Armstrong Aduku Idachaba, the recently ousted Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission of Nigeria is a professor of mass communication with deep rooted experience in broadcasting, broadcast policy and research. Appointed in February 2020 to head the commission, Prof. Idachaba worked relentlessly trying to introduce values into the Nigerian broadcasting business.
However, this dream was cut short by a presumed tribal power game of thrones which has raised sharp concerns across the country with the perception of a nepotistic reign of power by the few powers running the country’s business of governance.
While his ouster has raised mixed reactions across every strata of the divide, many have considered the move in line with the trend of fielding people from a certain region and religion into high places of authority.
Unfortunately back home, some of his tribesmen are seen to be jubililating his removal simply because the NBC under the watch of Mr. Idachaba had issued a suspension order to Mr. Ahmed Isah popularly known as Ordinary president who was caught on camera visibly assaulting an interviewee accused of scalding a minor’s head with kerosene and fire. An act which negates the fundamental dictates of the United Nations charter on fundamental human rights.
The celebration is biasedly steamed from the fact that Ahmed Isah shares the same tribe with Prof. Idachaba, and such, it is expected that Prof. Idachaba would have used this office to corruptly back the actions of his tribesman even in the glare of a committed crime.
While I find these sorts of reactions absurd and an abuse of privilege, it should be noted that, these type of mindsets is the reason for the massive rot within and outside the Nigerian system of governance. Records has also shown how upright people occupying high profile positions in government have been the subject of scapegoating according to history which some person categorizes as “Use and Dump”.
Mr. Idachaba has carved a niche for himself and I am optimistic, he is progressing to something bigger.
Austeen Anibe Otene
