Neonatar & Joshua Igba's Flagrant Antics: Before it's too Late (Ojekunle Remilekun, ACJOAU 2012/13 President)

My attention has been drawn to an unguided article written by a self-acclaimed "Prime Minister" of Neonatar Editorial Board or Advertorial Board, Igba Joshua.

I have decided to respond to his piece not to give him credence but because of my utter disdain for his inordinate acts of seeking for unnecessary attention and importance among campus journalists and the studentry of OAU.

To put the record straight, Neonatar as a board has over the years specialized in paid advertorials. It's members, not excluding the so-called founder, lack journalistic etiquettes and also do not understand the codes and ethics of journalism. None of it's members or former members have written a single published article on any of the national dailies in Nigeria. Boards like Icons, PublicVoice, Megaphone and the likes have interminably produced great writers because they are more interested in real journalism and in-depth editorial works.

Igba Joshua has endlessly wanted to the general public to see Neonatar as superior to ACJ (that's boosit). Just because The Nation newspaper has a wider coverage in Nigeria wouldn't make it bigger than NUJ. Now, because Neonatar has plenty advertorial boards on OAU campus doesn't and wouldn't make it bigger than ACJ which is the mother body of all press outfits on Obafemi Awolowo University campus; an association that has been in existence since 1971. When Insider News was having the largest network on OAU, it never made effort to arrogate ACJ's authority or take over it's constitutional roles. Megaphone remains the oldest editorial board on campus and never had it made unscrupulous effort to hijack power from ACJ.

I wonder why Joshua has always decided to be a rebel against the constituted authority of ACJ. Even the Bible in Roman 13:1-2 frowns at such: "Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in position have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished."

At some point, Joshua was indirectly impersonating top echelon of ACJ by making the public, especially those who didn't know much about journalism on OAU campus, believe he was the President of all campus journalists. That time, he was referring to himself as "The President" of Neonatar with the aim that the uninformed would regard him as the President of ACJ. All editorial boards on campus refer to their heads as "Editor-in-Chief". Why was he using President and now, Prime Minister? Is that the uniqueness he said ACJ was mad about? Who is now seeking for sheer publicity, attention and relevance? (*that's another boosit)

Aside wanting his board to carry out constitutional and conventional duties of ACJ, Joshua is fond of perpetrating acts that could undermine the leadership of ACJ and its excos in his curious and egoistic bid to gaining unmerited relevance.

On the issue that caused him to usurp the authority of becoming the chief spokesperson for "Whatsapp Journalists", I must commend ACJ for ostracizing those operating ONLY on Whatsapp (and not belonging to any editorial board or online news agency) from the association. If Joshua meant well for the association and not driven by his conspicuous and notorious selfish interest, he wouldn't argue in support that those operating solely on Whatsapp group pages could parade themselves around as campus journalists. In the world over, no news agency operates basically on Whatsapp.

While ACJ is trying to build professional journalists, it's evident and quite apparent that Igba Joshua is more interested in recruiting more rebels to frustrate, castrate and attenuate ACJ and its leaders. I wish to enjoin all and sundry, especially the committed campus journalists to support the new crops of leader in order to move the association forward.

Saint Augustine must have had Igba Joshua in mind when he said, a very long time, that "It was pride that changed angels to devils".

With that, permit me to leave you with the words of John C. Maxwell that says: "There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad. 'Good pride' represents our dignity and self-respect. 'Bad Pride' is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance".

God bless ACJ!
God bless OAU!!
God bless Nigeria!!!

Ojekunle 'deremi
@RemmyAlex