‘God Bless You, Egbon’- Sowunmi Praises Reuben Abati For Calling Out Journalists Misleading People In Studio

Otunba Segun Showunmi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and convener of The Alternative, has praised veteran journalist Reuben Abati for challenging his colleagues during a television discussion on President Bola Tinubu’s campaign flag-off in Kaduna State.

Showunmi a member of President Tinubu’s campaign council, in a post on social media, expressed support for Abati’s position during the analysis of Tinubu’s speech and his late arrival at the venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally.

The exchange occurred during a discussion on Arise News, where co-anchor Rufai Oseni described Tinubu’s speech as empty and below expectations, blaming the President’s media aide for what he considered a poor job in preparing the address.

Abati, however, disagreed with Oseni’s assessment, arguing that there was nothing fundamentally wrong with the speech because it addressed key issues confronting the country.

Reacting to the disagreement, Showunmi commended Abati, whom he addressed as “Egbon”, a Yoruba expression commonly used to refer to an older sibling or respected elder.

“God bless you, Egbon! @R_abati1990,” Showunmi wrote.

He accompanied the commendation with a Yoruba expression, “Ara Ake ma jo, ma jo meji ajogberu ma jo gbeko eru; ni sin ni Eko ko le sin eniyan,” before expressing concern about what he described as the growing normalisation of misinformation, public incitement and disrespect in public discourse.

According to Showunmi, the situation raises questions about accountability and the standards expected of people participating in public conversations.

“That really is the point. It is deeply troubling that misinformation, public incitement, and outright rudeness have become so normalised in our public space that one is compelled to ask: Who is in charge, and where is the line being drawn?” he stated.

The PDP chieftain further argued that society could not afford to overlook the erosion of civility, responsibility and respect for the truth.

He stressed that freedom of expression should not be used as an excuse to mislead the public, incite people or demean others without consequences.

“Freedom of expression must never become a licence to mislead, incite, or demean others without consequence. We must reclaim the standards that make public discourse worthy of a civilised society,” Showunmi added.

The development has brought renewed attention to the disagreement among Arise News commentators over the substance of Tinubu’s speech at the Kaduna rally, with Abati defending the address against Oseni’s criticism.

Showunmi’s intervention also highlights the broader debate over journalistic responsibility, the limits of public commentary and the need to maintain civility while holding political leaders accountable.

Newstrend24 feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com