Ambassador Dalhatu Abubakar Iya (Prince DH), a man I hold in the highest esteem, recently reached out to me with a special invitation. He wanted me to participate in Crusaders Radio’s 7th anniversary webinar series—particularly the session scheduled for Thursday, 11th September 2025, at 7:30 pm on Google Meet. The theme is striking: “The role of media and citizen journalism in promoting citizens’ engagement in Niger State governance, and ways to bridge the gap between citizens and government.” A topic so timely and so relevant, not only for Niger State but for the entire nation. Indeed, as Tocqueville once said, “The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.”
The organizers stressed the need for experts with a strong, unbiased voice. As their notice declared, “As Crusaders Radio marks its 7th Anniversary, we are hosting a series of webinars to highlight the role the media has to play in shaping a functional state in a time when non-traditional media shape everyday discourse. The webinar aims to promote citizens’ engagement in Niger State governance through media and citizen journalism. The discussions will inform policy and governance decisions, promote transparency and accountability, and ensure that citizens’ voices are heard.”
How could one decline such an honor? And yet, I found myself torn. The demands of my professional responsibilities, which often require moderation and careful restraint, do not always allow me to land the kind of daring blows that independent media outlets or opposition voices are free to make. Thus, I am sometimes accused of “sitting on the fence,” as though neutrality were a crime. In reality, neutrality is the true hallmark of fairness, dignity, and respect. It is the virtue that allows us to serve as impartial judges in a world of competing truths.
The public often craves simplicity. They want easy heroes and villains, saints and sinners. But reality resists such neat packaging. Take, for example, the controversy around President Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy. To many, it was proof of cruelty, a sign of “wickedness.” Yet to ignore that his predecessors had left the new government without budgetary provisions, in a time of economic despair worsened by the naira redesign policy, is to tell only half the story. That single act, harsh as it seemed, preserved states from collapse and offered a lifeline to the economy. Decisions in governance are rarely black or white; they are shades of grey where necessity sometimes trumps sentiment. Thus, neutrality is not weakness—it is wisdom.
Out of respect for my friend Prince DH, and in celebration of Crusaders Radio’s remarkable journey as one of the few truly independent private FM stations that has steadfastly amplified the voices of the voiceless, I choose instead to share my reflections in writing.
The phrase “citizen journalism” to me is best summarized as: everyone is now a journalist. With a smartphone in hand and an internet connection, anyone can capture, report, and broadcast events to the world in real time. As Manuel Castells notes in his theory of the “network society,” power today flows not just from institutions but from the ability to create and circulate information across digital networks. The digital revolution has transformed journalism from a licensed profession into a universal practice.
Indeed, my own passion for writing, social commentary, and public discourse has often led others to mistake me for a professional journalist. Though I do not gather news under a license or conduct investigative reporting in the traditional sense, I participate in the journalism of ideas—curating, sharing, analyzing, and amplifying information. Every credible writer, after all, is a kind of journalist: a researcher, a thinker, and a messenger.
The rise of citizen journalism has democratized information. It has broken the monopoly of state-controlled or corporate-owned media, giving ordinary people the power to shape narratives. It is why Nollywood actress Regina Daniels can influence over 15 million followers, why activists like Kiki Mordi and Mr. Macaroni can mobilize thousands with a tweet, and why commentators like Ozzy Etomi or Adeife Adeoye can spark national debates without ever stepping into a newsroom. These are the new public intellectuals—shaping discourse, mobilizing citizens, and sometimes doing more to influence governance than newspapers or television anchors.
Yet the power of citizen journalism is not limited to celebrity. It has rekindled reading and critical thinking in a society where people once read only for examinations. It has forced governments to become more responsive, as emojis, hashtags, and viral posts now serve as tools of instant public opinion. It has trained citizens, often unconsciously, in debate, tolerance, and emotional intelligence by exposing them daily to people of different tribes, religions, and ideologies. In this sense, citizen journalism is not merely about information—it is a classroom for democracy.
Of course, the picture is not without blemish. The absence of professional standards leaves room for fake news, propaganda, and sensationalism. Misinformation spreads with frightening speed, sometimes sparking violence or undermining elections. Citizen journalists often face harassment or danger, and the line between free expression and defamation grows increasingly thin. Hannah Arendt once warned that when truth and lies become indistinguishable in public discourse, democracy itself is endangered. The challenge, therefore, is to harness the energy of citizen journalism without letting it spiral into chaos.
Still, its contributions cannot be ignored. In Niger State and across Nigeria, citizen journalism has exposed corruption, documented electoral malpractice, highlighted abuses of power, and brought local struggles to international attention. It has given voice to the marginalized, created new forms of civic participation, and pressured leaders to act. As John Dewey famously argued, democracy is less about elections and more about an informed and engaged public. Citizen journalism is one of the strongest tools we now have to nurture that engaged public.
The way forward is to strike a balance. Media literacy programs, fact-checking collaborations, and partnerships between professional journalists and citizen reporters can help refine the practice. Governments, instead of fearing or repressing citizen journalists, must learn to engage them, using feedback as a mirror of public sentiment. Citizens, on their part, must see their newfound power not just as an opportunity for outrage but as a responsibility for constructive discourse.
In the end, when everyone becomes a journalist, the nation itself becomes a newsroom. And while that may be messy, noisy, and imperfect, it is also profoundly democratic. Crusaders Radio’s 7th anniversary is a reminder that in this age of citizen journalism, the voice of the people has never been louder. The challenge before us is to ensure that voice is used not to divide, but to build; not to mislead, but to enlighten; not just to criticize, but to create. For in the chorus of citizen voices lies the possibility of a better, fairer, and more inclusive Nigeria.
Bagudu can be reached at bagudumohammed15197@gmail.com or on 0703 494 3575.
