Zaharaddeen Ishaq Abubakar | Katsina Times, September 30, 2025
At the 38th anniversary commemoration of Katsina State’s creation, held on Tuesday at the Hayatt Regency Suite and organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Katsina State Council, Ahmad Abdulkadir Bakori, former Director at the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Abuja and now Chairman of the Governing Council of Katsina State Radio, called on journalists to shift focus from routine event reporting to developmental journalism.
Bakori, in his address, emphasised that journalism must go beyond recycling handouts and press releases from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). He argued that most reports lack analysis, investigative depth, and balance, reducing journalism to a conduit for government information without critical engagement.
“Journalists are supposed to be a bridge between the government and the people,” he said. “They should analyze government policies and communicate them to citizens in ways they can understand, while also relaying the concerns of the people back to government in clear and actionable terms.”
The media veteran expressed concern that many Katsina journalists focus heavily on negative or sensational narratives without contextualising the state government’s efforts. He cited examples of activists and media personalities who, according to him, highlighted child mortality figures and dilapidated schools without acknowledging concurrent government interventions such as school renovations and healthcare initiatives.
Bakori described such one-sided reportage as unbalanced and unhelpful to development. “Developmental journalism,” he stressed, “requires examining critical issues in health, education, and security, conducting investigations, and presenting facts in a balanced way that allows the public to make informed judgments.”
He urged NUJ and state authorities to invest in training programs for journalists, equipping them with skills in balanced and investigative reporting. He also highlighted the need for integrating technology into journalism practice to meet modern challenges and improve accountability.
“Only through developmental journalism can we create informed citizens and strengthen democracy,” Bakori concluded.
