Press Freedom In Nigeria

INTRODUCTION
In independent society a major test of a nation’s freedom is the amount of liberty its people have in speaking writing ns publishing, indeed, one can say that life of a nation depends on the extent of freedom of speech and press that the people enjoy. One can also say that extent by which a nation enjoys this freedom depends on the relationship between the government and the press.
As a result of importance of this right the countries of the world have emerged through the limited nations organization (UNO) in a bid to protect this right s other. These countries signed the universal declaration of human rights in 1945.
Article 18 of this universal human rights established that “ every one has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion (worship).
Article 19 of the same declaration also asserts that every one has the right to freedom of opinion and expression, this right includes freedom to hold opinion without interference and to seek receive, impact information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
The guarantee of freedom of the press in the universal declaration of human rights is the right to freedom of expression which includes freedom of speech and if the press.
In compliance with the declaration, many countries of the world have in various degrees provided in their people constitution and opportunity for their people to express themselves within the limits of law.
However, although almost al nations of the world have subscribed to thee universal ideas and replicate them in their constitutions, the ideas have remain in effect general principles as their interpretation and implementation have always been, subject to the political philosophy of the state applying them, the level of political freedom in such a state, the states history as manifest in some of its economic system and general societal influences.
In spite of differences in interpretation and implementation, certain patterns seems to have emerged. Due to the librarians of democratic societies the rights of citizens to take precedence over those of the state in such societies and whatever right are enjoyed by the states are meant fro larger fulfillment and protection of he right of the citizens. In democratic societies, freedom of the press is usually paramount and will protected.
This is the difference from what brains in totalitarian and authoritarian societies where the emphasis respectively is largely on the welfare of the state and of the cities.
Therefore in authoritarians and totalitarian societies, freedom of the pres or of expression isles protected when compared with that of democratic societies.
Nigeria as member of the entitled nations organization (UNO) has UNO’s declaration of human right in-cooperated into constitution from independence until the present day.
In Nigeria 1963 republican constitution provided that “everyone shall be entitled to freedom of expression including freedom to hold opinion and receive and impart ideas introduction without interference.
The 1979 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, also contains in its provision son freedom of expression section 36.
1. Provides that “every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression — section 36
2. Further provided that “every person are entitled to own, established and operates any medium for the dissemination of introduction, ideas and opinions —— 5”
However, the Nigeria constitution did not grant any person or body to operates a television wireless broadcasting stations apart fom these especially authorized by the president or the state and federal government. when compared with at of the united state of America (USA0 however, this is a limit to press freedom in Nigeria.
As in the united nations declaration of human rights it is the freedom town establish and operates any information that serves as a guaratee of press freedom in Nigeria.
However, the implication of the provision on press freedom in the Nigeria constitution have varies depending on the administration that is in power some administration has greater respect for freedom than others.
From 1960 to 1993 Nigeria had series of civilian and military administration with varying attitudes to press freedom before the regime of Sam Abacha cam to power
It is behaviour of the Babangida administration which came to power in 1985 as regards to freedom of the press that forms the subject of this study.

1.2 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS
This study aimed paramount at examining press freedom under General Ibrahim Babangida regime in Nigeria. The study also extended its horizons on the military directorship on the image portrays internationally in terms for restrictions of press operations in external and internal point of view.
Since 1985 to 1993 the press freedom has emerged with much problems such as the following.
1. Detention of the press members
2. Government control over citizens expressions
3. Totters and willing of the journalists by the military regime
4. Embargo on establishment of individual media house
5. Confiscations of daily and periodic publications.
The press freedom from 1995- 1993 has its mark of identification and irrespective of the irrespirable remarks on the populace of the regime. It will go along way in rephrasing the major actions against maltreatment to journalists profession during the regime of Ibrahim Babangida. The study will ensure the infringement and inefficiency of Ibrahim Babangida during his rulership as been undemocratic to the press.
The infringement of the press freedom under Babangida regime became a channel of its own in comparative to other military regime and heads of states order than tyranism to the administration and also to the citizens of Nigeria.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
There is this view hold by some political personalities,. They strongly believe that the administration of Ibrahim Babagida is unjustiable to other military regime which has taken place here in Nigeria before the 1985 over-thrown by Babangida. The experience gotten from dictatorship was sequentially syndromenied on Babangida regime.
The objective of the study incredibly foster adventure to democratically elected government by MKO Abiola and other to actualize the lost of the press freedom in Nigeria.
In 1993 the upsurge of the Babangida administration agonist press freedom tactically cursed June 12 election annulment in which press liberty was regime to both citizens and press operations in Nigeria.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The stud will answer the following questions.
1. What degree of freedom did the media have under the Babangida regime?
2. How did Babangida administration guarantee or curtail freedom of the press?
3. Did Nigerians experience greater press freedom under the Babangida administration of less?
4. What was the performance for the Babangida regime in guarantying press freedom visa-vis the 1979 constitution?
5. Do Nigerians collectively feel cheated when press freedom was trampled upon?
6. How many citizens enjoyed private media ownership during the era?
7. Where there freedom of information orientation to the press and citizens?
8. What was the negative stigma left on the infringement of the press?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study has been lay in the t\fact that there has been frequent claims that press freedom was on its lowest during the Babangida regime from 1985- 1993. The study will examine press freedom under the Babangida administration to the variety of these claims. The study is also significant in that it will ascertain whether there was more press freedom under the Babangida regime or less.
This became important because it would enable us to find out whether Babangida administration is according to the ascertain and opinion of the masses,. This study would help us to confirm or disconfirm that Babangida regime is as ugly as the mind of the both press and citizens on the freedom of the press.
The press freedom on the claim of the media practitioners is, may be seen the only rights that eh journalists and information organization have , this significant study will be highlighted on the both press freedom and practitioners of the media during Babangida regime. But here in this study precisely it is specifically rely in the nature of 1985- 1993 directorship events.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study will be mainly examine press freedom under the Babangida regime from 1985-93. The study will equally include the major action taken for or against the freedom of the press by the administration. It will find out if the Babangida administration acted in line with the 1979 Nigerian constitution in its dealings with the press or not.

1.7 LIMITATIONS:
This research, no doubt encountered one or two setback in its effort to know the extent of press freedom in Nigeria under the leadership of president Ibrahim Babangida.
The first limitation is that I found it very difficult to get facts that would have helped us to bring this work together.
Fiancé was another limitation encountered. I did not have enough money to transport my self to various places, where to would have sourced vital and reide infractions in order to draw the ideas close into this study, money to transport my self to various places, where I would have sourced virtual and ride information in order to draw the ideas close into this study. Money also restricted me from setting some materials from intents and also rock ticket for more investigations and research on this study.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION
The terms used by the researcher have both their conceptual and operational meanings. The terms are: Press freedom.
Conceptually, according to the oxford advanced learners dictionary
1. Press: news papers, magazines, the news sections of radio and television and the journalists who work for them.
2. Freedom: the state of not being a prisoner or a slave the power or right or right t act, speak etc as one wants without any one stopping one.
Operationally:
1. Press: this involves both press professionally media practitioners and all the equipments used in publications and broad casting
2. Freedom: it means the right given to the media parishioners and journalists to operate and control the affairs of
The practicing filed of journalism without the interruptions or stopping of the operations of the publications and opinion and expression as a right of he press.