By Waziri Isa Adam
A leading scholar of Political Communication and Head of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Professor Ibitayo Popoola, has waded into the viral on-air clash between Lere Olayinka, media aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and Arise TV anchor Rufai Oseni on The Morning Show.
Popoola said the confrontation exposed two fundamental problems in Nigeria’s media and governance space: the refusal of public officials to submit to scrutiny, and the lack of ethical training among some broadcasters.
“Public officials who avoid critical questions are doing damage to democracy; however, broadcast journalists should be refined and maintain the high ethical standards of journalism,” Popoola said.
The UNILAG don described the unease many politicians show during tough interviews as a hangover from colonial rule.
“It is not new that the government will tag a section of the press that is critical of their activities as enemies of the government,” he noted.
He charged spokespersons and appointees to prepare adequately for media engagements instead of resorting to deflection or attacks.
“You can’t do without the press; they are the fourth estate of the realm. The trustees of the members of the public,” he stated.
While acknowledging that aggressive interviewing attracts large audiences, Popoola warned that performance must not eclipse purpose.
He made a case for mandatory professional training for non-media professionals who now anchor television programmes.
“When you come to the classroom, you see the wide gap between what you are doing and standard practice,” he said.
Tracing Nigeria’s tradition of adversarial journalism, Popoola linked it to the 1880s with newspapers like the Lagos Times and Gold Coast Advertiser. With the motto “Be just and fear not,” the paper acted as a watchdog against colonial authority — a role he said remains relevant today.
On the Oseni-Olayinka exchange, Popoola affirmed that journalists have the right and duty to ask difficult questions, especially on issues of public interest. He anchored this responsibility in Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates the media to hold government accountable to the people.
The professor also criticised Arise TV for cutting the interview short.
“How can they stop it? A large number of the viewing public were enjoying it,” he said, adding that terminating live exchanges deprives citizens of information and damages the station’s credibility.
Popoola concluded by outlining four pillars for credible media practice: training, preparation, ethics, and objectivity.
“The right to ask difficult questions comes with the responsibility to remain truthful and focused on the public interest,” he said. “Journalists must be assertive without being aggressive, while politicians must learn to face the press.”
The clash has since reignited debate among ABU and UNILAG alumni and media practitioners about professionalism, accountability, and the evolving role of the press in Nigeria’s democracy.