Tamed at Last: How the Disintegration of the ADC Humbled Seun Okinbaloye and Rufai Oseni.
The duo of Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV and Rufai Oseni of Arise TV are among the brightest minds in Nigerian journalism. Both are young, energetic, smart, articulate, and committed to their field. Above all, they are fiery and command a massive social media following, largely comprised of those with anti-government and anti-President Tinubu leanings.
These two men have been “on steroids” since the emergence of the ADC and its concentration of the “deplorables.” The worst kinds of politicians this nation has produced converged within the ADC, and Seun and Rufai became their enablers and propagandists on national television. The ADC provided these two with a free hand to demonstrate, without fear, their hatred and disdain for President Tinubu.
There is no denying that everyone is entitled to a political opinion—even journalists—but in the performance of their duties, they must be seen as neutral among the various political interests they engage with daily. These two, however, are filled with such bitterness that they can no longer hide it, even on live television.They have practically become the mouthpieces of the opposition. It is so glaring and undeniable that some opposition politicians appearing on Seun Okinbaloye’s program have actually invited him to join their party. Naturally, one might expect a degree of biased reporting, especially from media houses owned by partisan personalities.
Every challenge, every problem, and every court case that eventually consumed the ADC was the doing of party members who could not jettison their personal egos and ambitions for the good of the party. Yet, Seun, Rufai, and their colleagues pushed the narrative that Tinubu and the APC were behind the trouble. They know the truth, but the treachery and mischief embedded in their souls would not permit them to tell it to the greedy politicians who patronize them daily.
They fed fat on the money of disgruntled politicians, enabling them in the pursuit of emptiness until the ADC finally imploded. They attacked and insulted the President and his administration; they attacked INEC. They incited the public toward riots and protests over falsehoods, all to help the opposition bring down the government.
Then came the Supreme Court judgment, which they celebrated so openly that one wonders if professional codes of conduct still exist. Surprisingly, the celebration was short-lived. What was supposed to be a catalyst for advancement became a harbinger of disintegration. The ADC is a house built not to shelter Nigerians, but to shelter the crooked.
Has anyone noticed both men lately? They look depressed, tamed, discouraged, and dejected on national television because the ADC has collapsed. They are now faced with the reality that truth always prevails. They are faced with the imminent reality that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is on course for a second term, and nothing will be able to stop him.I hope Seun Okinbaloye and Rufai Oseni will retrace their steps and return to professionalism.
They should detach themselves from the dangerous terrain of hardcore partisanship, which may fill their pockets with wealth but takes away their joy and peace. Better still, I suggest they drop their pens and put on a Babariga and fitting caps, just like the “basket of deplorables” they represent
Culled from Yoruba Colloquium
