Opinion
Rural Areas And Media Coverage
The basic objective of the media is to inform, educate and entertain the audience popularly known as the readers. This equally denotes that the media play the role of bridging the communication gap between the government and the governed as well as make people participate actively in government programmes and activities at the federal, state and local government levels.
The laudable intentions of the government and the activities of the people cannot be achieved without efficient and effective coverage by the media. It has been observed that the media do not give adequate coverage to the rural areas of this country, a situation that is posing difficult challenges to the complex society.
An observation by a university lecturer, Professor Nkereuigem Udoakah of the University of Port Harcourt that rural areas in Nigeria are not given enough coverage by the media goes a long way to confirm this.
Really he said: “the way our rural areas are reported calls for concern as they are seen as good for nothing for the media”.
There is comparative news worthy events and programmes in the rural areas that should make Nigerian journalists and their organizations re-examine their attitudes towards rural coverage.
To communicate basically means to share ideas, information, opinion, feelings or experiences between people and the media to establish a common ground with people or groups at all levels of the society. This makes them the official watchdog of the society. The common ground must be established between both the rural and urban people involved in any communication processes and in the activities and programmes of government.
Based on this phenomenon, the media and its practitioners must re-assess the values which inform them that there is no news in the rural areas or that there is no market for rural news. Nigerians’ rural condition is a newsworthy phenomenon which developmental journalism must focus on.
The poor living condition of the rural dwellers in terms of development and neglect call for serious concern among journalists in the country.
A cursory look at the way and manner Nigerian media perceive rural news shows that the rural areas are alarmingly neglected in the same manner that the developing nations are treated by the western media. In the past, Nigerian media houses had their reporters or correspondents at the headquarters of every local government and they formed an important link in the newsgathering chain.
The role of these local government correspondents was to feed their head offices with news from distant localities, supplying the newsrooms with stories from the local government areas. In the political structure which the country is currently operating, there is a progressive movement of development efforts towards the grassroots. In this instance, the rural dwellers need journalists that would communicate their feelings and wishes to the government at the centre. But unfortunately, difficult, slow and sometimes frustrating as it is, the local government areas, as centres of development, are not recognised as important in the information flow system.
The Tide and other regional newspapers, for example, as government media, have a critical role to play in this regard by carrying news and information from the hinterland to the core of the state structure. The local government correspondents are the lynchpin in this news flow and they play more significant roles than is usually realized. This is a serious issue that must be looked into.
Nigerian journalists are stationed at the state capitals and some local government headquarters rated as economically and politically important. This development does not speak well for journalism practice in a developing country as Nigeria. Journalism should not be made essentially an urban affair and the rural areas should not only be heard in the news unless there is something done by the government. The social, cultural and political problems of the rural areas can be analytically or persuasively expressed through write-ups in newspapers, radio and television programmes.
The Nigerian media must develop a knowledge and recognition of the rural people through news, articles and features writing which would enhance the confidence, trust and cooperation needed for all sorts of development journalism. The rural dwellers are prepared to patronize or consume media products if they see what to derive from it.
By giving the rural areas the coverage or reportage they deserve, the Nigerian media would fully achieve its set objectives of information, educating, entertaining, persuading, motivating and scanning the environment, and satisfy their information needs.
Also by so doing, the journalist would have fulfilled his obligation to his audience or readers who are keen to patronise him. The media in terms of coverage should not limit to selectively chosen audience or beliefs but must develop as many appropriate channels through which their products, innovation or material can be distributed.
Media organizations should begin to see the proper and effective coverage of the rural areas as a priority, considering the fact that the majority of Nigerians are rural dwellers who need to be heard by the government and the ruling class. They require the considerations of the politicians they voted into power after campaigns to take appropriate actions to address their problems.
So, it has become imperative for media planners and practitioners to embark on modalities to identify and provide what the media consumers at the grassroots require or deserve to retain and boost their patronage.
Shedie Okpara
Opinion
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Opinion
Checking Herdsmen Rampage
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
Opinion
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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