Following an impassioned presentation at the Frankfurt Chamber of
Commerce, His Excellency Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu expressed concern over U.S.
Consular General Jeffery Hawkins´ recent remarks on media freedoms in Nigeria.
While hosting a luncheon at the Frankfurt Hilton attended by
international delegates on the role of social equality as a pillar of stability
in Africa, Dr. Kalu offered words of insight as to the central role freedom of
expression plays not simply in depolarizing media and fostering trust but as a
tenet of true democracy and a hallmark of any nation´s trajectory.
“The fundamental freedom to voice one´s opinion without
persecution or consequence is not a luxury to be granted but a human right in
any modern society. I urge President Jonathan to heed Consular General Hawkins´
concerns as Nigeria cannot afford to further stifle the open sharing of ideas
and with it, its own political process”.
Such criticism from international bodies does not arrive
unwarranted. Select state and nonstate
actors in-country and in the Nigerian Diaspora have often aimed to suppress and
distort political criticism for personal benefit. Journalists have been
targeted, arrested and disciplined for their investigations and insight,
creating a climate of distrust and moreover, allowing for the prevalent spread
of misinformation. Freedom House notably reported that more than 30 attacks on
press liberty in the period leading up to the April 2011 presidential,
legislative, and gubernatorial elections occurred, often leading to correspondents
being detained without judicial or legal authorization.
Dr. Kalu´s words resonated as he was recognized
at Frankfurt´s Africa Business Week
conference for his adamant strides toward curbing such corruption and working
with non-government agencies in Africa and around the world to promote fairness
and accountability in leadership. He later stated that despite communication hindrances
due to a lack of electricity flow, engagement in the online sphere serves as
one of the last frontiers of free speech in Nigerian civil society. In light of
this, Dr. Kalu has launched an international world-wide-web media center complete
with its own open forum, allowing for commentary and offering regular responses
to voices of support, criticism or concern at http://OrjiKaluMediaCenter.com (http://OrjiKalu.ng).
“We must listen and work with our citizens
and our colleagues in the international community to ensure leadership is
accountable for the actions they oversee. Though we have often seen complacency
by western nations in the face of opportunity in West Africa, this dangerous
trend of stifling media freedoms is not up for debate and larger than a
reputational matter. It can serve to dramatically slow our inevitable climb to
the competitive echelon of the BRICs and cost us more than just influential
votes of confidence in the long run.”
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