As a columnist of great repute, what are those things you see in today's columnists that disturb you?
My quarrel about column writing these days is that everybody wants to be columnists. There is a deluge of writers all of whom claim to be a columnist. Everybody wants to be a columnist, may be because there lies the fame of a journalist. You are known and respected all over the country. But not every body can be a columnist.
 Having said this, I must acknowledge that we have a good number of columnists, who are doing a great job and making the profession proud. There is virtually no area where they do not write about and that makes me happy whenever I read them.
Do you think the aims of establishing the Nigerian Press Council (NPC), of which you are the chairman since inception, have been achieved?
I don't think so. Much of the work of the council has been truncated along the line. As you well know, we are not functioning now. The council is not doing the function for which it was established; adjudicating between the press and the public. What we have presently as a press council is the administrative wing. There is no board. I don't know when last we met as a board to adjudicate on a matter. I am disappointed. We started well. We were receiving complaints from members of the public against the media and they were getting used to settling their disputes with the press through the council, rather than the normal courts, but problems arose when there was this attempt to give teeth to the council, so that it can bite. The council was regarded as a toothless bulldog that can bark but cannot bite, because people had the option of abiding by the rulings of the council or go to the courts to argue their cases.
When actually did the problem start?
The problems started some four years ago when we made recommendations to government on how to strengthen the council and give it powers to sanction those who have erred in their duties as the watchdog of the society. Our recommendations have passed through about five ministers of information, yet nothing has been done. The whole thing was stalled due to bureaucratic bottleneck, unfortunately aided by the Legislature, who has the power to amend the Act establishing the council. I am a disappointed person as the chairman.
You are actively involved in two well defined media awards in the country Diamond Awards for Media Excellence and Nigeria Media Merit Awards. What is the contribution of these projects to the development of media practice?
Both awards are the pride of the profession. People are now conscious of the fact that they are being looked at, this has greatly improved the quality of news items. Competition is getting keener by the year. Quite a good number of awardees have gone to greener pasture and have done the profession and country proud. I believe we are making it and as years roll-by, we will improve on the quality. We must commend those behind these noble ideas.
Looking back at your years in journalism, what would you say represents the strength of the Nigerian media?
The media in Nigeria just like in other parts of the world is very powerful. It has the power to pull down a government. There is virtually nothing it cannot do. It has helped expose the ills in the society, and at the same time it has contributed to the development the country has attained today. Despite these, I must say journalists must exhibit the highest sense of responsibility in their duties at the watchdogs of the society.
What is the weakness?
Except for the fact that journalists are mortals, I think they have done their best.
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