Press Releases

Fashola To Nigerians: Let’s Tell Our Own Positive Stories

Oct 16, 2009 - Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Friday charged Nigerians to be ready to tell more of their own stories as no one will do it for them from the Nigerian perspective.

According to Governor Fashola who spoke at the premiere of “Talk With Funmi Iyanda”, a 13 week programme on television produced by Funmi Iyanda at the Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, it is necessary for every Nigerian to tell the Nigerian story from the Nigerian angle.

The Governor urged all Nigerians to reckon with the power of the media, because it is an awesome power, irrespective of whether print or broadcast, adding the media is an asset that can be deployed for good or bad.

In Governor Fashola’s words: “For too long, our country, our people, assets have been the object of mediums like the camera, but being an object is one side of the story. There is someone else behind the camera looking at all of us”.

He continued: “if he continues to see chains, masks and violent people, there is nothing he can record that will make a difference. This initiative of Funmi Iyanda is like a lonely road but it is a road that is most commendable that we should get behind the camera to tell our own stories”.

Governor Fashola averred that people can see the same thing but interpret them differently, saying the landscape and forest reserve shown in the serial could mean a different thing to someone else who intends to tell a different story.

“In Idanre, we saw nature’s gift to us, you saw hills that are not different from the Stable Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. It all depends on who is reporting, because if somebody else was looking, he may say: ‘oh!, I saw scrawny looking children who were naked”.

We saw the different reptiles that God has blessed us. These are the same reptiles and animals that we watch for hours on end and pay so much to watch on the Discovery Channel”.

The Lagos State helmsman reiterated that with the new programme, Funmi Iyanda has shown the beauty and flaws of the people, adding it is an effort that must be sustained and emulated by all well meaning people.

The premiere was attended by dignitaries from all walks of life including the Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao Akala and prominent members of the arts community.