By Olayinka Oyegbile
There has been so much brouhaha over the ethics and mannerism of Rufai Oseni, the co-host of the popular Morning Show on Arise News. I have said it before and I am repeating it again that I am not a TV person in the early hours of the day. I only watch snippets of the programme on YouTube when issues are raised about it. I listen to radio more than watch or tune in to TV shows in the morning. This is borne out of the fact that I was born in the North and radio is the first port of call for us there. When the TV began to eat into the early morning belt in those days, it took a while before it caught on in the North. I don’t know whether that is still the case nowadays anyway.
So, what I am going to say here may not be from a position of deep interest but because Rufai Oseni has become the centre of attraction or criticism for many. It has led to arguments of asking whether he is a journalist or not. As much as I don’t want to be drawn into that unnecessary argument and demarcation of professions, I think a forum is as important as its acceptability and ratings go. In Nigeria, we have no credible or reliable media rating agency so we may not be able to say which channels or early morning show is the most watched (correct me if I am wrong).
But as things stand today, why are guests always falling over themselves to appear on the show co-hosted by Rufai Oseni if they know they are not comfortable with either his “inquisitions, mannerisms or question”? Why not boycott it and fail to appear on the show? They all want to appear on his show and yet question his manner of interviews? Didn’t you know that before agreeing to appear on it? So why do you want to dictate the terms of engagement?
The Lere Olayinka encounter with Rufai Oseni is a case in point. As the spokesman of Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory and knowing the temper of Arise team to his principal why did he accept to appear on the show? Could’nt he have turned down the offer? Besides, when his principal wants to give one of those his nauseating “media chat” which is gradually turning into a circus, why does he pay huge sums of money to buy airtime from Arise News? If they are so pissed off with their medium why not lock them out of that juicy payment?
Are they not like the proverbial Chichidodo bird that feeds on maggot but hates excreta?
My candid view is that his (Rufai Oseni) employers are happy with him and perhaps his manner is generating enough viewership and maybe advert revenue to make them retain him. If all those guests who feel he is too combative or insulting decide to boycott the network or the programme, won’t his employers feel it? However, as long as you continue to appear on the programme and feel insulted, then you are happy for the exposure you get from the medium.
In the heat of the Edo Governorship campaigns, I stumbled on Rufai Oseni and his colleagues baiting and taunting the then APC Governorship candidate (now Governor) Okpebholo that he could not string together a correct sentence in English. They did all they could to lure him to their station and the man refused to be cajoled. Today, the man is the governor and I watch him speak English and I wondered where they got their information from. If Okpebholo could ignore them and get elected, why should you then be invited to an “enemy’s den” and you accepted the offer and then you begin to crow that he is insulting you?
My response is not an endorsement of what Rufai Oseni has done or is doing. However, why honour his invitation and begin to censor him or judge his manner of presentation? Didn’t you know that before? Abeg, make una allow us rest jo.
Nduka Obaigbena knows what to do if he’s not happy with him.
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