Frank Meke, a veteran journalist known for his syndicated columns on rural development, tourism, culture, and natural resources engagement, has recently embarked on a troubling path of unethical journalism. Meke, whose career spans prestigious publications like Vanguard Tourism pages, the defunct Concord Newspaper, and The Week magazine, currently serves as a tourism columnist at the Sun newspapers, where he pens the column “People and Tourism.”
However, his recent conduct calls into question his professionalism and integrity as a journalist. Meke’s target of choice is Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, the recently appointed Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO). In a series of articles, Meke has launched a personal vendetta against Ajiboye, publishing false and unsavoury claims without regard for journalistic ethics or factual accuracy.
Despite his seemingly extensive experience in the field, Meke has demonstrated a shocking lack of professionalism, resorting to sensationalism and misinformation to further his agenda. It is deeply concerning to witness a journalist of Meke’s stature engage in such reckless behavior.
As a veteran in the industry, Meke should be held to a higher standard of accountability, yet his actions betray a fundamental disregard for the principles of ethical journalism. By mixing up facts and distorting the truth, Meke has not only tarnished his own reputation but has also undermined the integrity of the profession as a whole.
Meke’s relentless attacks on Ajiboye reflect a troubling trend of media sensationalism and personal bias. Instead of conducting thorough and objective investigations, Meke has allowed his personal grievances to cloud his judgement, resulting in a series of articles that lack credibility and integrity. Such behaviour not only damages the reputation of the individuals targeted but also erodes public trust in the media as a reliable source of information.
Frank Meke’s first attack on Otunba Biodun Ajiboye was his sudden bitter reaction to a notification of Ajiboye’s appearance on a TVC programme where he was scheduled to discuss the promotion of Nigeria’s cultural heritage on January 27, 2024. Meke’s immediate reaction was to question Ajiboye’s knowledge of culture and the Institute he was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to head. He was so swift to display his ignorance of the man who unknowing to him, has a very robust knowledge and understanding of culture as well as the cultural orientation mandate of NICO.
Suffice it to say that for the first time in the history of NICO, it is now that Otunba Ajiboye is at the helm of affairs that the Institute is redefining its existence, having understood its primary mandate of serving as a focus for policy makers on cultural matters.
It is imperative that journalists, especially those with extensive experience like Meke, adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. Journalism plays a crucial role in informing the public and holding those in power accountable, and journalists must uphold the principles of accuracy, fairness, and impartiality in their reporting. Meke’s actions represent a betrayal of these principles and serve as a disservice to both the profession and the public.
His second attack was his comment on a story written on a NICO organized event where he sarcastically referred to Otunba Ajiboye as “a so-called ES for NICO”, The question is: “what has Ajiboye done to Frank Meke that he is so pained about his emergence as NICO’s Chief Executive?”. Or is it his style of lamentation over the sudden cut of the meal ticket he enjoyed at NICO during the tenure of Ajiboye’s predecessor, Ado Yahuza?
Frank Meke’s 3rd attempt at maligning the image of Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, which further proved his highest level of unprofessionalism, despite his many years of practice as a journalist was contained in his recent article published on May 6, 2024 on an online platform “safealtitude.com”, titled “Cent for Cent: Meet the Generalsimo of NICO”. For anyone who may have known Frank Meke in the past, there would be no denying the fact that the article, written out of desperation or in an attempt to satisfy the ego of some disgruntled and dislodged persons may have just been one of Frank Meke’s worst outings in the history of his career in the pen profession.
In this said article, Frank Meke had repeatedly used another person’s name, past positions and experience to mistake Otunba Biodun Ajiboye and the office he heads. What kind of journalist skips such vital facts in a story? Also, maybe Frank Meke may have thrown away the ethics of the job into the ocean, forgetting that legal dangers arising from libel awaits erring journalists for failure to verify sources and facts before going to press. Good enough is the fact that Mr. Frank Meke has already admitted his non-adherence to professional ethics and practice by not verifying information when confronted which also led to his swift removal of the post from the online platform.
Rather than seek to verify facts before publishing, Frank Meke was requesting for corrections with facts to his already published story. The question to ask again is “did Frank Meke reach out to the Executive Secretary/CEO of NICO, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye or his media aide to hear their side of the story to enable him balance his write-up before publishing?”. The answer is NO.
For Frank to also state that he has no personal issues with Otunba Ajiboye and turn around to hide under the guise of holding public officers accountable while seeking for an opportunity to support him if he has better ideas to advance NICO to higher heights is indeed laughable.
Frank Meke’s unethical journalism and personal vendetta against Otunba Biodun Ajiboye are deeply troubling and unacceptable. As a veteran journalist, Meke should be setting an example for others in the industry, yet his conduct undermines the very foundation of ethical journalism. It is incumbent upon media organizations and professional bodies to hold journalists accountable for their actions and ensure that the integrity of the profession is upheld at all times. Anything less would be a betrayal of the public trust and a disservice to the principles of journalism.
Caleb Nor
Media Assistant to Executive Secretary/CEO
NICO
