Journalism: 4th estate of the realm -By Muhammad Bello Umar

The pictorial potency of these great field communication is something that cannot be do away with as it is part and parcel of what contribute to the achievement of different success during colonial era and our present Democratic day as independent.

Looking at contribution made by these field both potential and professional practitioners of the profession, then you get to understand that nothing can be achieved during the colonial era without communication, even though it was not understood or labelled as journalism or communication as a field of study.

In colonial era, emphasis was put into communicating to gain independence as well as writing, the saying that says pen is mightier than sword is a through definition of journalism, cause you get to understand that with writing freedom can be gained, with writing guilt can be changed to innocent and innocent to guilty, with writing one can be appreciated and as well as depreciated beyond reasonable doubt.

The 1859-1867 (23,November iwe irohin) was a simple example of journalism practicing as it contents was really used to write out for the African continents freedom, though it was in bilingual form that is both English and Yoruba. The writing was rich in terms of content and other things affecting Africa and it is the voice of the Africans and when the C.M understand what Africans want they had to put down pressures and accept what Africans ask them to do.

Looking at the importance of journalism practicing you get to understand that without the pressure of mass media as a tool nothing would have been achieved during and after colonial era, as it is the gatekeeper, the watchdog of the society.

When you here watchdog you began to wonder it is a terminology of the profession, which is reporting every happening of the society and followup, checkmating activities of the government on how projects are commissioned and to ensure they deliver deligently without any fear of death or anything of such nature.

Journalism is nurtured by many as it is the only field that can unveil wrong doers, perpetrators and so many others. Looking at these the profession would give you joy and feel intimidated if you are not from such profession as you would be craving to be part and parcel of the family.

Journalism my pride, with my proud profession nothing can be left unpunished and can even be unveiled without a moment of second thought.

Muhammad Bello Umar writes from Abubakar Tatari Ali polytechnic Bauchi, Bauchi state Department of mass communication and can be reached via princemub28@gmail.com