BY IMO BEN
The Honourable speaker, Bar. Onofiok Luke as the unique character symbol of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly who showcases the honour and integrity bestowed on the legislature has jealously guarded and defended these attributes so proudly that no doors are open for mischievous media attacks since he assumed office, except from mischievous practitioners who have no business in the profession in the first place.
Normally, because bad news sells faster than objective reportage, the craze to scandalize the image of lawmakers during previous leadership was prominent in our media community. Sometimes, due to poor communication management, outright malice by opposition, or out of sheer mischievous prompting, issues of public interest were misrepresented to spite or ridicule the image of the members and the corporate entity of this arm of government.
But with the exceptional friendly leadership approach towards image management and his proactive media relations style, the erudite speaker has been able to close the communication gap to eliminate frictions with the media. This has been possible because he has refused to play politics or toy with the importance of information considering the critical need for the people to know what is going on in the Assembly, especially the relationship with other arms of government in discharging the Assembly’s check and balance functions.
Under him, the Assembly has ensured that there is cordial synergy between the honourable members and the media, even though we cannot rule our sprinkles of bais opposition criticism. However, what is commendable is that the speaker has made every right thinking person to crave to know the difference between facts, blackmail and propaganda. Falsehood painted convincingly to deceive newspapers readers about issues in the Assembly no more attracts attention of the public, because he addresses issues timely to prevent these speculations from having any impact on the readers of these falsehood.
Writers are sane enough now to give equal opportunities for fair judgment when reporting on the legislative matters, because reporters have access to information and cover lots of constructive engagements going on within and outside the Assembly to attract positive news about the image of the hallow chamber. He has kept the media professional busy during this legislative session, while the quacks seen to be finding avenues to repent and embrace of ethics of professional media practice.
It is usually said that idle minds are devil’s workshop. These days with the Assembly’s friendly disposition towards the press, it is possible for media practitioners to interface with most legislators officially and unofficially to share views and give valuable suggestions on issues of critical needs for corrective actions.
Infact, rather than leave lazy sponsored media attack dogs to scout for imaginary stories to use to smear the image of the Assembly; the speaker is carrying them along to know every development in the legislature. He has the unusual capacity to tolerate hordes of pestering journalists at public events, something most top personalities avoid because to them pressmen are seen as parasites that make their lives uncomfortable.
The speaker knows that members are placed at very uncomfortable corners when blackmailed through unsubstantiated media reports, so to wade this ugly trend he makes himself available to clarify issues even during unscheduled interactions. Today, this accessibility has pushed mischief news peddlers posing as media practitioners away from the Assembly complex, because there is nothing to hide for them speculate.The speaker’s transparent management of the affairs of the Assembly and its information outlets has made propaganda and blackmail less attractive for wayward media jobbers.
As a matter of fact, before now any negative story about the State House of Assembly was swallowed without any doubt, so it became a lucrative vocation or fashion for some journalist to wake up and publish fake news based on undue partisan views or sentiments to swindle members. For example, whenever attempts were made by the Executive Arm to bring request for legislative endorsement, the mutual suspicion generated by the media usually corrupts the minds of the public before such presentations
Negative news chunked out was too scandalous to be ignore or not to be believed by public. But, today without prejudice things have changed, people no more chase shadows of the Assembly when the actual information are readily made public and available to the media timely.
This is why media feelers indicate that the Assembly will surely act to protect the common good of Akwa Ibom people because of who is in the leadership seat of the legislature. This is why the media is presently working to make sure that negative approach to news gathering is fast fading.
Also,the impression by the press that past or previous leaderships were traitors and weaklings without will power to confront the Executive does not arise in the 6th Assembly, because the story of Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke is a tale of sacrifice for collective good against even his self interest. He is crafted by nature and life experience to do what is right to all parties, including the Executive without bias, this has made the media willing partner to promote the image of the Assembly positively.
The people and the media practitioners now know that these negative perceptions in the minds of some people are residual of haboured impression about past sessions which had been planted in their psychic.. As the head of the 6th Assembly over 90% of the people of Akwa Ibom State in respective of party bias are convinced that Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke has restored confidence and hope so much needed by the media, that anybody without crooked mindset is not left in doubt that the legislator will always follow due process to bring out the needful and the very best for Akwa Ibom State.
It is quite unfortunate that in moments like this some nosey reporters are sniffing for bad news to sell their newspapers and excite the ignorant public. And when there is no such news, propagandists try to sow some seeds of discord through media outlets to breed cat and dog relationship between the media and the Assembly.
But fortunately the Assembly under Rt. Hon. Luke has provided no such avenue to be got in this web, through his dexterity; the speaker has managed the Assembly’s image and integrity to give it confidence of the media and the public. This is the result of effective relationship with press.
Now that the speaker has managed to offload the inherited burden of distrust and lack of confidence, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly under his watchful eyes deserves all the support, guidance and goodwill of the media community to sustain the positive personal and corporate image he has built so far.
I am happy that pictures painted of the 6th Assembly have added value to the overall image of the state, and no matter how critics distorts information to tarnish the collective image of the House, it will never fly due to the impeccable character of the speaker who is leading the House.
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