By Reno Omokri.

As the desperation of opposition linked new and traditional media reaches a crescendo, they have adopted Goebbels' philosophy that a lie told often enough eventually comes to be accepted by the public as true. It is therefore imperative to expose their tactics so that impressionable members of the public are not fooled by the propaganda of failed politicians posing as journalist whose only motive is to secure from the back door what the electorate denied them.

For starters, most Nigerians saw the story carried on Premium Times on Sunday the 8th of December 2013, alleging that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was traveling on a jamboree to South Africa on Monday the 9th of December 2013 which according to them was six days before the funeral of Nelson Mandela was to begin. The headline on Premium Times read 'President Jonathan jets off to South Africa, six days ahead of Mandela’s burial'.

Of course this was a lie. As may be seen from the official programme by the South
African government (released on line here http://www.mandela.gov.za/funeral/) the funeral arrangement for the late anti-Apartheid icon began on Tuesday the 10th of December 2013. President Jonathan along with approximately 90 other world leaders including President Obama of the US, Prime Minister David Cameron of The UK and President Francoise Hollande, all left their respective nations on the same day, Monday the 9th of December 2013 in order to meet the memorial for Nelson Mandela which held on Tuesday the 10th of December 2013 at the FNB stadium.

The South African authorities coordinated with various governments and actually advised on the date of departure. So, how Premium Times came up with their lying headline, I cannot fathom.

After being caught in a lie, Premium Times, rather than apologize, simply moved on to the next lie and carried another story on Tuesday the 10th of December 2013 to the effect that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was snubbed by South Africa at the memorial for Nelson Mandela at the FNB stadium on Tuesday because the President did not have a speaking slot.

Though it only shows you the state of minds of anybody who will be willing to politicize the funeral of such a pure man, those discerning enough may want to ask if the British Prime Minister, the French President, the Canadian Prime Minister and 85 other world leaders who did not speak at the memorial were also snubbed?

In their rush to gain political mileage out of the death of Nelson Mandela, Premium Times, like a child in an ice cream shop were so giddy, they did not remember that Nelson Mandela was a man who preached unconditional love and politics without bitterness, and while the world was celebrating the historic handshake between President Obama and President Raul Castro, Premium Times was celebrating the historic lie that Nigeria was snubbed!

Perhaps they and their political sponsors ought to be educated on the etiquette for funerals. A funeral is not a place to go and shine. It is a place to go and mourn. As such, it is impossible to be snubbed at a funeral because you did not go there for yourself, you went there because of the bereaved!

For instance, some opposition politicians on social media spend a considerable amount of time insulting and defaming the president, but when they lose loved ones, the president does not mind what they have done and continue to do to him. He writes them and sends delegations to condole with them. The reason the public never finds out about it is because funerals are not for show but for sympathizing.

It is rather unfortunate that Premium Times and other opposition linked sites have shown that they will not let something as vital as the truth stand in their way in their propaganda efforts for their sponsors.

This particular medium has a history of lying.

They lied about former president Jerry Rawlings of Ghana indicting Nigeria of corruption prompting the former leader to issue a statement threatening them with a libel suit and denying their claims completely.

On June 12 2013 Premium Times ran a headline stating ‘World Bank Indicts Jonathan’s Government, says Massive Poverty Unemployment Killing Nigerians’. That headline and story was fictitious and malicious. The World Bank itself whose report Premium Times allegedly relied upon for their story released its own press release with the title ‘Nigeria Economic Update: World Bank Forecasts Rising Growth, Less Inflation, Urges Closer Federal and State Government Cooperation’. Nigerians can read the World Bank Press Release here(http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2013/05/13/nigeria-economic-update-world-bank-forecasts-rising-growth-less-inflation-urges-closer-federal-and-state-government-cooperation). Premium Times merely took advantage of the assumption that many Nigerians would not bother to cross check their story and so sold a lie to the Nigerian public.

Also, on the 14th of June, 2013, Premium Times carried a story titled ‘Nigeria: Exclusive – Okonjo-Iweala Opens Up, Says Nigeria Economy in Danger’ and quoted an unnamed source giving details of a meeting of the Economic Management Committee . That story was false as was evidenced when the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, released the transcripts of the meeting at which Premium Times alleged that she made such statement which showed that the story had no basis in truth.

Ever since Premium Times was established by the media handlers of a candidate whom president Jonathan defeated in the 2011 elections, their reportage has been so full of bile that it behoves on me to remind them that the election was in 2011 and they ought to have gotten over the sting of defeat by now.

Perhaps they think that they can gain a lot by remaining constant in their line up of false and malicious stories. But the public is becoming wise to them. Anybody can go and check on Alexa.com (the world's premier internet traffic analyzer) and find out that both Premium Times and Saharareporters have slipped in popularity. They are loud quite alright, but are they still popular?

Where they use to be amongst the top 10 sites in Nigeria two years ago, they have slipped with saharareporters,com sliding to number 39 and premiumtimesng.com in number 77.

Imagine that a young Nigerian blogger like Linda Ikeji's blog is in the top ten most visited sites in Nigeria and a site that boasts that they are ground breaking are not even in the top 30. Why the huge drop in visitor traffic? You see, no matter how far and fast falsehood travels, it must eventually be overtaken by truth.

Reno Omokri is Special Assistant to President Jonathan on New Media.


Regards,

Reno,

they have adopted Goebbels' philosophy that a lie told often enough eventually comes to be accepted by the public as true.

That is the way of Yoruba people.
They live in fairytales.

Their leaders know they are the most gullible people in this whole world.
What is takes is tell lies and you are on your way to greatness in Yoruba land.

That's why a 'N1 billion/km' governor, Fashola, is the best in the world!
That's why a thief, Tinubu, is now a king.

Fortunately, Nigerians are not as gullible as Yorubas and are not buying their lies.

In 2015, they will know we aren't buying their lies.
Nigerians are more intelligent than them.

Obiagu1:

That is the way of Yoruba people.
They live in fairytales, that's why a thief, Tinubu, is now a king.

Moro'n do you have comprehension issues.....where did you see yoruba in the article.
Seems you cant do without mentioning them on every thread.

reno omokri: Where they use to be amongst the top 10 sites in Nigeria two years ago, they have slipped with saharareporters,com sliding to number 39 and prem iumtimesng.com in number 77.
Imagine that a young Nigerian blogger like Linda Ikeji's blog is in the top ten most visited sites in Nigeria and a site that boasts that they are ground breaking are not even in the top 30. Why the huge drop in visitor traffic? You see, no matter how far and fast falsehood travels, it must eventually be overtaken by truth

This got my attention....why would reno omokri compare a gossip website with a news platform in terms of viewership...how many nigerian youths are even interested in the politics of their country... all they want to know is the latest car davido is driving,or the newest girl wizkid is dating....they dont care if stealar oduah is driving a $2m vehicle nor the president feeding on a 1 billion naira meal

So why wont sites like lindaikeji garner more traffics than online news platform.

odua boy: This got my attention....why would reno omokri compare a gossip website with a news platform in terms of viewership...how many nigerian youths are even interested in the politics of their country... all they want to know is the latest car davido is driving,or the newest girl wizkid is dating....they dont care if stealar oduah is driving a $2m vehicle nor the president feeding on a 1 billion naira meal

So why wont sites like lindaikeji garner more traffics than online news platform.

This now brings us back to comprehension issue.
If you did not understand that the above article was about 'lies' and my post that we aren't buying those lies, then you won't know why saharareporters.com slipped from top 10 to #37.

Nigeria is more than Yorubas and other Nigerians are not as gullible as Yorubas.
So they should, maybe, start telling their lies in Yoruba language meant only for Yoruba audience.

Obiagu1:

This now brings us back to comprehension issue.
If you did not understand that the above article was about 'lies' and my post that we aren't buying those lies, then you won't know why saharareporters.com slipped from top 10 to #37.

Nigeria is more than Yorubas and other Nigerians are not as gullible as Yorubas.
So they should, maybe, start telling their lies in Yoruba language meant only for Yoruba audience.

YOU ARE INSANE!

We should not be fighting each other , the simple question we must ask OURSELVES is

1. Did these sites mentioned in the article cross check their facts before publishing?

2. When they realized what they published was not true, did they make any effort to correct the error ?

3. Is there consistency of attempts to constantly peddle lies?

if we can do justice to these simple questions then we will be able to know media houses that are misleading us and media platforms that we can rely on

GOD BLESS NIGERIA

the article is so on point.

I still cant figure out why the nigeria media would want to feed the nigeria populance with false news.

All just for them to sell.

Well that the reason I love channels

Obiagu1:

This now brings us back to comprehension issue.
If you did not understand that the above article was about 'lies' and my post that we aren't buying those lies, then you won't know why saharareporters.com slipped from top 10 to #37.

Nigeria is more than Yorubas and other Nigerians are not as gullible as Yorubas.
So they should, maybe, start telling their lies in Yoruba language meant only for Yoruba audience.

Moro'n punch is still the most widely read newspaper in the country.
The same punch pdp hacks like you made us believe is losing credibility and were known for publishing lies.....unfortunately for you it didn't deter thousands of nigerians from getting a copy daily.

That's my man.

ochejoseph: We should not be fighting each other , the simple question we must ask OURSELVES is

1. Did these sites mentioned in the article cross check their facts before publishing?

2. When they realized what they published was not true, did they make any effort to correct the error ?

3. Is there consistency of attempts to constantly peddle lies?

if we can do justice to these simple questions then we will be able to know media houses that are misleading us and media platforms that we can rely on

GOD BLESS NIGERIA

@ the boldfaced.
Yes there is consistency of attempts to constantly peddle lies.
Why wouldn't it work?
It worked before in Western Nigeria, why not now?

The first attempt of any would be Yoruba leader is to take hold of the media, tell lies to those 'sophisticatedly' gullible folks in the SW and they'll be on their knees worshiping you.

Awolowo did it. He screamed on every possible media he had control of about free education while the supposed pupils were studying under trees with no slates, no books, no crayons, no pencils, no uniforms and in their panties. The biggest sham in Nigerian history!

While this was going on, he was busy buying up Nigeria/Multinational companies with Yoruba money for himself.
Had anyone ever asked why he was the richest among his peers?

That's the template Tinubu and Fashola are using.

Perhaps they and their political sponsors ought to be educated on the etiquette for funerals. A funeral is not a place to go and shine. It is a place to go and mourn. As such, it is impossible to be snubbed at a funeral because you did not go there for yourself, you went there because of the bereaved!

So jona went there to mourn a man of 95 year old, while SA are celebrating him.

Am so incredibly ANGRY and MADT at Reno and all those who handle d President's Image in d public. It was you people who initiali gave d IJIOTS/HATERS all d space to operate and peddle their LIES and PROPAGANDA almost unimpeded, without so much as either a structured Counter Or an Alternative message. Now for sm time, you guys are woken up and trying to play catch-up. I can't believe it is taking me hours I don't ordinary have to get Pics and Videos of things I already know Govt has done/doing, Or even those happening in d country. You guys are honestly just a

@topic, Great article though. So on point, as usual. Wud hv commented but not on that state of mind now. Maybe Laters tins sha...

[quote author=Obiagu1]

That is the way of Yoruba people.
They live in fairytales.

Their leaders know they are the most gullible people in this whole world.
What is takes is tell lies and you are on your way to greatness in Yoruba land.

That's why a 'N1 billion/km' governor, Fashola, is the best in the world!
That's why a thief, Tinubu, is now a king.

Fortunately, Nigerians are not as gullible as Yorubas and are not buying their lies.

In 2015, they will know we aren't buying their lies.
Nigerians are more intelligent than them.

Obiagu1:

@ the boldfaced.
Yes there is consistency of attempts to constantly peddle lies.
Why wouldn't it work?
It worked before in Western Nigeria, why not now?

The first attempt of any would be Yoruba leader is to take hold of the media, tell lies to those 'sophisticatedly' gullible folks in the SW and they'll be on their knees worshiping you.

Awolowo did it. He screamed on every possible media he had control of about free education while the supposed pupils were studying under trees with no slates, no books, no crayons, no pencils, no uniforms and in their panties. The biggest sham in Nigerian history!

While this was going on, he was busy buying up Nigeria/Multinational companies with Yoruba money for himself.
Had anyone ever asked why he was the richest among his peers?

That's the template Tinubu and Fashola are using.

Do you just find it so easy peddling lies and falsehoods.
Awolowo never claimed that students were learning in an air conditioned classroom so i dont know where you got the bullshit you are spewing from,,,,the most important thing was the education was free... who cares if the students were gaining knowledge under the sun or rain...

Kindly tell us what azikwe was doing when awolowo was busy bettering the future of his people with free education....oh i forgot he was busy frolicking with his hausa masters.

And please kindly list the companies you claimed awolowo bought with Yoruba's money and show us where he was named the richest man in the country at that time.

Finally if you feel the so called yoruba press has a personal vendetta against your people there is nothing stopping you from also opening up a news outlet to counter and debunk their so called lies.

person!!!!

Obiagu1:

That is the way of Yoruba people.
They live in fairytales.

Their leaders know they are the most gullible people in this whole world.
What is takes is tell lies and you are on your way to greatness in Yoruba land.

That's why a 'N1 billion/km' governor, Fashola, is the best in the world!
That's why a thief, Tinubu, is now a king.

Fortunately, Nigerians are not as gullible as Yorubas and are not buying their lies.

In 2015, they will know we aren't buying their lies.
Nigerians are more intelligent than them.

You blockhead. Did Reno mention Yoruba anywhere? It appears your madness is getting out of hand.
Premium Times and Yoruba are interchangeable in your demented mind.

There is this notorious fm radio station in Akure called Adaba fm.
This radio station is so notorious in peddling falshood such that
Dr mimiko complained about the station's penchant for disseminating
falsehood.It was from him I learnt that the that radio outfit is owned
by the asiwaju gbogbo awon omo yoruba Bola Tinubu.
The nation newspaper is also known for peddling falsehood

Great article from Omokri. However, he should go beyond sitting back and writting articles once in a while to flooding the social media with pictures and videos of FG projects.

The Bank of Industry (BOI) is currently doing a fantastic job but no one is telling their story on the social media. Most of the private Industries and plants currently being built and those who have undergone expansion NATIONWIDE were energized by BOI. I was stunned to hear that Innoson plastic industry in Enugu for instance, supported by BOI, has expanded and currently employs about 4,000 people.

Imagine that a young Nigerian blogger like Linda Ikeji's blog is in the top ten most visited sites in Nigeria and a site that boasts that they are ground breaking are not even in the top 30. Why the huge drop in visitor traffic? You see, no matter how far and fast falsehood travels, it must eventually be overtaken by truth.

Going by this your assertion , why do you then bother/cry over their "lies" At least according to you Nigerians don't visit nor read articles on their website Idio.tus in power.

Don't mind saharareporters n premiumtimes,their days are numbered.

Sincere 9gerian: Great article from Omokri. However, he should go beyond sitting back and writting articles once in a while to flooding the social media with pictures and videos of FG projects.

The Bank of Industry (BOI) is currently doing a fantastic job but no one is telling their story on the social media. Most of the private Industries and plants currently being built and those who have undergone expansion NATIONWIDE were energized by BOI. I was stunned to hear that Innoson plastic industry in Enugu for instance, supported by BOI, has expanded and currently employs about 4,000 people.

See format No be the same bedroom for garki una dey operate from??

Obiagu1:

That is the way of Yoruba people.
They live in fairytales.

Their leaders know they are the most gullible people in this whole world.
What is takes is tell lies and you are on your way to greatness in Yoruba land.

That's why a 'N1 billion/km' governor, Fashola, is the best in the world!
That's why a thief, Tinubu, is now a king.

Fortunately, Nigerians are not as gullible as Yorubas and are not buying their lies.

In 2015, they will know we aren't buying their lies.
Nigerians are more intelligent than them.

Which Nigerians? Deluded soul! Retardeen is a goner in 2015. You can Go and die

Clerverly:

See format No be the same bedroom for garki una dey operate from??

You read my mind. I knew Reno was mad at insincereman for not being able to contain flogging the president and Okupe received from the Jonathan Mandela thread.

Obiagu1:

That is the way of Yoruba people.
They live in fairytales.

Their leaders know they are the most gullible people in this whole world.
What is takes is tell lies and you are on your way to greatness in Yoruba land.

That's why a 'N1 billion/km' governor, Fashola, is the best in the world!
That's why a thief, Tinubu, is now a king.

Fortunately, Nigerians are not as gullible as Yorubas and are not buying their lies.

In 2015, they will know we aren't buying their lies.
Nigerians are more intelligent than them.

You cannot abuse my race and expect a hug from me except you want to hug 33KVA electric transformer.

Chinua Achebe nurtured this hatred for Yorubas till he kicked the bucket, you are battling with the same disease. May God heal you. How can we please you monkeys? Femi Fani-kayode helped to father Ojukwu's children, yet you wont thank us. We helped you to reduce your population by over 2 million when you started a senseless war in 1967, yet you wont thank us for the birth and population control. Wole Soyinka snatched the Nobel Laurel price from Chinua Achebe to reduce Achebe's dignity, yet you wont thank us. We allowed you to be second class citizens in Nigeria because you are lost Jews, yet you wont thank us. We allow all your daughters to pro-stitute on Lagos streets and hotels, yet you are ungrateful. HOW ELSE CAN WE HELP YOU?

Sincere 9gerian: Great article from Omokri. However, he should go beyond sitting back and writting articles once in a while to flooding the social media with pictures and videos of FG projects.

The Bank of Industry (BOI) is currently doing a fantastic job but no one is telling their story on the social media. Most of the private Industries and plants currently being built and those who have undergone expansion NATIONWIDE were energized by BOI. I was stunned to hear that Innoson plastic industry in Enugu for instance, supported by BOI, has expanded and currently employs about 4,000 people.

FG projects like the 2nd Niger bridge that Ibos have been begging for years, or the bombed bodies of Boko Haram victims, or the closed university campuses, or the East-West road whose completion has become spiritual, or the private jet bought by ex-militant Government Tompolo, or the new refineries that Jonathan promised when we went on strike 2012 January, or the millions of unemployed youths including you Sincere 9gerian and I (if we bought have jobs, we will not spend our lives on Nairaland), or the over 1.3 billion naira food that Jonathan eats per year which sent Dame Sheppopo to German hospital, or the millions of ghosts that have benefitted from SURE-P?

I beg tell me another story that is different from the ones you have been repeating before I was born.

You are very correct

Noted!!

Premium Times = Sahara reporters

You see dem?? Dem don start to dey tribalise d thread again...*smh*

NO LONG TIN: Noted!!

Premium Times = Sahara reporters

Yes, you are right. The two of them are the most trusted source of information. They reported that Dame Sheppopo was in hospital, you all denied it, the Sheppopo herself denied it only to turn around and confirm that she died and resurrected in a German hospital. They said that Yar'Adua has joined Abacha, Tafawa Balewa and Aminu Kano at the great beyond, you all denied it, nobody saw Yar'Adua since then, he was brought in dead. They said Jonathan has drinking problem, you all denied it until they posted a picture of Jona and his South-South drunks drinking ogogoro. They said Jona was dashing our oyel money to m ilitants, you denied it, until Government Tompolo showcased his private jet and Asari Dokubo opened his private university in Benin Republic. They said Jona and his fellow thieves are looting the treasury, you denied it, until CBN governor officially wrote to confirm it.

After God, na Premium Times and Sahara reporters I believe.

...I have always taken news emanating from Sahara reporters and Premium times with a pinch of salt anyway...not until they are confirmed by other more credible sources at least before i finally form an opinion..
..unfortunately common sense is not common anymore..reason why there are so many gullible folks who clearly have no mind of their own.

idumuose: There is this notorious fm radio station in Akure called Adaba fm.
This radio station is so notorious in peddling falshood such that
Dr mimiko complained about the station's penchant for disseminating
falsehood.It was from him I learnt that the that radio outfit is owned
by the asiwaju gbogbo awon omo yoruba Bola Tinubu.
The nation newspaper is also known for peddling falsehood

lol...

in as much as I agree with some things reno said I have a question for him, what are the measures alexa.com uses in its rating? content or popularity? popularity is not tantamount to authenticity of contents. most Nigerian youths don't care if anything is happening in d political sector, they care more about Kim Kardashian 's dog than GEJ looting N8trillion...
an observation I made on nairaland is we're too tribalistic most especially the igbos looking for every opportunity to spew their hatred at the yorubas. you should realise this won't move you forward, it only embitters your hearts cuz yorubas will always be smarter...gracias