The powerful people in most parts of the country, especially in leadership positions surrounded themselves with obedient aids and sycophants to ensure the success of their nefarious activities. Those of them in authority are thereby so pampered that they forget that they are servants not masters of the people. These sets of officials erect high fences around themselves with security men and sophisticated electronic devices as well as obnoxious laws to keep the people in the dark from the real events and stories in their areas. These and many more obstacles made it difficult for the “men of the pen” to fulfill their social responsibility role as the watchdog of the society. Definitely, the chapters of the work take the reader logically through the background of the study, review of literature, methodology, analysis of data, to the summary, conclusion and recommendations.
It is noteworthy to define investigative reporting as the type of journalism that entails turning up hidden information about government activities, efficials, private organization, individuals and general issues in the society. According to Agbo B. et al (2007: 26), investigative reporting is “a type of reporting whereby the reporter, having identified or suspected a particular misdemeanor, deliberately hidden by the culprit engages in a concerted effort to gather exhaustive information on the said misdemeanor” this type of reporting is not easy to practice anywhere in the world.
In the third world countries, especially in Nigeria it is harder owing to the way those in authority perceive the work of investigative journalists.
However, one cannot but agree with the learned men who have come to the conclusion that it was journalism that fostered the agitation - for independence from our colonial masters. And it was one of the basic tools that won Nigeria’s independence in 1960. hence, the saying that Nigeria got its independence on a platter of gold. During the agitation for freedom, experts like; Rev Hernry Townsend, Nnamdi Azikiwe and a host of others made use of journalism with the establishment of newspapers even though they were continually oppressed and suppressed by the colomial masters who saw their newspaper and writings as threat to their continued rule of the territory.
Now, years after the use of journalism to gain independence, journalism is still suffering various difficulties by past and present rivals all in their bid to “chain the watchdog” and render it useless because of their greed. In the heydays of sani Abacha, the language remained; “published and be damned”. Also, journalists are not allowed to Criticize certain government policies, and newspapers are continually banned for publications on certain issues. Those in the field of journalism are mostly humiliated, arrested, detained, enslaved, embarrassed, kidnapped and even killed.
The situation in Nigeria makes investigative journalism paramount. The investigative journalists have been chained out by obnoxious laws and national problems that affect the profession.
In Nigeria today, many readers are no longer satisfied with shallow reporting of issues and events. Unfortunately, the laws of government control and personal contraints frustrate the efforts of investigative journalists to educate the people on events. Since government has not been making things very easy for the investigative journalists in carrying out their obligations and responsibilities, some investigative journalists instead of maintaining peace and order, use their pen to cause havoc thereby throwing the nation into chaos.
Many experts and authorities agree that for the investigative journalists to carryout their roles as watch- dog of the society, the obstacles should be removed to enhance the practice.
Government should know that a new society has begun to emerge from the transition of Nigeria and the investigative journalism should serve as a watchdog to the society.
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