By Adnan Mukhtar
I have been a strong admirer of Daily Trust, a publication of Media Trust Limited, for many years. It was once my favourite newspaper, largely because of the calibre of columnists it assembled at the time; writers whose work inspired and nurtured my passion for writing.
Daily Trust also gave me the platform to fulfil this dream with the publication of one of my articles, “On Malala’s Visit to Nigeria,” in 2013. Since then, the newspaper has published several of my articles.
Despite the world’s transition to digital media and even with Daily Trust embracing this shift I still make it a point to buy the hard copy whenever I come across a vendor. I do so deliberately, as my modest way of giving back. Many people recognise and value my contributions through the opinions and letters I have published over the years, which have also helped me build a wide network across the country.
However, I have recently become uncomfortable with some policies and editorial decisions of Daily Trust. One such concern is the practice of charging for sponsored stories and clearly labelling them as such. While I understand that advertising is a legitimate source of revenue for media organisations, paying for sponsored opinions and news stories raises serious professional and ethical questions. More troubling is the fact that the cost of such sponsored content is prohibitively high and largely unaffordable.
I continue to hold Daily Trust in high esteem as a credible and reliable newspaper. However, the recent publication of stories that later turned out to be false has begun to erode this reputation.
A notable example is the report alleging that Senator Abdulaziz Yari held a closed-door meeting with former Vice President, His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Waziri of Adamawa. Both Senator Yari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar publicly debunked the story. Paul Ibe, spokesperson to the former Vice President, clarified that what occurred was merely a chance encounter at the protocol lounge of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
As a reputable newspaper, Daily Trust ought to issue an apology to Senator Abdulaziz Yari over this misleading report. Interestingly, someone close to Yari had earlier drawn my attention to the inaccuracy of the story, but I initially dismissed it because it originated from a medium I have always regarded as credible.
Such a report has the potential to damage Senator Yari’s reputation, particularly in the eyes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to whom Yari has been making deliberate efforts to demonstrate loyalty. Many, myself included, expected Yari to distance himself from the President after losing the bid for the Senate Presidency. Instead, he chose to reaffirm his loyalty perhaps in a bid to protect his political investment.
The newspaper also erred in another report claiming that Kano State is expecting between 600,000 and 700,000 babies in 2026. This claim was attributed to the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Mansur Mudi Nagoda, during a convocation ceremony at the Sardauna College of Health Sciences and Technology, Kano.
The Board, through its spokesperson, Samira Suleiman, described the report as false, inaccurate, and misleading, noting that the Executive Secretary did not attend the event in question. This is a serious issue, and for the sake of its integrity, Daily Trust must come out clearly to address and correct this error.
The Board has demanded the withdrawal of the story and the issuance of a public retraction. I share the Board’s concerns, as such a report does not only damage the reputation of the Kano State Government but also portrays the people of Kano in a negative and misleading light.
If the claim were true, Kano would record the highest number of newborn babies in Nigeria if not the entire African continent.
There is, therefore, an urgent need for Daily Trust to recommit itself to professionalism and to review some of its policies in the interest of the public, rather than prioritising revenue. Journalism is a public trust and, indeed, a sacrifice. When a newspaper becomes driven primarily by profit, one begins to question its willingness to publish credible stories that challenge those who patronise it even when doing so serves the best interest of the common man.
Adnan Mukhtar teaches at the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, and is a Political PR Consultant. He writes from Katsina.