BY SUNDAY AKINTOYE/Who Was In Accra, Ghana
I am one of the Journalists who covered the just concluded 13th African Games in Ghana and I am writing based on the impressive performance the fourth estate of the realm put on throughout the games and for the job well done despite the challenges confronted them in the course of the games.
Throughout the All African Games, Nigerian journalists who were in Ghana distinguished themselves from colleagues in other countries.
Their style of reportage and how my colleagues went for stories showed that they were in Ghana not for a picnic but to deliver the job very well.
Nine centres were approved for the games and my colleagues were in all the centres just because of the passion they have for the job.
The most painful aspect of it was the day some of my colleagues went to Cape Coast for the Super Falconets match. The journey was almost three hours and the match was played around 9pm Nigeria time.
Some who approached me the previous day told me that they went to cover Falconets match and returned home around 3am Nigeria time.
At the media centre, my colleagues would leave the centre late so that they could beat the deadline given to them by their editors and the same Nigerian journalists still returned early the following day to the media centre to finish the work yet to be sent.
Despite various challenges my colleagues confronted, they were not tired nor did they give up on their reportage. I looked at some of them, I encouraged them, while some came to me and we shared our experiences together.
I want to commend the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, for the support giving to journalists by making the work easy for them throughout the Championship.
There was this argument going on a few days before the end of the African Games that sports minister, Senator John Enoh held a meeting with the gentlemen of the press, athletes and representatives of the sports federations.
I am bold to say that the sports minister did not meet gentlemen of the press but I was told that he only met two or three journalists.
The question we should ask is, whose interest the three journalists represented?
I am writing this article to say that our journalists deserve to be treated with respect and the minister should see the media as part of success of the Team Nigeria in Ghana.
I saw the sports minister receiving the athletes when they came back home and thanked them for making the country proud.
NOC issued a statement and thanked the media for their role towards the success of Team Nigeria, while the Sports ministry was busy appreciating Team Nigeria when they arrived.
Once again, I commend my colleagues for their determination and commitment against all odds to carry out their duties while in Ghana. I commend the cameramen for their thorough job, especially during the track and field events. I salute the print journalists, both conventional newspapers and online who filed two or three stories per day throughout the games.
Many journalists sponsored themselves to the games and at a point they spent money that would take them back to Nigeria.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with the sports ministry to reward the journalists for their impressive performance in Ghana if they want to do so.
Once again, I thank my colleagues for their commitment and dedication throughout the games.
