Honorable Bamidele Salam has admonished journalists in Nigeria to come up with a workable framework in form of bills seeking to protect life and interests of media practitioners while on legitimate lines of duty.
The admonition was made at NUJ Press Center, Osogbo while answering questions from journalists at an event marking the 25th remembrance of late Babatunde Idowu, an iconic journalist who died in active service with Osun State Broadcasting Corporation.
The lawmaker representing Ede federal constituency of Osun State who described the late Babatunde Idowu as an epitome of integrity in the business of journalism during his lifetime, also expressed sadness at the unfortunate death of Precious Owolabi while on duty with Channels television covering the Shites protest in Abuja.
Owolabi, a Youth Corp member died last week after failing to recover from gunshot injuries sustained during faceoff between protesting Shiites and the police.
He promised to rally his colleagues at the national assembly to support such bill which he believes would provide adequate succur to journalists who fall victims of any kind of violence while on duty like the late Corp member.
“Journalism is an all rounder profession which prepares practitioners for all kinds of chanllenges in life and for this, I will forever be grateful to late Babatunde Idowu whose personal effort brought me to Osbc where I began my broadcast experience on May 16 1994, a profession that gave me a name I enjoy till now.
News of his sudden death barely three months after joining the corporation however got all of us in the newsroom so devastated and it’s been difficult to recover from it even after 25years. I therefore pledge to be a major contributor to the scholarship scheme put together by family and friends in his honor” Bamidele Salam declared.
Babatunde Olayemi Idowu, a native of Otan Ayegbaju in Osun state and a renowed broadcast journalist died 25years ago at the age of 38years.
