Editor’s note: In this piece, Aderonke Bello of Naij.com explained her scary ordeal concerning the threatening phone calls she kept receiving after she published a story
in which an NFF executive member lambasted the Nigerian President. She
used this medium to explain her own side of the story and asked them to
stop harassing her.
Kawu has a point, he let it out and he was so harsh on the Nigerian President, he went as far as using WE the NFF instead of ‘my opinion’ in his conversation, he spoke in an uncivilised manner and YES – he has to face the consequence, it is absolutely not my fault.
“Alhaji Kawu, you are taking this too far, you are insulting the Nigerian President, take it easy and make your points without raining insults on the president,” I said politely.
“Put it there, write it the way I said it and don’t edit my statement…….,” Kawu shouted angrily and muttered some other abusive words which could put him in trouble this were not reflected in the report because they were harsh and unprintable words.
I am a journalist and YES my loyalty lies with the readers not any administrator, player, or stakeholder. As long as I have facts to back my claims, I am not answerable to anyone apart from my employers.
Here is a link to the report: NFF Lambasts President Buhari
Kawu was talking to a Brila FM reporter and in all fairness, he was spewing so much hate, I recorded with my mobile phone and that was all.
His voice uploaded on YouTube: Give us money! – NFF official rebukes President Buhari
The story is up, no one forced him to speak, I will not pull it down. Has anyone contacted Brila Fm to retract the story? Have I done wrong by publishing the story despite his insistence that I publish? What is my offence?
I am not afraid of anything or anyone; I did the right thing any sane journalist would do. I am dogged and blunt, my integrity is more important to me. I only fear God. I fear no man. In case anything happens to me, this bunch should be held responsible because I published my story with facts, I did not force him to talk and they should stop all the threats and abuse.
Thank You
Aderonke Bello is an associate editor and the head of the Sports desk at Naij.com.
This article expresses the author’s opinion only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com or its editors.
My encounter with Kawu
Chairman of the nationwide league, Ahmad Kawu is apparently sitting on a hot seat and NO – it shouldn’t be at my own expense. He was careless with his talks and NO – it shouldn’t be at my own peril.Kawu has a point, he let it out and he was so harsh on the Nigerian President, he went as far as using WE the NFF instead of ‘my opinion’ in his conversation, he spoke in an uncivilised manner and YES – he has to face the consequence, it is absolutely not my fault.
“Alhaji Kawu, you are taking this too far, you are insulting the Nigerian President, take it easy and make your points without raining insults on the president,” I said politely.
“Put it there, write it the way I said it and don’t edit my statement…….,” Kawu shouted angrily and muttered some other abusive words which could put him in trouble this were not reflected in the report because they were harsh and unprintable words.
The report
I couldn’t publish the story on Wednesday because the reporter who asked him the entire question worked with Brila FM and I respected them by waiting, after they had aired his voice on the popular radio show ‘medemede’ I put the story up 30mins later on naij.com. Few hours later, a release was sent by the NFF disowning his comments. he obviously made the statement a day to the end of his tenure as an executive board member of the football federation.I am a journalist and YES my loyalty lies with the readers not any administrator, player, or stakeholder. As long as I have facts to back my claims, I am not answerable to anyone apart from my employers.
Here is a link to the report: NFF Lambasts President Buhari
Day of the interview
It was a fateful Wednesday afternoon, November 25 to be precise, I went to the NFF in search of stories as I climbed down the stairs, I saw Kawu shouting on top of his voice, I moved closer to listen and guess what? He was lambasting the president and, as a journalist who is not on the payroll of any sports institution, who takes pride in accuracy. I moved closer and recorded his rants.Kawu was talking to a Brila FM reporter and in all fairness, he was spewing so much hate, I recorded with my mobile phone and that was all.
Aftermath
Some people called to say that I fabricated the quotes, so I put the voice on our YouTube channel; the link is here for clarity. After all these were said and done, I started receiving strange phone calls of people hurling insults at me for putting up his voice. Some even asked me to put down the voice or else…… lol.His voice uploaded on YouTube: Give us money! – NFF official rebukes President Buhari
The story is up, no one forced him to speak, I will not pull it down. Has anyone contacted Brila Fm to retract the story? Have I done wrong by publishing the story despite his insistence that I publish? What is my offence?
I am not afraid of anything or anyone; I did the right thing any sane journalist would do. I am dogged and blunt, my integrity is more important to me. I only fear God. I fear no man. In case anything happens to me, this bunch should be held responsible because I published my story with facts, I did not force him to talk and they should stop all the threats and abuse.
Thank You
Aderonke Bello for Naij.com
This article expresses the author’s opinion only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com or its editors.
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