Uzodimma proposes national media centre in honour of Raymond Dokpesi
- Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma wants a national media research centre named after late broadcaster Raymond Dokpesi.
- He said the best tribute to Dokpesi is protecting press freedom and resisting the urge to treat journalists as enemies.
- The proposal came at the third Raymond Dokpesi Annual Diamond Lecture in Abuja on Sunday.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has proposed a national media centre in honour of the late broadcasting pioneer Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, saying it would serve as a hub for research into how journalism can drive economic growth and national development.
He made the proposal on Sunday in Abuja while delivering the third Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi Annual Diamond Lecture, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and DAAR Communications Plc. The lecture was themed "Media, Democratic Consolidation and Development".
Dokpesi founded DAAR Communications, which launched RayPower 100.5 FM on September 1, 1994, and Africa Independent Television (AIT) in December 1996, helping to open up Nigeria's airwaves when broadcasting was largely government-controlled.
Uzodimma said friends and associates of the late media owner should take the lead in building the centre, and pledged to champion the campaign himself.
"I shall be prepared to lead in the campaign for the establishment of this centre," he said.
Press freedom and the price of scrutiny
The governor said the most meaningful way to preserve Dokpesi's legacy was not just to commemorate him, but to protect the freedom he helped expand.
He urged governments at all levels to stop viewing the media as an enemy, arguing that public officials should accept scrutiny as part of holding power in a democracy.
He also warned that press freedom alone does not guarantee responsible journalism. Ownership interests, political ties, poor pay, delayed salaries and the safety of reporters all put pressure on editorial independence, he said.
Uzodimma noted that censorship can happen quietly, without any formal order, when journalists fear arrest, station closures or licence withdrawals. He cited the 2019 suspension of AIT's licence by the National Broadcasting Commission, which he said was later restored after a legal challenge.
He called for a partnership involving government, media owners, advertisers, technology companies and the public to find funding models that keep newsrooms independent.
Elections, AI and fake news
With another general election cycle approaching, the governor said artificial intelligence and social media have made it harder for citizens to tell real journalism from fabrication. He said the ability to post to a large audience does not make someone a journalist, and that verification remains the core of the profession.
He also urged reporters not to campaign for candidates or parties, saying balance does not mean treating evidence and baseless allegations as equal.
Raymond Dokpesi Jnr, chairman of DAAR Communications, said the lecture series was set up to build on his father's legacy rather than merely mourn him. He said his father believed democracy could not take root without a free and courageous media, and warned that fake news and divisive narratives have raised the stakes for established newsrooms.
Archbishop Emeritus John Onaiyekan and NIPR President Dr Ike Neliaku were among those at the event.
What happens next: The media centre is only a proposal for now. Uzodimma said he would lead the push for its creation, but no timeline, funding plan or location has been announced.
