The former Vice President, South East Zone of Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, Mr. Victor Agusiobo has warned journalists against abandoning their watchdog role in favour of acting as public relations agents for government officials and political authorities.
Mr. Agusiobo, a two time Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Anambra State Council, maintained that journalism loses public trust whenever practitioners publish flattering or unquestioning reports designed solely to please those in power.
Delivering a lecture on the “essence on journalism in the society” during NUJ Congress held at the Godwin Ezeemo International Press Centre, Awka, on Thursday 7th May 2026, Agusiobo noted that organised union structures would enable journalists to collectively defend the profession, mobilise coordinated responses against abuses and provide support for colleagues facing professional challenges.
The veteran journalist stated that the profession must remain committed to holding leaders accountable at all times. He highlighted the importance of competence, describing headlines as the “poster child” of journalistic professionalism.
Agusiobo noted that poor headlines reflect inadequacy and weaken the credibility of media organisations. He advised journalists to uphold the core values of the profession by prioritising interpretative reporting, professional competence and ethical responsibility in an era increasingly shaped by technology and artificial intelligence.
While defending the enduring mission of traditional journalism gathering, organising, analysing and disseminating information, Agusiobo stressed that emerging technologies only alter the tools of practice and not the essence of journalism itself. He argued that facts alone are no longer sufficient in modern reporting, insisting that journalists must provide context, significance and deeper meaning behind events to help audiences understand realities beyond surface information.
According to him, interpretative reporting remains the most relevant form of journalism in contemporary society because it highlights the significance of events, establishes relationships among facts and presents a coherent picture of reality.
