The President of Ta’awun Humanitarian Forum, Taiwo Lasisi, has voiced strong support for recent warnings by KosofePost Publisher, Abayomi Bilesanmi, urging media organisations to refrain from suppressing paid political content due to partisan interests.
In a statement shared via the KosofePost WhatsApp platform, Lasisi described the publisher’s caution as a “welcomed precautionary measure” aimed at protecting journalistic integrity. Reacting to the post titled “Publisher Warns Partisan Media Against Suppressing Paid Candidate Coverage,” he emphasised that adopting a partisan stance in professional journalism is ethically and morally inappropriate.
Lasisi identified factors undermining media professionalism, including insincerity in practice, lack of focus, susceptibility to financial inducements, and the hijacking of platforms by wealthy political interests. He warned that journalists who allow personal gain to override ethics risk becoming tools for politicians, betraying the core values of the profession.
“Any media practitioner who cannot master their inordinate desire for supposed goodies may end up in the belly of the monster that lures them. At that point, politicians who have bought them outrightly may begin to dictate terms, treating them as extensions of their political machinery,” he noted.
The humanitarian leader underscored that professionalism is the foundation of any credible enterprise, including journalism. He called for strict adherence to ethical standards, periodic self-assessment, and discipline to prevent reputational damage.
Lasisi described Abayomi’s observations as timely, particularly the admonition to Lagos and Nigerian media to uphold ethical standards. He condemned the practice of collecting payment for political coverage and then refusing to publish it, describing such actions as “unethical, inhuman, and a slap on journalism.”
“Earning money from politicians or clients and choosing not to publish their works is not only unethical, it is ungodly and a betrayal of journalism. Restoring dignity to the profession is the core message being amplified,” he concluded.