Monday 9 June 2008

Niger Delta: Awon boys made the news again.. with same picture

The world media can be very annoying o! Seriously. They just make these reports that can be so boring to read that I don’t even bother opening them anymore. Maybe I will start using Aljazeera English as my only source of world news from now on.

I am an avid follower of the African news section on www.news.bbc.uk. I have not failed to notice that over the past six months or so that the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria has not made an appearance on the headline page. I knew it wouldn’t last long though so I was well prepared when I logged on this evening to find the headline:

Nigeria oil militants attack boat

First thing I thought was “Stale Gist”

The next thing I thought was.. These people are very foolish o! Whenever any of these foreign media writes anything about the Niger-Delta militants, it seems as though they only have two pictures of the ‘said’ militants in their archive.

There is the one of the militant guys on the boat weilding guns and there is another one of a masked guy with bulging muscles wielding a gun.

I am starting to think that they probably got some guys to pose for these pictures as these seem to be the only ones they have on file. This reminds me of the controversial report by the now shamed Jeff Coinage of past CNN fame. In his report, he tracked some Niger Delta Militants and their captives. The integrity of his report was questioned form different angles. The then information minister, Ojo Madueke refuted his claims and the rumor was that the well respected Mr Koinage actually paid people to pose as militants and then made the report. Long story short, Naija government has vehemently denied that those footages were true and they took up the issue with CNN back then. Talk about being desperate for a story. The famous Jeff has since been fired by CNN amidst several allegations that were made about this comings and goings. Very Shady Guy.

So back to the pictures in question that has irked me today, why do these reporters keep parading only these two pictures of the Niger Delta Militants? How far with them? If they are going to talk about our people, then they may as well update the picture. That one picture I see all the time does not even make me want to read the rest of the story. Even Mr Osama Bin laden sef dey update his videos every 6 months or so!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

nice one mot! i did wonder what happened to tht African reporter...where's he from anyway? Senegal? ah well.....what people would do to win a Pulitzer! reminds me of that picture that keeps going round; the one of the vulture waiting for the kid to die that "supposedly" won a pulitzer than the photographer goes to 'off' himself.... who knows, he probably set the stage himself...

naijaleta said...

I no blame dem o my sistah. Maybe it's too dangerous for them to go to Niger Delta to take the pictures. (Meanwhile it's not too dangerous for them to go to Iraq and take pictures O) Yeye people. How una dey ojare my sistah? Keep up the good work.

tobenna said...

Absolutely share your views on this crappy news item. every once in a while, they dust of the archives, find a story, and publish.
We got issues though. No doubt.
If this is what it takes to resolve them, so be it.

I stumbled on your blog a while ago. Probably last year, after I read an advertisement by you on some Nigerian board/forum :P
I like your consistency. Keep it up! You are one of the few real life bloggers, pictures and all.

The Activist said...

How do u come about having so many black in the background since you r in Indian? Dont tell me they are all in Indian too o cos I go fly come join una

Nice bio mi-lady

Tolantino said...

@ Sis Jumsky,
Yea.. I so remember that very sad pic.. I mean… hungry vulture.. child looking like a bag of bones.. dieing.. the vulture is patiently waiting in the background for the child to die so it can eat the pikin. Chei… and then the photographer wins Pulitzer prize for the picture.. Kills himself? Awon Aiye sha! (world people sha!)

@ Doja
I personally think the world press should just stop covering the antics of these militants. The whole situation will be like the case of a child in constant need of attention. Once you continuously ignore that child, it will soon learn to stop whining.

@Naijaleta
Thanks for the big ups. I dey fine. Body still dey for cloth. I see that your blog has some political things and things on Obama.. Shall be visiting you soon

@Tobenna
I advertised my blog on a forum? You no fit blame me o. Back in the days when I was fresh on blogger, I was very desperate for readership, hence the desperado move.. I’m sure you know what I mean..Thanks for the big ups..

@standtall
At the risk of coming across as being a little bit slow… I did not understand your comment AT ALL.. where is the black in the background? Are u talking about my blog template? Or any of the pics on my blog?

Much love to you all..

Chari said...

I am so with doja on this one...the are chasing after the wrong shadows...

The Activist said...

SOrry Tolantino, I read in your profile that you are in India. I am now referring to the picture with so many black people in the background that are they in India too?

Tolantino said...

@ Standtall

Ohh.. my profile pic was taken in Manchester at my cousin's wedding o! That is sooo not in India. I can count the number of black people I know here on one hand. Thts how bad it is o