By Janet John, LAFIA
Journalists and members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Nasarawa state chapter, were left stranded in Benin, the Edo state capital after the state’s team, Nasarawa United FC suffered defeat in the hands of Bayelsa United at the just concluded Aiteo Cup Finals.
The sports writers, who were invited to cover the grand finale match by the Nasarawa state commissioner for youth and spots development, Othman Bala-Adam, were left to fend for themselves as directors of the Sports Ministry found their way back to Nasarawa, leaving behind the invited journalists.
The state chairman of SWAN, Isa Mohammed, In a statement, condemned the act meted on the journalist which he described as barbaric.
According to him, “Three members of the association were duly invited by the Honourable Commissioner to join the state entourage to Benin City to cover the Aiteo Cup finals at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Sunday.
“But even before they reached Edo state, arguments arose over their logistics between the ministry and the management of Nasarawa United led Isaac Danladi, which is pivotal in getting the best out of the journalists.
“Nevertheless, they carried out their duties despite the difficult situation they were faced with.
The chairman explained that after the state team’s painful loss to Bayelsa United, a 6:30am departure time was agreed for the entourage the next day. But to their dismay, the journalists who were also part of the entourage woke up and found out that the entourage led by directors of the ministry had left the state, abandoning the journalists to their fate.
“All pleas to stop the vehicle so the journalists could catch up with them was rebuffed. The barbaric behaviour of the officials is highly condemnable and we demand an apology for the undignified treatment our members passed through,” he added.
Mohammed, who commended the gesture of the Commissioner of Youth and Sports Developments for carrying journalists along with regards to activities of the ministry, said he was however appalled by the conduct of officials of the ministry recently in Edo state.
The chairman while noting the effort of the commissioner by finding an alternative transportation means several hours later, insisted that the inhumane treatment meted on the journalist be addressed to prevent it repeating itself in future.
“We will not sit idle and allow any negative element destroy the giant strides achieved and other efforts put in place by the Governor Abdullahi Sule administration to revamp the sports sector in the state for effective service delivery,” the chairman declared.
One of the journalists who pleaded anonymity claimed that although provision was made for their feeding allowance and accommodation, three of them were forced to squat alongside one other person in a very small room.
According to the journalist, the Nasarawa United players themselves did not get a better treatment either as they were kept hungry most of the time and in a congested bus.
