The Editors’ Confluence in Abuja: Partnership or Patronage? A Critical Reflection on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Media Engagement

 

EDITORIAL NOTE

The Editors’ Confluence in Abuja: Partnership or Patronage? A Critical Reflection on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Media Engagement

By Itoro Uwah — Journalist, Social Commentator & Future Advocate

On 12 November 2025, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) hosted its 21st Annual Conference in Abuja—an event that drew the attention of national institutions, media executives, and political stakeholders. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally declared the gathering open at the State House, a gesture that added weight and symbolism to an already strategic convergence.

The theme, “Democratic Governance and National Cohesion: The Role of Editors,” signaled an atmosphere of unity and collaboration. Yet beneath the decorum, applause, and presidential goodwill lies a question that Nigeria must not ignore:

Was this truly a gesture of democratic partnership, or a sophisticated attempt to shape editorial loyalty at a critical moment in the nation’s political life?

The President’s Address: Encouragement or Strategic Framing?

President Tinubu urged editors to be bold, truthful, knowledgeable, and fair. He emphasized national cohesion and responsible journalism—a message that sounds ideal but must be understood within Nigeria’s political reality.

Calls for “responsibility” and “cohesion,” when voiced by a government with significant influence over both the National Assembly and the judiciary, can become frameworks for subtle pressure. They risk redefining criticism as disunity and dissent as sabotage.

When government praises the media while setting the tone of what responsible reporting should look like, boundaries shift.

Praise, when positioned strategically, is often the velvet glove worn over a firm hand.

NGE’s Fiscal Requests and Their Implications

The President of the NGE, Eze Anaba, presented a series of pressing requests to the government:

Multi-year tax relief

VAT exemptions

A dedicated media development fund

Stronger protection for journalists facing arbitrary arrests or legal harassment

These demands reflect real challenges. Nigeria’s media industry is financially strained, with shrinking revenue, layoffs, and the collapse of independent outlets.

However, when the survival of the media becomes tied to government-sanctioned financial incentives, independence can slowly erode.

Financial dependence rarely announces itself as control, but it eventually becomes leverage.

When Government Shows Interest in Media Welfare

There is an old and consistent pattern in Nigeria’s political landscape:

When the government suddenly pays special attention to your welfare, it often has a deeper strategic interest.

Historically, Nigerian governments have used:

regulation,

access,

incentives, and

economic pressure

as tools of influence.

The Editors’ Confluence appears warm on the surface, but warmth is not always harmless. It may represent the beginning of a new chapter in subtle state-media alignment, especially as the administration navigates economic reforms, restructuring debates, and public perception challenges.

Elite Complicity and the Recurring Pattern of Co-optation

Nigeria’s elites—media owners, political influencers, industry leaders—have often played both the role of the influenced and the influencer. Too many times, sections of the elite have aligned with government interests not because they are coerced, but because doing so offers comfort, access, or favour.

This is the tragedy of elite complacency:

When those entrusted with truth begin to prioritize relationships over responsibility, society loses one of its most important shields.

An aligned press is a quiet press.

A quiet press is a powerless public.

The Obaigbena Factor: A Confusing Analogy

Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman of ARISE News, made an unusual comparison between military juntas and American sanctions during the event. The connection was unclear, and the timing even more puzzling.

When media magnates publicly introduce such analogies in the presence of political power, it can signal a broader narrative shift—a subtle softening of tone, an alignment of perspective, or a recalibration of influence.

These signals matter.

They often precede policy alignment and editorial restraint.

Government Comments on Media Salaries: A Warning Signal

Perhaps one of the most concerning elements of the Confluence was the discussion about how media houses pay their staff. While welfare and sustainability are important, it is not the constitutional responsibility of the Executive to involve itself in internal financial structures of independent media institutions.

Such conversations—when held publicly and strategically—can signal the beginning of regulatory encroachment.

If the government becomes involved in:

how journalists are compensated,

how media businesses survive,

which publishers are too small or “pocket-based,”

and which organisations deserve financial attention,

then editorial independence becomes fragile.

The media cannot afford charity that comes with expectation.

A press that depends on government benevolence risks evolving into a press that mirrors government sentiment.

Historical Patterns of Influence and the Evolution of Control

From the era of military decrees to the subtler pressures of democracy, Nigerian journalism has survived numerous attempts to dictate its voice. Control used to come through force—arrests, bans, and intimidation. Today, influence comes through partnership, incentives, invitations, access, and praise.

The method has changed.

The intention often has not.

This is why the Editors’ Confluence must be evaluated not merely by its cordiality, but by its potential consequences.

The Politics of Access and Soft Power

Access is one of the strongest currencies in Nigerian politics. Being close to power can be intoxicating. It can soften criticism and encourage compromise. Government understands this psychology well.

A photograph with the President.

A handshake.

A public commendation.

A promise of partnership.

These gestures may appear harmless, but they often reshape editorial courage over time.

The battle for independence is rarely loud.

It is often a quiet struggle against comfort.

A Pivotal Moment for Nigerian Media

The Editors’ Confluence stands at a crossroads for the future of Nigerian journalism. It offers potential for genuine reform, but also risk of subtle co-optation.

Whether this gathering becomes a milestone of independence or a gateway to influence will depend on:

how fiscal incentives are structured,

how regulatory reforms emerge,

whether protection of journalists is prioritized over control of narratives,

and whether editors recognize the long-term implication of political proximity.

Nigeria needs a press that can speak truth to power without fear, favour, or financial dependency.

Editors must resist the softness of political embrace.

Journalists must guard their autonomy fiercely.

The public must remain vigilant.

About the Author

Itoro Uwah is a journalist, social commentator, and future advocate dedicated to strengthening media independence, civic responsibility, and public-interest consciousness across Nigeria and Africa.