Sola Osofisan: You've been labeled a cranky old man, especially when you sink your teeth into something and you just gnaw and gnaw at it, refusing to let go. You obviously have no tolerance for bad writing and will not hesitate to make that clear. Do you have an issue with political correctness too, if only to shake off the labels?
Ikhide Ikheloa: I have been told by many that I am sometimes like a cranky old dog with a bone; when I have it between my ancient gums, I don't let go. That may perhaps be true, but I plead guilty with a reason. Many Nigerians who have powerful voices have garroted their voice-boxes for selfish reasons. Many times, there are only a few of us willing to tackle issues and I must admit I am the loudest and most relentless of all. I wear that badge proudly. Someone has to do the dishes.
Where are the voices? The landscape today is depressing. There is no newspaper in Nigeria worth reading, none, zip. It is not impossible to find a journalist of any repute, it is simply hard. Nigeria's fourth estate of the realm is a pathetic shadow of its former self, openly corrupt and incompetent, in a few cases, merely mediocre, like its counterpart loitering about in the ruling houses pretending to do whatever for Nigerians. What passes for journalism is an army of pretend newspapers lined up behind their political paymasters, digging up dirt, and regaling an imaginary reading audience with poorly written cut and paste jobs. Many people avoid Nigerian newspapers like the plague. I ask people, do you want to be an informed citizen? Do you want data-driven information, devoid of cut and paste sophistry? I tell them, do what your Nigerian journalists and writers do: Avoid Made-in-Nigeria news. Most of it is crap, lazy opinions and falsehoods typed from the dangerous safety of a con-person's bedroom. Do what they do, go directly to the source, read Western newspapers, troll the Internet and create your own news a la carte, Who is minding the store? Our best writers are at the doors of the New York Times, The New Yorker, etc. needy little beggars, begging the white man to publish their single stories, italicizing egusi and their dignity to oblivion. Do what they do, not what they say.
http://www.africanwriter.com/ikhide-ikheloa-analog-origins-digital-destinations/- Ikhide
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