In my earlier reflections on “Who is a journalist?” I stressed that practice, not titles, defines the profession. Yet in Nigeria’s busy media space, the lines are blurred. Too often, the public assumes that anyone holding a microphone, running a show, or speaking boldly on social media is automatically a journalist. That is not the case. To show why, let me take you through three different illustrations — each one showing a different shade of this complex debate.
The first example is that of Dan Bello. Once a journalist with the Voice of America, Dan Bello’s academic background is in Biomedical Engineering, not Mass Communication. He later added an MBA and a Ph.D in Education, and now teaches primary school pupils in China. But he hasn’t left storytelling behind. He produces investigative skits and short videos that expose corruption and misconduct, publishing them on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram Reels, and other platforms. His methods are modern and creative, but his practice — digging for information, cross-checking facts, and shining light on hidden wrongdoing — is recognizably journalistic. That is why, despite being far from a traditional newsroom, he would comfortably fit into the NUJ family. He is not a broadcaster in the conventional sense, so RATTAWU would not be his natural home.
The second example takes us to Audu Bulama Bukarti, the lawyer and human rights activist. Bukarti, who holds a Ph.D in Law, organizes vibrant online forums where he invites lawyers, journalists, and experts to discuss burning issues — corruption, politics, injustice, governance. He moderates the discussions, anchors the conversations, and streams them across social media. His role is crucial for civic engagement, but it is not journalism. Bukarti does not chase stories, verify claims, or report for the public record. He creates dialogue and frames issues — an activist and moderator, not an investigator. He therefore does not quite fit into NUJ, nor does he belong naturally in RATTAWU, since he is not a professional broadcaster. His strength lies in advocacy and thought leadership, which are valuable but distinct from journalism.
The third example is perhaps the most intriguing: Ahmad Isah, the “Ordinary President” of Brekete Family. In 2009, he founded the Brekete Family programme in Abuja, which has grown into a human-rights reality radio and television show, broadcast widely and streamed online. Ordinary Nigerians bring their complaints — sometimes against powerful institutions — and the show investigates, mediates, and pushes for redress. It is broadcasting in format, activism in mission, and journalism in method. Isah’s work has helped countless ordinary people, but it has also stirred controversy. In 2021, a BBC documentary showed him assaulting a guest, raising serious questions about ethics and accountability. That incident illustrates the risk of hybrid roles: when a broadcaster takes on the investigative duties of a journalist, he must also accept the ethical standards that go with them.
These three examples, taken together, show the range of possibilities in today’s media landscape. Dan Bello is an independent journalist in digital form; Bulama Bukarti is an activist-moderator rather than a journalist; and Ahmad Isah is a hybrid of broadcaster, activist, and journalist. What does this mean for union membership? It means that NUJ should stand for those whose practice is genuinely journalistic — who investigate, verify, and report in the public interest. RATTAWU, on the other hand, should remain the natural home of broadcasters, presenters, producers, and on-air personalities. When the lines blur, as they do with Ahmad Isah, we must evaluate by practice: if he claims journalism’s mantle, then he must be held to journalism’s standards.
The conclusion is clear. Titles matter less than practice. A TikTok skit can be journalism if it is investigative, verified, and ethical. A lawyer’s talk show, however insightful, is not journalism if it stops at commentary. And a broadcaster who becomes a crusader must be held accountable like any journalist. In this way, NUJ and RATTAWU can both serve their constituencies without confusion — and the Nigerian public can better understand who truly deserves to be called a journalist.
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