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Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation, shouldn’t evade the question asked by Daily Trust newspaper reporter, Eyo Charles, who wanted to know who is paying for the nationwide “ward round” he is making, inspecting projects carried out by some state governments.
Charles explained, “I obliged the invitation (to FFK’s press conference)… so that it would afford me the opportunity to hear… why the former minister said if the national (Peoples Democratic Party) secretariat denied Governor (Ben) Ayade the honour to control all party structures in the state… Ayade and a good number of politicians… would pull out of the party. It would be interesting to read and see his body language over his newfound romance with Ayade.”
Charles adds: “Fani-Kayode said he was in Cross River to see his friend, Ayade, whom he had been pulled to, due to (Ayade’s) extraordinary achievements, and… with the poorest federal allocation, yet he has been able to perform more than those with much state resources.”
Charles asked Fani-Kayode, “Sir, you said you have gone round six or seven states, to inspect projects undertaken by those state governments, and now you are in Cross River State, rounding off your one-week visit to Governor Ayade. Who is bankrolling you?”
Apparently expecting an Ave Maria, the angelic salutation of Mary, Mother of Jesus, Fani-Kayode rudely responded: “What type of stupid question is that? Bankrolling who?… I could see from your face… how stupid you are.”
After asking Charles, “Do you know who you are talking to?”, he informed him that he was a former minister, and a lawyer, though some of his learned friends say they don’t recall the last time he was in a courtroom. His arrogant bluster, “I have a short fuse,” may be intended to warn Charles that he could be violent.
His thought that Charles looked like somebody who would ask a stupid question has been interpreted by some folks to mean that he thought that Charles was a hungry-looking yokel, an indictment of media employers who do not always pay journalists well.
To debunk Fani-Kayode’s seeming claim of cosy relationship with the Daily Trust publisher, to whom he asked Charles to go (and) report himself, the newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief, Naziru Mikailu Abubakar, declared, “The Management of Daily Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust… condemns the reprehensible actions of (FFK), who… verbally assaulted –repeatedly– our reporter, Eyo Charles, in the course of doing his job…
“We stand by Charles, and commend him for his calmness during the ordeal… We stand in solidarity with our reporters, and will continue to fight for the rights of journalists… We urge the Nigeria Police to take note, that if anything happens to Charles, Daily Trust will hold (FFK) responsible, especially due to the intensity of the verbal threats he issued during the shocking incident.”
You will understand the apprehension of the Daily Trust if you believe Charles who recalled that “When (FFK) returned to his suite, he sent one of his security aides to further threaten me. The man accosted me, saying, ‘What effrontery do you have to ask such a stupid question?’
“Sensing how tensed up the atmosphere was, I said to the man, ‘I had apologised to the ex-minister. If the usage of the word, bankroll, was offensive to him, then, I withdraw it. What more should I do?’ Then I sneaked away.”
If you are aware of the gruesome killing, and dismemberment of the body, of Saudi journalist, Jamal Kashoggi, in the Saudi Embassy in Turkey, and the travails of Agba Jalingo in the gulag of Ayade’s Cross River State, you will understand the fear expressed by both the Daily Trust Editor-in-Chief and the petrified Charles who sneaked away to safety.
Initially, a less than remorseful FFK reportedly posted the following on his Twitter @realFFK account, “I met with my advisors & (sic) I wish to say the following: ‘I hereby withdraw the word, ‘stupid,’ which I used in my encounter with a journalist in Calabar.’
“I have many friends in the media, who I offended by losing my cool, & (sic) I hereby express my regrets for doing so. I hope that this will assuage the pain and anger of anyone that was offended by this ugly episode.”
And with some shred of condescending arrogance, he managed to say, “I am deeply sorry for the manner I reacted to the said reporter.” When he apparently felt that that wasn’t enough, he added, “(I) hope that (my relationship and that of the media) will continue to be as it has always been.”
Chapters of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Akwa Ibom and ̀ý states have boycotted press conferences planned for the former minister, probably in solidarity with the thoughts of the NUJ National President, Chris Isiguzo, who noted that “By denigrating (Charles, FFK) had exposed himself the more as an intolerable and unstable person who will not want his activities closely scrutinised by the media.”
The International Press Centre “views this development as repulsive and unacceptable, since there was nothing wrong with Journalist Eyo Charles wanting to know if (FFK’s) tour was an independent initiative or sponsored one.”
But it does seem like somebody with a “do-this-or-else” hold gave FFK an ultimatum, and he weighed the consequences and kowtowed. Methinks he only caved in to fulfil a token righteousness.
Ilyasu Gadu of Daily Trust newspaper observes that Fani-Kayode’s attempt “to climb down his high horse… was done in a derisory manner which further reinforces the utter contempt he holds journalists and journalism.”
Fani-Kayode must remember that a politician, in or out of government, will always have their feet held to the fire. Section 22 of Nigeria’s Constitution provides: “The press (including Daily Trust and Eyo Charles), radio, television, and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold… the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”
He will agree with the theory that his political party, the PDP, probably a government-in-waiting, validates the current All Progressives Congress government, by presenting candidates for the 2019 General Elections in compliance with Sections 65(2,b), 106(d), 131(c), and 177(c) of Nigeria’s Constitution, which provide that only political parties can present candidates for elective political offices.
The testimonial of his stay in Cross River State is that “Calabar (capital of Cross River State) is a beautiful place, and the people are hardworking, resilient, kind, and accommodating.” What appears to be his hedonistic appraisal is that, “They also know how to have fun and party, and they have the best cooks and food in Nigeria.”
You would have thought that everyone knew that, and there was no need for an extensive, probably expensive, guided tour and a botched press conference to only say as much. And why haven’t other states that he scheduled to visit not reviewed the situation normal that Fani-Kayode has now fumbled up?
That, in everyday English, means that his tours should have been called off, and he should have been put on the next available flight back to wherever he is resident, so that he will not “koba,” or jeopardise the relationship of, those states with the media.
Though Charles has forgiven him, Fani-Kayode should still answer the journalist’s query on who is funding, and will receive the report of, his inspection of government projects.
