Bukola Saraki’s Cost Of Ambition; Blackmail

Over the years, we hear the names and success-oriented prepotency of great writers who have been mesmerising readers with skilful proficiency whenever they put the pen to work on papers.

These professionals are always not only being consulted for their intellectual ascendancy but are also looked up to as models by upcoming writers as well as readers who find pansophy and erudition embedded in their intellectual cuneiform.

Nowadays, diverse writers have emerged having multifarious schools of thought all striving to make their mark in the field of journalism and this they hope to achieve by relentlessly rolling-out precocious articles with the use of variegated verbose adjectives to enable them gain quick popularity among the populace seeking to satisfy their intellectual curiosity.

Sadly however it is to find out that amongst these youngsters, while some stayed true to their dream of becoming renowned writers like the precedent heroes, others have chosen to be muckrackers; being paid and used as extirpative tools by some influential big-guns to tarnish the reputation of anyone they consider a threat to their self-gratifying ambitions.

Noticeably, these muckrackers, (who cook up spurious, fictive and over-exaggerated stories) had created a labelled eyesore known as "yellow journalism" and niche for themselves in this field where they are being terms as "yellow journalists".

Surprisingly coupled with this also are the various channels through which they disseminate their befuddled blackmails and hypocritical write-ups. The media (especially the online media) has been a rich source of information; fast and facile to old and young alike, to enable prompt retrieval of desired orientation. But alas, it had been polluted by renegades and paid hatchet writers who use it vehemently to propagate their impulsive scripts.

Some media houses in the bid to enlarge their resource contents have allowed all manner of junks to be uploaded into their database not minding if the articles are newsworthy, factual or edifying. Some are also bought over for the promotion of such acts and even some have personal bitterness and acrimony for the hard earned successful reputation of certain individuals.

A victim of this résumé is the current Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki who had ever been at the apex of blackmail from the online media known as Saharareporters.

Ever since, this online platform had only been interested in publishing negative and defamatory stories on the Sarakis and this escalated when Bukola Saraki became the Senate President. Saharareporters have not rested on their oars but kept rolling-out-and-out diverse vilifying articles aimed at tarnishing the image and personality of the Chairman of the Senate.

This media outfit even went as far as befouling his social conscience by saying his innocent and sympathy driven visit to the IDPs of Borno State was a hoax insinuating that his true intention was presidential ambition 2019. As if that was not enough, it now claimed that the senate president is not a Nigerian, simply because he has a UK citizenship certificate. Unbelievable! After successfully completing an eight-year tenure as the Governor of Kwara State, is it now that he isn’t a Nigerian citizen? This kwashiorkor knowledge needs to be brushed up professionally because even someone like me who isn’t a political student knows that Nigeria accepts dual citizenship! I’ve never heard any tribe or race that goes by the name “Bukola” except the Yoruba clan location in the south western geo-political zone of Nigeria.

We are all aware of the fire an stiff opposition he had been facing since he became the Senate President with the help and the support of his allies the LikeMind Senators who stood un-swayed for the man they believe would facilitate as well as ensure that the change mantra of the APC and the ambition of President Muhammadu Buhari came to fruition.

Senator Saraki's family was not left untouched by Saharareporters as well. The EFCC invited Her Excellency Toyin Saraki the wife of the Senate President for clarification over some activities of some of the companies that were affiliated to her during her husband's tenure back then as the Executive Governor of Kwara State. A woman who is a sound barrister fully versed in the legal franchise responded cooperatively and maturely that as a law abiding citizen she is ready to assist the commission with all readiness to enable them carry out their sound jurisdiction.

Immediately the news of the invitation became public knowledge, Saharareporters championed the EFCC invitation, polluting it with diverse negative and slanderous articles and passed judgement freely that she is fraudulent. This media outfit did not only publicize articles but went on publishing photos that were supposed to be confidential to the commission on their website and even made it public knowledge that an official of the commission revealed some of the activities that transpired within the interrogation room which is a sign of un-professionalism on either part. When their excesses became unbearable and they were clogging the twitter timeline of Her Excellency they were blocked and surprisingly they still didn't let sleeping dogs lie but announced to all that they have been blocked!

Toyin Saraki who is the founder of The Wellbeing Foundation a foundation aimed fully at improving maternal, newborn and child health was undeterred by all the negative reports on her and went on with her humanitarian deeds and launched a mega outfit known as 'Maternal Monday' to commemorate the #WorldBreastfeedingWeek none of which am sure you all noticed made the headlines in Saharareporters' outlet. For this however, I'm not surprised.

I was once a fan and faithful subscriber of this media outfit but I must confess I've been tired out by these incessant attacks on this family who are doing their best in their own capacity to support humanitarian causes but are not being appreciated for it.

To the Sarakis I'll say never give up, never back down, stay true to yourselves. Just keep up your good work and you will keep rising to the shame and disgrace of your back-biters and haters for they are not happy with your achievements and enviable height. Hence, they resorted to using the dog-in-the-manger tactics because they know you will never be manipulated or compromise your stand.

To Saharareporters and other platforms used to promote negative and injurious stories on certain selected individuals, kindly have a rethink and be the pride and enlightenment source for us the information seekers so we can enhance our knowledge base.

To all armchair critics who will criticise anything and everything and label anyone that dares speak against their own unilaterally myopic opinion and biased level of reasoning, please feel very free to start casting the stones since you have no sins. Remember I have the right to my own opinion just as you do.