that spelt boldly the rivalry in the beat was that the hall which was supposed to quake with attendance had only present MARAN members with a sprinkling of others like the League of Maritime Editors, MAJAN and AMJON.
But again, none of these took the shine of the event. Leye, who was roundly voted for by the Lagos press to lead them, stood like a colossus. His wife was also by the side to give him support. One of the reporters on the beat, a former Thisday staff who now reports online, Pastor John Iwori said in confidence that that calmness in the wife’s face and the way she savored the occasion showed Leye is a good husband. “Take a look at some other journalist wives if you doubt me,’ he said matter of factly. Any reason why the campaign manager of Leye Ajayi for the Lagos Council Chair was a woman. She delivered more than men.
The event was a full dose. Emeka Okoroanyanwu, Editor of XPress Newspaper who was the guest speaker at the event did justice to the topic, ‘National development: the challenges and prospects for proper implementation of Freedom Information Act in the Maritime Industry.’
He highlighted the need for journalist in the industry to take up the gauntlet by holding operators accountable rather than the beggarly, praise singing and unengaging style of reporting that has remained the undoing of a dollar laced beat like Maritime.
Other discussants like former Editor of Freight Monitor George Ayoade and Wale Akodu who represented Shina Thorpe, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy encouraged journalists in the beat to be more proactive and professional in their calling. The Chairman of the Occasion, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, a former President ANCLA did not fail to urge reporters to rise up to their calling while dropping bitterness.
At the end, it was a win win for Maritime journalists. For Leye, it was honour deserved. While he may be a student of political brinkmanship, comments at the event showed that he is also a good political stabilizer, called Détente.
It is obviously a good starting point while for MARAN, another learning Curve.
Picture: The Man, Leye Ajayi
Foster Obi is the Editor of DFC News
