MAXIMIZING THE ROLE OF MUCKRAKING JOURNALISM IN THE ANTI GRAFT WAR FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The height of nepotism, tribal jingoism, religious bigotry, black-propaganda, misappropriation of public funds, bad governance and the outright embezzlement of public funds with almost total impunity by some deviant government officials are rising astronomically hence need muckrakers in the vineyard of the media to minimize these anti development idiosyncrasies and unearth these deviant characters and their misdeeds in the corridors of power which are bedeviling the political and socio-economic growth of Nigeria in order to lift Nigerians from the present quagmire of insecurity, economic woes, hunger, financial impropriety, political mistrust, etc. Against this background, this paper aimed to optimize the powers of muckrakers in re-engineering democratic structure and governance for a better Nigeria. This paper is anchored on the conspiracy theory to give this work a sound theoretical framework. The paper adopted desk research design because of its relevance to this academic exercise. Consequently, the paper observes among others: The growing conspiracy among some deviant government officials to overturn the contractual agreement between the government and the governed towards the provision of people-participatory-governance. The paper also found lack of adherence to national ethics by some key government officials as one major cause of bad governance and corruption in Nigerian polity. The paper equally found lack of motivation for muckrakers as worrisome. Sequel to these, the paper advocates for a legal framework to empower muckrakers to carry out their constitutional mandate as enshrined in Section 22 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Government should also encourage muckraking by creation of assurance policy for muckrakers in the event of unforeseen circumstances and to salvage Nigerian nation from the hands of kleptocrats and their kleptomanias in government. The paper also advocates for a paradigm shift among some government officials in the planning and implementation of government policies and programmes to improve the well being of the citizenry as this would promote good governance in Nigeria.