Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media - Politics - Nairaland
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Falana Doubts The INTEGRITY Of Buharis Ministers. / ANOTHER INTEGRITY QUESTION For President Buhari: / Political Bias Of Nigerian Media (Newspapers/Blogs, TV/Radio Stations) (2) (3) (4)
| Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Jarus(m): 9:56am On Mar 11, 2010 |
My comment stems from this epistle: http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/guest-articles/punch-editors-bombshell-on-corruption-in-the-nigerian-media-2.html If all the allegations levelled against top columnist and ED-Publications of The Punch, Mr Azubuike Ishiekwene(popularly known as Azu) by Mr Steve Ayorinde, immediate past editor of the newspaper were true, then there is serious integrity issue in Nigerian media. Some of the allegations: Azu using Punch to defend debtor Rockson Engineering "Beyond his(Azu's) partisan interest in how Rockson Engineering is reported in The PUNCH, Mr. Ishiekwene would later in October (when we had relocated to Magboro) again demonstrated his unprofessional interest in Rockson Engineering when he requested that I should remove Chief Johnson’s name and that of Prof. Pat Utomi (who was the Chairman at his book launch) from the cover of the paper among those prominent debtors whose names were released by the CBN. I had explained to him after calling me repeatedly that it would be unethical to do so, because not only were the two names mentioned but also because the debt being owed by Rockson ranked among the biggest and should naturally put him among those whose photographs would appear on cover. The ED Publications insisted that both men were friends of the house whose interests should be protected." Azu using Punch against Bi-Courtney "For yet a fuller account of the infractions committed by Mr. Ishiekwene while using Punch to fight Arik’s battles, I will also urge you to speak with the Chairman of Bi-Courtney Limited, who is an old boy of the Government College, Ibadan (GCI) like your good self. Dr. Babalakin, I am aware, has a “dossier” on how Mr. Ishiekwene has used the PUNCH titles to fight Arik’s war with Bi-Courtney over the concessioning of the old domestic terminal. There were many instances when the ED Publications came to me to push Arik’s position and agenda on the tussle. There were several other times when he bypassed me and directly called the aviation reporter and the Business Editor, often harassing and threatening them and goading them to be sympathetic to Arik in their reporting." Taking bribe from Fayose Mr. Ishiekwene’s romance with politicians of doubtful characters is as legendary as his false moral crusade on anti-corruption. But his short romance with former governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state had a twist of drama akin to that of Tafa Balogun. Fayose had never hid the fact that he gave Mr. Ishiekwene a cash gift of N1million in February 2005 when he celebrated his 40th birthday at his former residence in Omole estate and that Mr. Ishiekwene was a beneficiary of several contracts from his administration. However, their relationship went sour immediately Fayose was impeached and Mr. Ishiekwene lambasted him in one of his columns. Being loquacious, Fayose has said it to the hearing of many people that Mr. Ishiekwene was an ingrate and a false defender of the ethics of journalism. . . . . . and many more as contained in that letter to the chairman of Punch. For someone highly regarded as Azu, especially with his weekly preachings through his Punch backpage column, I am highly disappointed. I hereby formally delist him from my list of 'Nigeria's top Columnists' for failing in the morality and honesty question: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-325477.0.html I'm beginning to think twice before trusting these columnists again. They come up with fine analyses every week, criticizing government and the so-called corrupt people, whereas they do worse within their authorities. He even wrote a book he titled 'The Trial of Nuhu Ribadu', but if the allegations by the sacked editor are true, then he might not be better than the men behind Ribadu's trial. Azu may not be better than Dele Momodu, after all. From Abati to Azu, should we just be taking the messages and ignoring the messengers, or ignore their message with them? |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by darqly(m): 10:18am On Mar 11, 2010 |
While i won't be quick to label him a crook,it seems just about ANYONE will dip his paws into the cookie jar if we all look away long enough! Sad though,even journalists. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Nobody: 10:07am On Mar 21, 2010 |
Really sad , at first it sounded like Steve was a drowning man who wants to take AZU with him ,but these allegations are one,three many, here is Steve's full account The petition which is a direct fall out of the Tinubu/Fashola rift largesse says it all and it is reproduced below: March 1, 2010. The Chairman, Punch Nigeria Limited, Punch Place, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Magboro, Ogun State. Dear Sir, RE: My Resignation – Clarifications and Petition I would like to bring a few important issues to your notice, exactly one week after I was advised to resign my appointment as Editor of The PUNCH by the Executive Director, Publications, Mr. Azubuike Ishiekwene, over, as I suspect, issues bordering on my supervision of the coverage of the political tussle between the Lagos State Government and the State’s House of Assembly. I feel constrained to make a few clarifications, knowing that a clear injustice has been committed against my person and career through the harsh and unexpected decision to force me out of Punch. In my text message to you on the night of Sunday February 21, I had sought your understanding to be given a fair hearing, and had suggested that an Independent Panel be constituted to probe the event of Tuesday February 16 which, as I understand it, Mr. Ishiekwene used as a basis for demanding my resignation. However, because I was unable to reach you before you travelled out, I have decided to write you a formal letter of petition and to seek your understanding in copying every member of the Board of Directors of Punch Nigeria Limited with a view to establishing that Mr. Ishiekwene’s action against me was informed largely by his alliance with the Lagos State Government as a Consultant who is strongly suspected to be on its pay-roll. Acting in a manner that he did against me suggested to me that he was duty bound to protect the interest of the Lagos State Government in the Punch titles. It is my candid opinion, therefore, that the clarifications and the disclosures of consistent pattern of impropriety and corrupt practices by Mr. Ishiekwene that are contained in this petition may save the newspaper’s integrity from the pangs of one man who has mastered the art of using the system for his selfish, pecuniary interests. A little background to the Lagos debacle Please allow me to offer a quick reminder on how the Lagos State story became so controversial and perceivably problematic. It was last November that The PUNCH broke the story of how the Lagos State House of Assembly was considering impeachment moves against Governor Babatunde Fashola over a number of listed allegations. Our report was a result of independent investigation by our correspondents, backed with documents and reported in a fair and balanced manner, with all parties to the story having their views reflected. Sir, you will recall that on Management’s instruction, a front-page note stating that we stood by our story was published at that time, after Governor Fashola made insinuations to fault our story. Up till today, the Lagos State Government has not responded to the three questions we raised in standing by our report. The best that the Government did was to argue that there was no problem between the Governor and his predecessor, Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu. None of our reports ever said there was. The need to be fair, balanced and accurate, before and after you called a management meeting over the issue, had always guided our operation in the newsroom, especially in January when we published the two-page advertorial by the True Face of Lagos. Apart from the fact the said advert went through the usual legal scrutiny and approval, as the Editor has no role, whatsoever, in determining how adverts are approved, a news story was prepared from the advertorial upon advice by the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, with a clear instruction that all the parties mentioned in the allegation be interviewed. With the ED Publications (Mr. Ishiekwene) being aware of that development, as I was obliged to inform him of the copy flow for each day, especially stories that would be promoted on cover of the paper, we published both the advertorial and the news story on the allegations against not just the Governor, but also against Tinubu and members of the House of Assembly. This style, as you are aware sir, is the standard practice in Punch, whereby stories are expected to be sourced from advertorials that are of news value. As Editor, I met on ground the policy that encouraged the Advert department to always draw the attention of the Editor to advertorials that are of news value. This was how we sourced cover stories from such advert publications like the listing of prominent Bank Debtors by the Central Bank of Nigeria in August and October 2009. Initial Indication of Discomfiture Beyond suspicion, it had come to my knowledge ever since we published the story about impeachment moves against the Governor that my boss (ED Publications) had an unusually close rapport with the Media Team of the Lagos State Government, which had often boasted subtly that “Senior Editors’ in the key papers were on its side. I must stress that each time we published a story they did not seem to like, like the story on how Lagos State Officials were changing official cars at will, which was published in October 2009 and the story about the Revocation of plots of land in Lekki Phase 1, which you asked us to do in January 2010, we had always been subtly reminded that the Lagos State Government had the ears of a particular Senior Editor in Punch. It was an open secret that the ED Publications regularly attended meetings of the media consultants to the Lagos State Government, made up of a few Senior Editors and Chairmen of Editorial Boards. However, an obvious attempt to pander to the wishes of Lagos State Government by the ED Publications became evident at the beginning of February 2010 when he asked that I should redeploy Kemi Obasola from the Politics Desk to the Education and Science Division. He did not give any specific reason other than the need to remove her from the “Heat”. I complied. Kemi, by the way, was the only accredited correspondent covering the House of Assembly, who had continued to cover the House even when she was initially re-deployed to the Education Desk. It was on the instruction of the ED Publications that Kemi was returned to the Politics Division again last December when the need to beef up the division became necessary. Then a few days later, the ED Publications instructed that I should suspend another correspondent on the Politics Desk, Mudiaga Affe, for missing the Joint Press Conference by Tinubu, Fashola and Chief Bisi Akande at Tinubu’s residence on February 3. In spite of the fact that no formal query was issued to Mudiaga and my explanation that the correspondent could not have known about the impromptu press conference having returned to the office at 2.30 pm (the conference held at 6pm), the ED, Publications insisted that he must go on suspension. I complied. Obviously, those two acts, curious as they were, had sent panicky signals to the newsroom. I could not offer any plausible explanation to the Conference members – Assistant Editors – on why Obasola was redeployed and Mudiaga suspended for no just cause. The only explanation was to inform both the Politics and News desks to bring every copy on the Lagos controversy directly to me, for onward vetting by the ED Publications. Please let me also add that our sources in the House of Assembly were reluctant to release the complete document of the committee that probed the proposed 2010 budget for the State because they feared that if the ED Publications had access to it, he would release it those he was consulting for in the Lagos State House, thereby endangering their lives. It was astounding hearing how Mr. Ishiekwene was alleged to be consulting for Lagos state. Tuesday February the 16th As far as the Lagos State controversy was concerned, all that we had planned to do on Tuesday February 16 for the Wednesday paper was to publish the response of Mr. Bamidele Aturu, lawyer to the journalist and activist, Richard Akinnola, who had gone to court to stop the probe of the Fashola Administration by the State House of Assembly. The decision to do this was arrived at by the ED Publications after speaking with you, I suppose, because we had published on that Tuesday the submission by Festus Keyamo, the lawyer to the House of Assembly, over why the probe should continue. The Keyamo story, I should clarify, was used after the MD/E-I-C spoke with me about it on Monday 15th in the presence of the Saturday Editor, Mr. Joseph Adeyeye, (having first called the Judiciary Editor, Tony Amokeodo, about the development) to the effect that being a story that happened in the open court and had been reported on Television on Monday afternoon, we were obliged to report it. Should there be a query as to why the copy was used, the MD told me in the presence of Mr. Adeyeye, I should feel free to say that he approved the story. However, later on Tuesday the 16th, the News Editor drew my attention to the arrival of a story from the House of Assembly about the fact that the people behind the True Face of Lagos had, for the first time, appeared in public at the House of Assembly. The Assistant Photo Editor, Segun Bakare, also brought to me printed photographs sent from the House of Assembly with the faces of those behind the allegations. I quickly asked the News editor to inquire from the Politics Editor, Semiu Okanlawon, if his division had the story. I was told that Semiu was not on seat. I then asked Kemi Obasola if she was aware and her response was positive, because the story was also sent to her email box. Being the correspondent who was familiar with the story of the Lagos controversy and who was still the only accredited correspondent to the House of Assembly, I asked Kemi to make all the necessary checks and anchor the story with the Political desk, with a clear instruction that since she had been redeployed to the Education Desk, her name should not appear on the story. Instead, the by-line of either of the two new correspondents on Politics desk should be put on the story, as we had done when we sourced the story of the joint press conference at Tinubu’s house from other newspapers and the media aides of the three parties concerned. I did express preference for the name of James Azania to be put on the story being the one that I had nominated to replace Obasola at the House of Assembly. My position was informed by the fact that if his by-line had become noticeable, his accreditation to cover the House would be a lot quicker. After the story had been re-rewritten from the copies we got from the House of Assembly and The Nation Newspaper, and additional information sourced directly by Kemi Obasola from the House of Assembly, I took the copy with James Azania’s by-line on it with the four photographs to the ED Publications for approval as usual. But he advised that because the persons that appeared for the True Face of Lagos were not the same as those who signed the advertorial and the fact that they cleared the House of Assembly of any wrongdoing suggested that they were acting out a script. I had no reason to disagree with him, although I had thought, and I did explain to him that coming out in the public for the first time would work in Punch’s advantage as it would erase any doubt that might have arisen over the identities of those behind the advertorial that we published in January. Nevertheless, we dropped both the story and photographs and I continued with production for Wednesday. Later the ED Publications called me to his office again to find out if our correspondent was in the House and if the visit of the True Face of Lagos group was listed in the order of the day. I explained all over again to him how we sourced the story and that our inquiries from the Assembly and other newspapers showed that the visit was not listed, but that the Speaker of the House met with them at the entrance of the Assembly, the same way he had met with the people that embarked on a rally to the Assembly in January. On my way home, however, the ED Publications sent a text message for me to see him in the office. I called him back immediately to inquire why he was still in the office at that time – around 11 pm. He said he needed to clarify a few things with me over the Lagos State story and that I should ask the Politics Editor to also return to the office. It was close to midnight when I met with the ED Publications in his office where he handed over a hand-written memo to me to formally explain the source of the story that we had planned to use. He had done a similar memo to the Politics Editor who had absolutely next to nothing to do with the story. I repeated my explanation to him that the News Editor brought the story to me as was sent to us by both the House of Assembly and the Nation newspaper, and that he could see from the list of those copied in the mail that it was sent to all the newspapers. I added that I made my enquiries and Kemi Obasola also made hers to establish the authenticity of the story and after doing the story I asked that Azania’s name be put on the story for the reasons I had already stated. Surprisingly, the ED Publications did not appear pleased, insisting that my response and that of the Politics Editor be sent to him in writing before 10 am the next day. It was already around midnight on Tuesday. I later learnt that he had called and sent text messages to Azania, Obasola and the News Editor, Emeka Madunagu, to also state everything that they knew about the story, which was never published. Ambush Tactics for a Reason I had struggled within me to unravel why the ED Publications waited till late that Tuesday over a story whose source was obvious; a story that was not used and one which was published by practically all the other newspapers (with photographs) on Wednesday February 17th including This Day Newspaper which later published another set of allegations against the Lagos state government by the group Another Face of Lagos. But having carefully considered the tone and inference of his allegations that I tried to plant a story in the paper, I sensed that it was not the independence and integrity of The PUNCH that he was concerned about, but his personal interests, both pecuniary and otherwise, in using a flimsy excuse of a story that he alleged was not properly sourced, but which was never published, to demand my exit from the company. I wish to remind you Sir, about some of the text messages that you got, one of which clearly revealed that the Newspaper houses that awarded the Man of the Year award to Governor Fashola either did so in return for N25million or got the said amount as reward for the honour bestowed on the Governor. The rumour was not unfounded Sir, and you can find out if the right investigation is carried out. For certain other newspapers that were considered key, but which did not bestow such honours on the Governor, there was N15million largesse by way of contract to the Senior Editors, including, as I reliably learnt, Mr. Ishiekwene, who are consulting for the government. The need to watch the government’s back and either woo over or change unfriendly editors and journalists, where possible, was the charge to those senior editors. Please permit me to state, as we sometimes do in our defence of stories when government officials challenge them, that we are not obliged to supply proof beyond what has been stated or published when we are sure of our facts and sources, that knowing that my facts are correct, Mr. Ishiekwene demanded my exit because he concluded that I was not available to be used by his friends in the Lagos state government. The former Permanent Secretary and Special Adviser on Media to the Lagos state government, Mr. Segun Ayobolu, can corroborate this fact. In any case, part of the allegations by the True Face of Lagos was the disbursement of about N183million over six months to certain editors. Sir, you may wish to know that the money that went as reward for the Man of the Year awards and consultancies for certain senior editors came from that pool. I wish to state boldly that if I had anything to hide as an editor, I would not have encouraged the publication of a story that demanded that journalists’ role, like that of state officials, also include public accountability. Nor, would I have I insisted at the Standing Committee meeting of the Nigerian Guild if Editors, of which I am the Assistant Secretary General, that the guild should make a categorical statement in its communiqué on the allegations against some of our members. I should state without equivocation that without being told, I knew that you would not have demanded anything less than fair and balance reporting considering the development over the revocation of your plot of land in Magodo GRA by Governor Fashola and the insinuations that The Punch tends to be favourably disposed to Tinubu. Those two important facts consistently guided my supervision of every news copy that affected Lagos state, and to the best of my ability, we handled everything professionally. Therefore, I would like to stress that the ED Publications chose to hide on your plea for caution, merely to protect his interests and lay ambush for an editor who had tried his best in reporting the tussle in a strictly professional way. My boss did not accuse me of incompetence or fraud; or of fabricating the story, but of planning to plant a story in the paper; the same paper that I edit. I do not think that allegation adds up. In any case, I have never been issued a warning or a query in reporting the Lagos tussle, nor has any of our reports been found to be false or fabricated. On what basis then did the ED Publication then asked for my ouster, not just as the Editor, but from the company? The desperation and speed with which he executed the job should show clearly that the ED Publications was not interested in either issuing a warning, if he felt so disturbed, or release a formal guideline on how the Lagos controversy should be covered, as he had done last year on how general political stories should be covered. Rather, he was only interested in going for the jugular, by presenting a wrong and incomplete account of the situation to you, for a story that was not published; but which appeared in every other newspaper the following day. It was for these reasons and other facts in my disposal that I had sought an independent probe panel of what happened on Tuesday February 16, if only to defend myself and protect my reputation. Consistent pattern of infractions by Mr. Ishiekwene I have chosen to merge a petition with the above clarifications with a view to establishing a consistent pattern of infractions by Mr. Azubuike Ishiekwene, while he was the Editor of The PUNCH and which has continued since he became the ED Publications. Suspecting that you may not be aware of this development that is at variance with your stand against corruption, I chose to chronicle a few of those infractions in order to intimate you with the ignoble development that using his position in Punch for pecuniary interest and to fight his private battles have become somewhat of a second nature to Mr. Ishiekwene, and taking a clearly biased position in the Lagos story was a deliberate act that was in sync with his previous, albeit surreptitious, unprofessional conducts. I should establish from the beginning that what we sought to do with the Lagos story, in my opinion, was consistent with The PUNCH’s fearless foray into investigative journalism. One example was how in June 2009 we broke the story of impending doom that might befall many Nigerian banks. As you may recall sir, the story was very controversial, with insinuations that other banks were using us to destroy the so-called mega banks. But less than two months after the publication, the Central Bank of Nigeria confirmed our story with the removal of top five bank CEOs, with astounding allegations of fraud. The said story, I should inform you sir, won the story of the year for the stories published in all the PUNCH titles in 2009, with the authors of the story – Ayo Olesin and Yemi Kolapo – being given cash reward by Management. Business correspondents that could have been sanctioned for rocking the boat ended up being celebrated for a courageous act of journalism brought to their attention directly by myself as the editor. Power Probe report and Rockson Engineering Another example, if you indulge me sir, was our series on the report of the Power Probe report by the House of Representatives. As you may recall, we exclusively got the report in August 2008 when the ED Publications was on vacation in the United States. We were the only newspaper that got the report and after your discussion on the telephone with the MD/E-in-C, we started publishing extracts from the report. One of the companies prominently mentioned in the report as having won huge contracts buy had done nothing was Rockson Engineering, whose chairman is Chief Arumeni Johnson. I wish to state categorically that Mr. Ishiekwene is a consultant to Chief Johnson and has never hidden his determination to protect Rockson engineering’s interest in Punch. Immediately after we started publishing the excerpts from the power probe, the ED Publications mounted an intense pressure on me from the US, calling me on the phone repeatedly to know who approved the publication of the report, how we got it and what determined the aspects of the report we decided to publish and why it should be promoted on cover. Apparently, the explanation that the instruction came directly from the Chairman served as some deterrent. But I did not miss the sign of desperation in him to have the impact reduced for Rockson Engineering. As soon as he returned from his vacation, he called a meeting of newspaper editors for a parley with Chief Johnson at Sheraton hotel in Lagos. I was reliably informed that Mr. Ishiekwene was the one who personally distributed money to the guests, ostensibly to have them protect Rockson’s interest in their papers. He needed not invite any editor from Punch, ostensibly, as he was there to protect the interest of his clients himself. Rockson again Beyond his partisan interest in how Rockson Engineering is reported in The PUNCH, Mr. Ishiekwene would later in October (when we had relocated to Magboro) again demonstrated his unprofessional interest in Rockson Engineering when he requested that I should remove Chief Johnson’s name and that of Prof. Pat Utomi (who was the Chairman at his book launch) from the cover of the paper among those prominent debtors whose names were released by the CBN. I had explained to him after calling me repeatedly that it would be unethical to do so, because not only were the two names mentioned but also because the debt being owed by Rockson ranked among the biggest and should naturally put him among those whose photographs would appear on cover. The ED Publications insisted that both men were friends of the house whose interests should be protected. Chief Arumeni Johnson and Arik’s special interests If there was any evidence of how Mr. Ishiekwene had used PUNCH to enrich himself and fight personal battles, it would be in how he had doggedly fought the cause of Arik Air, sometimes at the expense of Punch Nigeria Limited. I shall begin by stating the obvious that Chief Johnson is the Chairman of both Rockson and Arik Air. Mr. Ishiekwene and a friend of his who is also a senior editor in another newspaper, are both consultants to the business interests of Chief Johnson through their company, A&L. The ‘A’ in that company stands for Azubuike. It should be easy to trace the owners of the company through the Corporate Affairs Commission. In any case, an investigation of all the adverts placed by A&L in PUNCH should reveal the level of conflicting interests, double standards and unethical conduct involving the ED Publications as a result of his involvement with Arik Air as a consultant. I list a few of such infractions below: 1) Running an advert agency A&L which is jointly owned by Mr. Ishiekwene has been functioning as an agency for a while on all Arik adverts published in Punch. All commissions of course go directly to Mr. Ishiekwene. Knowing PUNCH’s position on advert placements and commissions by staff members, this conduct in my opinion constitute a clash of interest. Similarly, I would also implore you to request an audit of all the adverts brought to Punch in 2006 by A&L. You will discover that all the adverts from the Ministry if Education on the reforms of Unity Schools were paid in by the Editor’s advert agency, A&L, with all the commission going to his pockets and that of his partner. The adverts came as a reward for his consultancy for Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, who was then the Minister of Education. The former Advert Manager, Grace, was the officer used in placing all the adverts. 2) Using PUNCH’s office and time for Arik The last advert campaign in November/December 2009 for Arik’s direct flight to the United States was largely executed in the ED Publications’ old office in Magboro. The choice of newspaper houses, placements, commissions etc were decided in his office, sometimes affecting his attention and concentration to PUNCH’s official duties. Evidently, what should have been done by A&L was brought to Punch premises. 3) Illegally reserving surcharge pages for Arik adverts For the same last campaign by Arik, Mr. Ishiekwene gave a standing instruction to the Advert Department to give Arik adverts access to Page 5, which is a colour and surcharge page, without Arik ever having to pay surcharge rates. It should be noted that surcharge pages could be released for use by the advert department only when the colour pages must have been exhausted. In that case, the advert manager would have to write the editor to release an early page for advertorial use, and the editor must sign the memo if he agrees that the early page, which is usually a news page, be released for adverts purposes. In such situation, the advertiser would not have to pay surcharge rate. However, in the case of Arik, the intention was to put the adverts on early pages whenever page 5 was free without paying surcharge rates. This was discovered in December when the Executive Director, Corporate Services requested for an early page for Mr. Jaiye Aboderin’s remembrance advert. I was in the Pre-Press hall with the ED Corporate Services (Mrs. Shalewa Aderemi) and Deputy Manager, Prepress (Mrs. Lizzy Diolulu) when the Advert Manager (Mrs. Fatima Obagaye) informed me on the phone that Page 5 had gone to Arik. I demanded to know if Arik had paid surcharge rate but was informed that it had not because the instruction came from the ED, Publications. We then agreed to move the Arik advert off page 5 in order to accommodate Jaiye’s advert. Yet, Arik was still published on page 11, an early news page because the advert department did not want to offend ED, Publications’ instruction to keep Arik on early pages at all costs, even though they were not paying special rates for it. At least on three other occasions when I inquired from either the Advert Manager or her executives if Arik had paid the surcharge rate any time I saw the advert on Page 5, I was always calmly reminded that they were acting on instruction. I may not know if A&L would have collected a surcharge rate from Arik Air and was only using its leverage in PUNCH to pay the standard rate, but what is clear is that over time, Mr. Ishiekwene has fraudulently put Arik adverts in early pages without corresponding payments, thereby denying the company its due payment, at the same time denying the paper sufficient news pages. I urge you sir to order that a comprehensive audit of the advert placements by Arik Air between November 2009 and January 2010 be carried out immediately with a view to determining how the company has been cheated and the complicity of Mr. Ishiekwene, through A&L agency, in all these. 4) Why Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye left Arik Another dimension to Mr. Ishiekwene’s unethical romance with Arik Air was how a former Editor of The Punch, Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye, (who was Mr. Ishiekwene’s predecessor as the editor) was frustrated out of Arik as its Head, Media Relations. In 2008 when Arik purchased one of its brand new aircraft in France, part of the arrangement for publicity drawn up by Mr. Ogunleye was to take aviation correspondents to France to witness the historic event. But Mr. Ishiekwene would have none of that, as the media consultant to the Chairman of Arik, and as a Board member designate of the airline, as I am reliably informed, he overruled Mr. Ogunleye, instructing instead that a select group of editors, and not aviation correspondents, should go on the trip, would fly business class and would be paid $5,000 allowance each for the three-day trip. Mr. Ishiekwene personally selected the team of editors, with himself alone from Punch and personally handed over the allowance to them. Of course he left a clear instruction for me that the photograph from the assignment in France should be used on cover, because, in his view, Arik was a major advertiser and a friend of the house. Needless to say that Mr. Ogunleye, who was not even selected to be part of the team that went to France, resigned his appointment immediately. If you are favourably disposed to finding out the truth about Mr. Ishiekwene’s involvement in Arik Air’s affairs at the expense of Punch Nigeria limited, and how he is now directly in charge of organising and coordinating events for Arik, I urge you to speak with Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye. 5) Dr. Wale Babalakin’s connection For yet a fuller account of the infractions committed by Mr. Ishiekwene while using Punch to fight Arik’s battles, I will also urge you to speak with the Chairman of Bi-Courtney Limited, who is an old boy of the Government College, Ibadan (GCI) like your good self. Dr. Babalakin, I am aware, has a “dossier” on how Mr. Ishiekwene has used the PUNCH titles to fight Arik’s war with Bi-Courtney over the concessioning of the old domestic terminal. There were many instances when the ED Publications came to me to push Arik’s position and agenda on the tussle. There were several other times when he bypassed me and directly called the aviation reporter and the Business Editor, often harassing and threatening them and goading them to be sympathetic to Arik in their reporting. However, matters got to a head sometimes in November when Dr. Babalakin called the ED Publications on phone to register his displeasure over the way he was using Punch to fight Arik’s battle. I know this for a fact because Mr. Ishiekwene later called me to his office, looking obviously ruffled, to inform me to take a good look at the stories that the aviation correspondent would file on the Bi-Courtney-Arik tussle over GAT in Lagos, as, according to him, Babalakin had just called to speak to him rudely. Again, I urge you to speak with Dr. Babalakin on how Mr. Ishiekwene abused his position as the Director of Publications to force The Punch to take sides in a private matter because of his indebtedness as a consultant and Board Member designate to Arik Air. A catalogue of greedy acquisitions To strengthen my assertion that Mr. Ishiekwene has always used his position, either as Editor or Director, to seek pecuniary benefits while pretending to be morally upright, I would like to list a few of the corrupt entanglements that clearly showed that Mr. Ishiekwene deliberately compromised his position. 1) Consistent lodgement of money from clients Right from when he was the Editor up till now, a good number of correspondents in the house stations, especially in Abuja, have Mr. Ishiekwene’s bank accounts through which they lodged money for him on a consistent basis. It is no secret to many people that his back page column on Tuesdays are always offered for a lumpy fee and all sorts of assistance to people in government and in the private sector. I urge you to invite for questioning two people in the Abuja office – Ifeanyi Onuba, one of our Business correspondents and Austin Okunbor, the clerk in the Abuja office, who have consistently paid in money into Mr. Ishiekwene’s accounts. They can offer useful information on the sources of the lodgements and may even provide bank slips with which the lodgements have been done over time. I dare say that it was an open secret in Abuja in those days of Mr. Ishiekwene as the Editor that not only did many of the senior correspondents have his bank accounts for consistent lodgements, the Bureau Chief was practically obliged to inform dignitaries in the Nation’s Capital anytime he was in town as the Editor, and would usually buy about 10 yards of different fabrics for Mr. Ishiekwene as gifts from the bureau. That was a consistent practice for the entire period he spent as the Editor of the daily Punch. 2) A quarterly dedicated account with IBPlc Immediately after the consolidation era in the banking sector in 2005, Mr. Ishiekwene as the Editor became a PR consultant to one of the big banks – Intercontinental Bank Plc with a mandate to be giving the bank favourable and consistent mentions. His reward for that service was a quarterly lodgement of N1m (One million naira) into an account that was opened for him in IBPlc, which would later be transferred to his other accounts. The quarterly lodgements from IBPlc continued till the middle of 2006, a few months to his promotion as the Controller Publications, when the new Head of Corporate Affairs department of the bank stopped the corrupt lodgements with the explanation that since Mr. Ishiekwene was already the sole beneficiary of the commission on every advert placed in Punch by IBPlc, it was a monumental waste to the bank to continue to pay Mr. Ishiekwene as the Editor N4million a year just to watch the bank’s back. It was an open secret that part of the major problem that he had with the former Business editor, Chijama Ogbu, was his (Ogbu’s) reluctance to cooperate with Mr. Ishiekwene to milk the banks. 3) Curses and dramatic encounter with Tafa Balogun One of Mr. Ishiekwene’s biggest financial mentors while he was the editor was the former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun. Through ASP Lakanu, IGP Balogun funded practically everything for Mr. Ishiekwene, including overseas vacation with his family, part of which he would have collected a refund from Punch as a senior manager. However, after IGP Balogun’s travails with the EFCC and The Punch, like every other paper, consistently published the story of his fall from grace, it is an open secret that Balogun spoke badly about Mr. Ishiekwene, expressing amazement openly if “Azu was no longer in Punch”! He must have been shocked that the man on who he spent millions of naira could also dedicate his back page column to accuse him of corruption. Yet, Balogun was not the only top police officer with whom Mr. Ishiekwene had a pecuniary alliance. Former Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Young Arabamen, was also his financial ally. Apart from the fact that he consistently assisted Mr. Ishiekwene financially, he was the one who supplied most of the gift items that were given to guests at the burial ceremony of Mr. Ishiekwene’s mother in Delta in 2003. I was there and saw it, because Arabamen took the glory for his action by branding all the gift items he supplied. But Arabamen was not the only one involved in the ‘unholy alliance’ during the said burial ceremony. Mr. Ishiekwene, as the Editor, printed a personal letterhead through which he wrote and solicited funds from governors, politicians, bankers and people of questionable wealth, including former Governor James Ibori of Delta State, who out of respect for his office obliged him. Being reliably informed that the gate of Mr. Ishiekwene’s residence is bullet-proof, I have often wondered if the fact that the series of unholy alliance with people of questionable means was responsible for Mr. Ishiekwene’s choice of expensive security apparatus at home. 4) And there was Ayo Fayose Mr. Ishiekwene’s romance with politicians of doubtful characters is as legendary as his false moral crusade on anti-corruption. But his short romance with former governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state had a twist of drama akin to that of Tafa Balogun. Fayose had never hid the fact that he gave Mr. Ishiekwene a cash gift of N1million in February 2005 when he celebrated his 40th birthday at his former residence in Omole estate and that Mr. Ishiekwene was a beneficiary of several contracts from his administration. However, their relationship went sour immediately Fayose was impeached and Mr. Ishiekwene lambasted him in one of his columns. Being loquacious, Fayose has said it to the hearing of many people that Mr. Ishiekwene was an ingrate and a false defender of the ethics of journalism. 5) Brand new Chevrolet as a gift In December 2007, Mr. Ishiekwene got a parting gift from the outgoing Comptroller General of Customs, Joseph Gyan, for being a good ally that gave him positive coverage in the media. The black car is one of the several in the garage of Mr. Ishiekwene who had openly described himself as a car freak. I should know because I was in the ED, Publications’ house on Friday February 19 for a surprise 45th birthday party organised for him by his wife. Being one of the last set to leave his house that Friday, oblivious of the desperation to force me out of Punch, I was there when a former staff of The Punch, Funso Aina, made a jocular remark that Mr. Ishiekwene’s house was more of an auto mart. Sundry abuse of office, etc I thought I should not end this petition without detailing a couple of abuse of office and actions that qualify as ethical misconduct on the part of Mr. Ishiekwene, which, when verified, would reveal a deep-rooted disposition to using the system for personal gains on the one hand and refusing to own up when his decision was either wrong or did not go down well with you sir. 1) Yusuf Alli and the problematic headline of 2007 Sometimes in late 2007 when Alhaji Yussuf Ali was still the editor, you were displeased with the lead headline about Obasanjo approving the transfer of Bakassi that was credited to the National Assembly. You had justifiably queried the choice of the headline because it was at variance with the import of the story. What you did not know sir, was the fact that the problematic headline, which as I understand it, ultimately contributed to the removal of Alhaji Alli as the editor was cast by Mr. Ishiekwene, who had demanded from Alli as the editor that he must see the news pages before they were submitted. I knew about that development as a Member of the Editorial Board then and like every other member of the Board had detected the error. But we heard reliably on the Board that not only was the headline cast by the ED Publications but that he also begged the Editor to protect him by not disclosing to you that he (Alli) did not cast the problematic headline. If that error was used against Alhaji Alli, as many suspected it must have, then it must have been an unconscionable direct boss to the editor that would have been there with you sir, murderously silent when a subordinate was being punished for an error he did not commit. I can make an easy guess that Alhaji Ali would be willing to testify on that problematic headline as indeed the catalogue of infractions and corrupt practices perpetrated by Mr. Ishiekwene as the Editor and ED Publications, if he is invited. 2) Yomi Odunuga’s exit in 2006 Unknown to you sir, a central figure somewhat connected to the allegations of bribery against Yomi Odunuga and a few staff members in 2006 was Mr. Ishiekwene as the Editor. All the senior correspondents that faced the panel in Lagos knew one thing or the other about Mr. Ishiekwene’s penchant for corrupt enrichment. On the day that the correspondents and Assistant Editors involved were being interrogated, Mr. Ishiekwene sent a text messages to a couple of them to shield him. The affected correspondents obliged him and chose to go down alone. 3) A spurious letter to the American embassy In the summer of 2008, Mr. Ishiekwene deliberately bypassed procedure by issuing two different sets of letters on Punch’s letterhead for two correspondents, Yemi Kolapo and Kemi Obasola, to assist them secure a referral letter from the Public Affairs Section of the American consulate and ultimately to obtain American visas. While it might not count for much that both the office of the Editor and the Admin department were bypassed in issuing the letters, Mr. Ishiekwene lied to the American consulate and nearly brought the company into disrepute by stating in the letter that Kemi Obasola was a correspondent covering politics, and that she was being sponsored by Punch Nigeria Limited to attend a course and would conduct interviews with known American politicians. None of those was true; so much so that when the officers of the Public Affairs Section of the consulate called me on phone as the Editor to inquire if I was aware of the letter from the office of the ED publications and if indeed the ladies were covering politics, I had to take a painful decision to protect the image of the company by not revealing the truth. Mr. Ishiekwene knew that although Yemi Kolapo was going on vacation and had applied for a short course in the US in order to renew her visa, Kemi Obasola was only accompanying her on the trip for the funeral party of Yemi Kolapo’s mother who had passed on in April. I know this to be true because the two ladies had earlier approached me on the real reason why they were going to the US and I had said it would be ethically wrong for me to approve a trip for an Obasola who on Chairman’s advice had then been redeployed from Politics Division to the Education and Science division (that was the first time she would be redeployed before the Lagos story controversy) and that it would be better if she could take a week’s leave from her next annual leave since the trip was a private affair. Conclusion I hope you would understand that in being this painstaking, all I have tried to do is to present, on the one hand, my own side of the story on how the events of Tuesday February 16 constituted a flagrant use of ambush tactics and injustice against me by the ED Publications. And on the other hand, I have used this petition to show that with a long record of corrupt enrichment and double standard as well as an obvious clash of interest, Mr. Ishiekwene does not appear to have the moral justification to stand in judgement against me in a case in which he, obviously, is the one who has an abiding interest. I have tried to stay within the facts of the matter as much as possible and where possible suggested names of those who could be contacted for verification, or indeed be invited for interrogation, being convinced that for the values of fairness and justice that the PUNCH Managements holds dear, it would only be proper to investigate the allegations raised in this petition. Although they are germane and could be helpful in establishing the true nature of Mr. Ishiekwene, I did not include other well-known allegations of how former Lagos State governor, supplied the cement for the building of his first house in Alagbado area of Lagos or how Alhaji Aliko Dangote, former governor Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom state and Chief Arumemi Johnson were key financiers of his new home in Magodo. Nor did I include the part of security scare at the airport when Mr. Ishiekwene as the Editor went to receive bags of money sent to him from the National Assembly in Abuja, preparatory to the burial of his mother; or the open secret that he ha already acquired a printing press in Lagos; or even the fact that in spite of his crusade against Michael Aondoakaa, Mr. Ishiekwene had at least once received bribe in dollars from the former Attorney General of the Federation through one of Aondoakaa’s contacts. All I seek is to offer my own side of the story on the Lagos state controversy, in which I have no special interest whatsoever and had never expressed an opinion through my back page column. While I hope that you would consider it welcoming that a probe of all the issues raised be carried out, I shall leave to the judgement of yourself and the good members of the Board to determine if the heavily tainted profile of Mr. Ishiekwene, on the Lagos issues and other matters, fits into the ideals that PUNCH would accept as being representative of good ethics, professionalism, justice and accountability. Thank You. Sincerely, Steve Ayorinde CC: Dr. Lekan Are Ms. Lola Ibi-Aboderin Mr. Wale Aboderin Mrs. Angela Emuwa Mr. Seye Aboderin Mr. Ademola Osinubi Mrs. Shalewa Aderemi Mrs. Olubunmi Oluoch http://ireports-ng.com/2010/03/04/dirty-war-over-money-tears-punch-apartas-editor-opens-can-of-worms-on-multi-million-corruption-scandals/ |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Greycells(m): 10:16am On Apr 16, 2010 |
The Executive Director (Publications) of Punch Newspapers Mr Azubuike Ishiekwene has resigned his appointment. In a related development CNN also axed Azu from his CNN African journalist Award Panel of judges. The fall from grace was said to be self-inflicted due to his perceived shady dealings with Gov Fashola's administration. This is believed to have compromised the editorial objectivity of Punch. Azubuike's problems started over his decision to force the resignation of the editor Steve Ayorinde for allowing news deemed unfavourable to Gov Fashola's govt. Steve reacted with a petition detailing Azu's romance with the Lagos Govt and how it has created conflict of interest. The Punch Management issued a statement promising a fair investigation of the allegations made against Azubuike. The newspaper management is expected to issue a statement in the next 24hrs. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 11:14am On Apr 16, 2010 |
Jarus: Jarus, the problem is that you do not listen to adivse,else you would have listened to me in the past. I have warned you in the past that these men and women are no worse than those they criticise. There is a school of thought that Steve was only spilling the beans because the in house politics no longer favoured him, not because he was worried about the filth that Azu was clothed in. No one in the media(apart from one or two fleeting mentions) wants to address this issue or do an in depth investigation. If it was Ibori or Fayose, the likes of TELL and the NEWS would have gone to town with titles like "the face of a crook" and "the anatomy of a crooked jornalist".Now it is one of them and a falsely esteemed one at that, they all keep insisting it is improper to do a report on it since the Punch management is still investigating the matter.They forget the African proverb that says "nine mad men walked pass with a sane man.On lookers were asked who passed by?They replied that ten mad men just waked pass". The minority whose integrity are intact are letting the sins of the majority rub off on them. Those who are insinuating that Steve's accusations are not true, i wonder how all these detailed accusations can be the product of a productive imagination and he has the guts to spill it in public? The entire Nigerian media is compromised. That truth has long been known. The problem is that we never knew the depth of compromise,now we are knowing. I am wary of making heroes out of public figures, there is so much you never get to see or know.I am a sceptic when it comes to celebrities. When i read a Nigerian media report, i ask myself whose paid view is being represented here? It is rarely the masses they all claim to be speaking for. After Olusegun Adeniyi,even optimists like you ought to have learnt your lesson. I doubt it. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Nobody: 12:28pm On Apr 16, 2010 |
Believe me from what i have seen these last months from my working experience, these journalists are more corrupt than politicians and even Policemen whom they always insult all the time. The only difference is that there is no body to write and publish an article about thier own curropt practices. They demand for money for every thing, threaten you, blackmail you and will jusitify their actions. When i question a few of them am close to, they aske me if i expect them to edit and publish a story for nothing, I ask them if that is not what they are paid to do and how different are they from they police man who collects bribe before he can work? |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Nobody: 12:36pm On Apr 16, 2010 |
aisha2:so you just know this.cant you see the way they are packaging babangida. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Jarus(m): 1:04pm On Apr 16, 2010 |
mbulela: I personally do not believe in criticizing just for the sake of it. Neither do I believe in commenting only on the bad side. This is where I differ with many Nigerian writers and contributors to issues. The idea of public commentary to many Nigerians is criticizing everything. If you have a word of praise for something or someone in this part of the world, people see you as an ass-kisser. To many Nigerians, and as reflective on this NL, you must criticize everything. This is where I have problem with a number of contributors. Of course, one needs to watch it, lest one becomes a maniacal praise singer a la Dele Momodu. Even at that, the fact that a comment comes from Dele Momodu or whoever doesn't mean it should be thrown away. It should be looked into and examined on its merit. At times, separating the message from the messenger may be reasonable, even as I don't deny the fact that the history of the messenger, most times, says much about how serious the message should be taken. This is my own philosophy, and I know it differs from yours. I remain unconvinced that everybody is a crook or no public figure or public commentator is worthy of commendation. As far as I have not seen or heard from reliable sources anything condemnable in a figure, I will continue to hold everybody in deserved measure of esteem. In our past interactions on this forum, you have called my attention to my seemingly 'excessive trust' of people, most notably Sanusi, Dele Momodu, Oguntimehin and other professionals-turned-politicians, and now, Azu and other journalists. On Sanusi, I'm his fan, because even before he became CBN boss, he used to be a fearless progressive who I admired a lot. I like his writing skills and he came across as a brilliant guy that is versed in almost every subject. I have read over 30 articles of his from 1998-2007 and I know the type of person he is, just as you know the type of person I am through my posts on NL. But even at that, I have not hesitated to criticize him anytime I disagree with him. On Dele Momodu, I have never been his fan. I disagree with 90% of his takes on issues and see him more as a celebrity journalist than a seriuos public affairs commentator, but that doesn't mean I should not say it out whenever I find his commentary commendable. The other time you called my attention to my over trusting of public personalities, when I was expressing my disappointment over Prof Oguntimehin's reported unprofessional attitude by lobbying Danjuma and co for retension in the cabinet, I said I had no course to doubt his credibility before that time. I still trust every body in asmuch as I have not seen anything disappointing in him/her. And on Azu and co, until I read Steve's outbursts, I had no course to doubt his personality and integrity. My opinion about or reckoning on any other journalist remains as it is based on my knowledge of each of them, and until their own yansh are also exposed, I have no course to doubt their integrity. By this I do not, of course, mean that all Nigerian journalists and media houses are people of integrity. I have formed my opinion on their ranking in objectivity scale based on my knwoldeg of each. For example, I know Sun newspaper does the bidding of Kalu, The Nation of Tinubu, Daily Trust bent towards Hausa/Fulani - Muslim interest, Tribune of Yoruba interest etc, but that doesn't mean every news from them is pro-Kalu or pro-Tinubu or pro-North. I take every news item on its merit. No one in the media(apart from one or two fleeting mentions) wants to address this issue or do an in depth investigation. I'm also highly worried about this. The silence is too hypocritical. Except Olumhese of Guardian, no columnist has mentioned it, the so-called investigative magazines liek Tell and co have remained silence. No wonder none of them published my article on this issue, except Nigeria Village Square and two other news sites. http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15166&Itemid=154 |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 1:54pm On Apr 16, 2010 |
Jarus:Jarus, you are my man o. Anyday,any time. Don't forget that. Having settled that point, i need to point out a few facts from your post. Unlike you, i am a persimist in these matters. It is not a good thing, i must acknowledge but it is the truth and every passing day, i am giving ample reason to believe that it is a more intelligent position to hold in our society. I actually do not criticize everything like you alluded to in your post,i just seem too unwilling to trust and believe these people due to the recent past and evidences of the present. in addition, i really do not have the time to analyse every sentence of Dele Momodu (using him as an example). until he addresses his past,i am unwilling to listen to any sermon of his,no matter how edifying. I have no problem with you celebrating Sanusi (apart from a flaw of his i pointed out in a related post few days back.The thread on Okonjo Iweala and Sanusi that disappeared from this site).Same way i will celebrate Atedo Peterside. While you treat all men to be good until they prove otherwise, i treat all men in the Nigerian public space to be evil until they prove otherwise. When it comes to men away from the Nigerian public space, it is a different matter. what constitutes a reliable source within the context of this discourse? |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Jarus(m): 2:19pm On Apr 16, 2010 |
While you treat all men to be good until they prove otherwise, i treat all men in the Nigerian public space to be evil until they prove otherwise.This is the exact place we differ, even as I agree that given the rate at which many of them fall on integrity ladder these days, it is safer to go the way of pessisim and work back to optimism. what constitutes a reliable source within the context of this discourse?Could be subjective, but for my purpose, I have an inexplicable way of discerning the level of reliability I place on something, by merely reading between the lines. By combination of past experience, tone of the message, history of the messenger or message medium and some other factors, I determine the degree of reliability. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 3:07pm On Apr 16, 2010 |
Jarus: bros, that is too mysterious a definition, subjective or not. Next thing you will tell me you use super natural powers in deducing reliability of the sources. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Nobody: 3:24pm On Apr 16, 2010 |
To call press conference just arrange N5k in brown envelopes, N10k for the electronic Media because usually they are two one reporter one camera man, carry go, with that they will carry and sell any news. Yet they will come out and criticise police. put side by side with the Media, beleive me Nigerian Police will come out as saints |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Jarus(m): 5:48pm On Apr 16, 2010 |
mbulela:  The reliability of a source depends on these factors: -Credibility history of the source -Experience with the source -Tone and logic of the info -Whether it corroborates with other sources or not |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by MyJoe: 7:08pm On Apr 16, 2010 |
Azu? I'm speechless. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 10:12pm On Apr 16, 2010 |
MyJoe: as long as you do not go dumb. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 1:29am On Apr 17, 2010 |
Oga, does this source pass the critical tests necessary for accreditation? http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=118541298160132&id=100000891847077&ref=mf |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 1:43am On Apr 17, 2010 |
I don't like one sided stories, after all, me and Azu no dey drag woman nor are we dragging handout from politicians. Here is his own response; PUNCH's Azu resigns, replies Steve AyorindeShare Today at 7:16am An era ends, a story begins… [b]By Azubuike Ishiekwene In my column in The Punch on Tuesday, March 9, 2010, I left an unusual footnote, titled, “The bile this time.” It was a subdued response to the wild allegations against me in the 7,000-word plus petition by the former Editor of the Punch, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, who was forced to resign by the Management of the company for conduct unbecoming of his office. My restraint was not because I could not defend myself or because I was guilty. However, I had to endure the wicked lies and fabrications against me because it was the fit and proper thing to do while the committee, set up by the Board and the company where I had worked for 21 years was trying to establish the truth. The committee’s work is done. Its report, and that of the Management committee, done after six weeks of exhaustive investigation, which I could not have influenced in any way, did not indict me of any fraud. The wicked lies have been out now for almost six weeks, recycled in various forms and in various media by informed, half-informed and grossly ill-informed commentators all masquerading as the guardian angels of a benighted profession. I am not writing this for the benefit of those who already think they know all and who will not let the facts get in the way of their next malicious post or article. I’m writing for the benefit of those – and thankfully there are still a number left out there – for whom fairness, balance and pursuit of truth mean a thing. The Board Committee had the following specific terms of reference: To probe advert surcharges for premium pages from 2006 to date To consider any other issue in the petition in respect of which any person submits documentary evidence to the committee. After three weeks of sitting, minus one previous of investigations by the Management of the petition, Mr. Steve Ayorinde could not produce a shred of evidence in support of his claim that I used my office to enrich myself. Or that I was on the payroll of politicians, banks and some public officials. He had two clear opportunities to do this in five weeks – first on March 8 when the company wrote him to supply evidence, and later when he appeared before the Board committee on April 3. On both occasions, he failed to substantiate his allegations. In fact, it is written that even the witnesses he cited “rebuffed” the committee; the chronicler could not muster the confidence of his own witnesses. I voluntarily submitted my statement of account; IBTC Share Tender Form and UBA cheque number 80473333 dated September 27, 2007 in favour of Nigerian Motor Industries Limited for the sum of N1.95million with which I purchased the car that Mr. Ayorinde falsely alleged was given to me as a gift; and three-year visa pages from my international passport for the committee’s inspection. I also submitted the original copy of my passport for citing. And the surcharge pages? In his petition, Mr. Ayorinde gave the impression that Arik Air was the only company that published adverts on the early pages without paying a surcharge. This, of course, is incorrect. I must say that the charge that I had overstretched my authorised discretion in favour of the advertiser and that I did not fully disclose my relationship with the company, is regrettable. Yet, it is important to stress that neither the report of the Management committee nor the Board committee, nor yet the Board indicted me of any fraud either about the adverts or any other allegations by Mr. Steve Ayorinde. However, there were at least 23 other adverts in 2009, including full page colour adverts by Etisalat, First Bank, Zain, Globacom and the Lagos State Government for which surcharges were not paid but which also appeared on the early pages. In his bid to throw the kitchen sink at me, Mr. Ayorinde was obviously not concerned about who else might have been in breach. The same Steve Ayorinde who told O’Femi Kolawole, in his book, titled, The gatekeepers, published in October 2009 but released in December 2009, that, “he (Ayorinde) opted to work in the daily edition (of Punch) with the man he had come to admire as one of the best in Nigeria’s contemporary journalism, Mr. Azubuike Ishiekwene,” is now singing a different tune three months later. Not a word about the misconduct that led to his suspension from office for three weeks in September 2009. Not a word about how he had lied to the management and sneaked off to London on a sponsored, image-laundering trip and then returned to lie again to his staff that he took the punishment to save two of his line editors. Not a word about how falling sales almost cost him his job in December 2009. Not a word about how he had brought his own career in Punch to grief by shopping for by-line among his junior staff on February 16, the event which led the Management to demand his resignation. Not a word about the fact that he was not a first-time offender. Not a word. The cocktail of lies… a) Musikilu Mojeed’s exit from Punch: After Mr. Ayorinde’s false allegations were published on the Internet, there was a sustained effort to keep the flames of falsehood burning. And no firewood, however, wet, was spared. Mr. Mojeed left Punch in December 2008 over a dispute he had with his editor, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, at the time. He had filed a number of stories that were not used and had taken offence that he had not been given sufficient explanation for why his stories were not published. He wrote a petition against Mr. Ayorinde and only copied me. I investigated the matter and wrote a memo to the MD/Editor-in- Chief on December 30, 2008. In the memo I agreed with Mr. Ayorinde in some areas but also suggested how the matter should be handled in future. To my utmost shock and surprise, this issue was stood on its head, lapped up by a few commentators and presented as proof that my only job in Punch was to “kill” stories. Conveniently, those behind it only published Musikilu’s memo, leaving out the subsequent memo and the report of my investigations (copy attached) which would have shown clearly that Musikilu’s grouse was against Mr. Ayorinde and not me. b) The imaginary “suspensions” from work On Tuesday, March 9 and Wednesday, March 10, I was in the office when I received phone calls from concerned friends who said they had read on the Internet that I had been suspended. I also read it on the Internet. But I did so right at my office desk at Punch! And on March 22 when I commenced my vacation, the word was out again! Azu has been suspended! I applied for my leave and it was approved by the Management. My leave certificate, with reference number PN/PS/2005/451/ 134 is dated March 22, 2010. I was not on suspension and never have been in my 21 years at Punch c) “Refund” of N17million surcharge It is a wicked lie that Punch has asked me to refund any money. How can I refund what I have not taken? Punch has said it is interested in asking advertisers whose adverts appeared on the early pages without authorisation to pay the surcharge for such adverts. I did not receive any payments for early pages and as far as I know the request for such payments – not refund – has not yet been made to the advertisers concerned. d) The CNN/Multichoice judging panel I have read in some publications that I was “removed” from the CNN/Multichoice African Journalist of the Year 2010 judging panel. That is untrue. After Mr. Ayorinde’s slanderous petition appeared on the Internet on March 5, I informed the Management of Punch of my intention to discuss stepping down from the panel with the organisers. I had a telephone conversation with CNN’s Vice President for Europe, Asia and Africa , Maggie Eales on Monday, March 8. On Tuesday, March 9, I wrote a letter to CNN/Multichoice (a copy is attached) announcing my intention to step down until I have been cleared of the allegations against me. I worked with organisers to select Ikechukwu Amaechi, the Editor of the Daily Independent, as the Nigerian stand-in. e) Azu as the axe man of Punch This is a very convenient label, especially since 2007 when the editors started reporting directly to me. I have been in Punch for 21 years and people conveniently forget that I did not always spend that time in positions where I could influence the retention or removal of senior editorial persons. Before I became executive director three years ago, at least 12 senior editorial positions had changed for various reasons and under different circumstances all of which I had absolutely no control over. The resignations of Mr. Yusuf Alli and Mr. Yomi Odunuga, both mentioned in Mr. Ayorinde’s petition, had nothing to do with me personally, whatever they may have privately been led to believe. The decisions taken were a collective one. f) An era ends… More lies are spreading already, and I wish to remind the purveyors that I am not unmindful of my rights under the law. They are saying I was asked to choose between sack and resignation. I laugh. I voluntarily retired my appointment with Punch on April 15, with the support and understanding of my family and friends who have stood steadfastly with me through this trying period. I know that a few out there wished for a humiliating ending – but this gracious exit is the Lord’s doing. For weeks, I watched Punch, the company where I have worked for 21 years take a needless bashing and the names of its key officers dragged in the mud. I do not wish to do anything that would extend this grief by one day. At 45 years of age and after a combined 10 years of editing two of Punch’s leading titles, including Saturday Punch, which remains the flagship since I had the honour to edit it, I have decided to explore other opportunities and challenges that beckon. I have read that I “resigned,” or was “dismissed” from the services of Punch. I also laugh. My exit from Punch – and the records of my letter of retirement and the company’s letter of acknowledgement show this – couldn’t have been more dignified even if I had worked in Punch for another 21 years. An era has ended; another begins… * Mr. Ishiekwene was until Thursday when he retired the Executive Director, Publications, Punch[/b] |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 5:11am On Apr 17, 2010 |
In line with my school of thought, i do not expect Steve to be a saint. He probably just got outfoxed in the brown envelope business and decided to spill the bean while throwing away all his toys from the pram. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 10:04pm On Apr 20, 2010 |
why una wan kill this thread? i beg keep it alive. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Jarus(m): 8:27am On Apr 21, 2010 |
mbulela:Of course, it was very glaring from Steve's bombshell that he too was guilty. He knew all these was going on and he kept silent until he was sacked. Also, he narrated instances when he had to do the unethical bidding of Azu. I even learnt Musikilu Mojeed resigned because of the disappearance of his investigative reports. That was an honourable thing to do, and he's now with NEXT. So I'm not saying Steve was a saint too. On Azu, I'm not very convinced as he still did not answer many other questions raised by Steve: -Did he truly personally distribute money to invited journalists at the parley with Rockson in Sheraton? -Did he receiev bribe(ok, let's call it money) from Aondoakaa? and many other allegations contained in Steve's outburst, but which he never replied in his response. Anyway, we are still waiting, as, to borrow his words, the story is just beginning. . . |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Nobody: 9:04am On Apr 21, 2010 |
Obviously Azu was given a soft landing by Punch Management. He was probably guilty of all those allegations, he offered rebuttals of the few instances where he covered his tracks so well that stuff couldn't be traced back to him  |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by nikkygal(f): 2:24pm On Apr 21, 2010 |
Jarus: |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Nobody: 4:08pm On Apr 21, 2010 |
Ojuyobo should just offer Azu a job, the guy would be an asset to that band of robbers masquerading as Lagos technocrats. Eko O Ni Baje! |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 7:51am On Apr 22, 2010 |
i beg carry your Eko o ni baje wahala comot here. We don't want another Tinubu/Fashola argument here. we are focusing on the thieving tendencies of Azu and the inability of Steve to obey the law of omerta among the clan of hypocrites (journalists) |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Nobody: 6:27pm On Apr 26, 2010 |
It was Azu's under-gee runs for the Fashola/Tinubu camp that blew this wahala into the open, in the first place. Can't see how you could have failed to make that connection. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Greycells(m): 1:04pm On May 13, 2010 |
@Ziddy Steve was also on the Tinubu side. He is close to Ayobolu, the former Tinubu CPS dt served under Fashola before resigning his appointment when the Tinubu/Fashola power struggle became messier. Steve is now with Jimoh Ibrahim's about to be relaunched National Mirror Newspaper. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by MadagwaDa: 6:49pm On Oct 11, 2010 |
Greater power flows from the ink of Azu's pen than from the barrel of a gun. NO matter what people say, think or do about Azu, watch out, like Kanu a big bang is coming from him. Resigning is not part of many Africans, he proved different. It's not over with him, he is not buried he is only planted he will grow again I believe. Steve Ayorinde and others like him should be o the watch |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Nobody: 8:20pm On Oct 11, 2010 |
Madagwa Da: Azu didn't resign, he was forced out & given a soft landing by Punch Management to minimize the adverse publicity generated by that scandal. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 8:29pm On Oct 11, 2010 |
Madagwa Da:He has landed at Thisday, still spewing the same old c r a p without any remorse nor shame. |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by Adonike(m): 8:44pm On Oct 11, 2010 |
'World longest Thread!' |
| Re: Azu And The Integrity Question In Nigerian Media by mbulela: 4:12pm On Oct 20, 2010 |
?? |
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