Muckraking Journalism: The Roadmap to National Development in Nigeria

Abstract

Systemic corruption in the socio-economic and political terrain of Nigerian nation has become a major bane of national development of this country. The situation, without mincing words, is so worrisome that it can no longer be tackled by mere routine journalistic reportage because of its inherent danger in our strive to achieving milestones for nation building. It is on this premise, that this paper explores the dynamics of muckraking journalism as a recipe and roadmap to the path of national development of Nigerian nation. This paper argues that conventional journalists and anti-graft agencies in the country have not made appreciable progress in the fight against the monster called corruption in both private and public sectors of our economy and indeed, in Nigerian polity. Thus, the role of muckrakers becomes sacrosanct if we must journey to the path of national development without hiccups. Consequently, the paper advocates for effective synergy between muckrakers and anti-graft agencies such as EFCC and ICPC in the fight against the maladies of corruption and its masterminds. Similarly, the paper advocates for institutionalization of muckraking units in all key media establishments, Federal, State Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals with the ultimate aim of exploring, exposing and explaining corruption issues and their masterminds for the interest of citizenry.

Keywords:          Muckraking Journalism, Muckrakers, Roadmap and National Development.