By: Sa’ad Alaro, Ilorin
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR Kwara Chapter, has resolved the differences between the Chief Press Secretary to the state Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye and the Akogun Journalist brothers.
THE ELITES WATCH earlier reported that the CPS in a petition filed against the Akogun brothers to the Kwara Police command eventually led to a crescendo with the two brothers remanded by the Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin.
In an effort to settle the crisis that festered between Rafiu Ajakaye, the CPS to the Kwara State Governor and the Akogun brothers, Ajakaye was prevailed upon by the organized Media body to withdraw the defamation case charged against the duo of Abdulrasheed and Dare Akogun.
The withdrawal of the case before the court, according to a statement by Dr. Saudat Salah Abdulbaqi, the Chairperson of the state NIPR was sequel to a resolution jointly signed by the warring parties on 23rd November, 2022 at NIPR Image House, Ilorin and tendered before the court as a basis for withdrawing the charges.
The statement reads in part, “The concerned parties while signing the resolution paper witnessed by NIPR Chairperson, Dr. Saudat Salah Abdulbaqi, Mr Kunle Akogun and the Reconciliation Committee chaired by Dr Oba La’aro pledged to sheathe their swords and give peace a chance on the firm belief that jaw-jaw is better than war- war.”
Recall the Kwara Police Command had on Thursday October 13, 2022 detained the journalist brothers after they honoured an invitation by the police over alleged defamation on a microblog WhatsApp group against the CPS.
Abdulrasheed, the younger brother publishes the online newspaper, Freshinsight TV, while Dare is a popular broadcaster with Sobi FM. The father, a renowned journalist is also the Head of Corporate Affairs of the University of Ilorin.
The Matters reached a crescendo when the Kwara Police Command prosecuted the duo on allegations of inciting, disturbance, injurious falsehood and criminal defamation.
However, the reports of Akogun journalist brother’s arraignment led some concerned parties and individuals from within and outside of the state to wade in to resolve the crisis. While some frantic efforts was not yielding any results, the moves by the NIPR put the matter to rest.
Abdulbaqi in her statement said on behalf of the NIPR said, “In ensuring a win-win resolution, the parties agreed that the matter should be allowed to die a natural death on the strength that it would not be used, either by act of omission or commission, as a potent tool by any of the parties in the nearest future.”
The NIPR, meanwhile, observed that the matter was worsened by the prejudicial activities of some media houses including social media handles, “who wrongly run commentary on the matter while it was before the court,” Abdulbaqi said while appealing to them to refrain from making hurtful references to the issue so far it has been resolved.
She, therefore, expressed the gratitude of the NIPR to all stakeholders and other notable associations and members of the society who’s interventions complement the body’s efforts to bringing the matter to a fruitful end.