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Speaker 1: Whenever controversies surround Rufaya Sane, the outspoken and fearless broadcaster

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on a Rise Television, one recurring argument often resurfaces in

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public discourse the claim that Rufiya Sani is not a journalist.

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Critics are quick to emphasize that he lacks a formal

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academic background in journalism, having originally trained in animal anatomy.

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But beyond the semantics of qualification, a deeper question emerges.

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What truly defines a journalist and what are the core

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functions of journalism in society. As mass communication teacher, we

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teach students from the very first class that the media

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exists to inform, educate, entertain, and preserve cultural heritage. Journalists

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also play the crucial roles of agenda setting and acting

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as watchdogs, holding public officials accountable, and amplifying the voices

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of the governed. The media’s capacity to shape national conversations

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is immense. By highlighting specific issues and giving them prominence,

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journalists help raise awareness and influence public perception. It is

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through such a gender setting functions that societies engage in dialogue, debate,

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and reform, thereby playing participatory role in the process of governance.

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When examined through this functional lens, it becomes clear that

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Rufai sany has consistently fulfilled these journalistic responsibilities over the years.

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His incisive questioning, fearless commentary, and commitment to public accountability

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have made him one of the most recognizable broadcast personalities

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in contemporary Nigerian media. A notable example is his now

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famous exchange with the Minister of Works Engineer Dave Yumihi

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on a Rise television. Before that encounter, few Nigerians had

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publicly interrogated the cost per kilometer of road construction projects

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executed by government agencies. While the Minister initially dismissed Rufaie’s

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questioners elementary, the issue soon traction nationally. In fact, subsequent

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clarifications by Yumihi and even a public response by Oyo

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State Governor Saying Markinde, demonstrated that Assanes’s line of questioning

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had forced an important accountability conversation into the mainstream. Through

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this singular act, Rufi did what the media are mandated

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to do, hold power accountable, enlighten the public, and stimulate

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civic engagement. It is true that a formal qualification such

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as a diploma or degree in journalism is generally considered

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a prerequisite for professional practice, yet history tells a different

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story about the Nigerian press. Many of the country’s most

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celebrated media pioneers, from Herbert mcaulay to Ernest A. Collie,

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Namdiazeki Way and Obefemi Awoloo, were not trained journalists in

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the academic sense. Nevertheless, through passion, intellect and experience, they

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became towering figures in the nation journalistic landscape in the

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decades that followed. Major Nigerian newspapers like The Guardian, The Punch,

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The Tribune and the defunct National Concord were edited by

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professionals whose backgrounds spanned literature, political science, law and the humanities,

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not necessarily journalism. What matted was their adherence to journalistic

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ethics and commitment to truth. Today, journalism is evolving faster

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than ever. The rise of social and digital media has

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democratized information dissemination, giving birth to citizen journalism, a space

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where individuals, regardless of academic background, can contribute meaningfully to

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public discourse. The boundaries of professional journalism have expanded, now

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encompassing voices trained in diverse disciplines but committed to the

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principles of truth, balance, and fairness. In this context, Rufayasini’s

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two decades of consistent broadcast experience is in engagement with

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media ethics and his pursuit of professional development courses or

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reinforce his credibility. His work reflects a mastery of journalism’s essence,

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even if his educational roots lie elsewhere. The debate over

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Rufaia Sine’s academic background may continue, but it misses the

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more profound point. Journalism is as much a calling as

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it is a profession. It demands curiosity, courage, critical thinking,

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and an unwavering commitment to public interest. By these measures,

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Rufaia Sini has proven himself a journalist, not by certificate,

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but by conviction and consistent service to society. Writer Isa Abdulaziase,

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mass Communication lecturer, Federal Polytechnic AUCI.

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Speaker 2: Yes, I would like you inter This monologue is quite long,

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so at first, Minister, after you are gone to respon,

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report me in front of president in one several sorts.

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Speaker 3: Anyway, I am not beholding to you.

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Speaker 2: My job is account of small for me to report

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you to the president. But the minister, minister, let me

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speak minister for minister, Minister, Mister.

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Speaker 3: Let me speak. I have empirical evidence. The world watched it.

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Speaker 2: On the commission of the project where you mentioned the

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questions I ask you to the president that was reporting

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me to the president officially. The world watches, so you

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don’t need to delete that about the empirical facts.

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Speaker 3: I don’t talk without facts, minister.

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Speaker 2: You know when I have my facts, I talk and

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I insist on my question. When I ask on course,

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let me see, minister, you will not.

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Speaker 3: You will not. You will not allow me to speak.

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The problem is you will not allow me to speak.

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Speaker 2: You spoke for over twenty minutes, over ten minutes because

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you don’t.

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Speaker 3: Know what you’re speaking. But let me speak, let me speak.

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Speaker 2: You will not will you will not allow.

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Speaker 3: Me to speak.

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Speaker 2: You see, if you can just keep quiet and be

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calm and just allow me to speak, I’ll be happy,

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all right.

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Speaker 3: So my question still persists.

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Speaker 2: As regards the course spaculums, you cannot tell me that

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we don’t have a right to know the cause paculumter

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even if it’s a doleting lands. Give us all the

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fact that the details of the coast pa kilometer.

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Speaker 3: That’s all We’ll ask for other questions.

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Speaker 2: As regards the losticky, let me no, no, let me finished.

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Speaker 3: Listen to me, Minister. The minister will not like no.

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Speaker 2: No, no, no, no, no no no, don’t do that

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with me.

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Speaker 3: Minissa will not do that with me.

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Speaker 2: I was in your studio, Minister will when the first

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section was on, and I ran the figures, and what

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you accidus is seven fifty kilometers of costa highway. We

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should tell you cost per kilometers, so you multiply by

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seven fifty that no, Sisica, no, so tell me the

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cost per kilometers.

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Speaker 3: There’s nothing too hard for you to tell me that figure.

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You’ve not still told me that figure. So I was

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right on that point.

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Speaker 2: The second stand anything, the second point I’m trying.

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Speaker 3: You don’t don’t standing it.

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Speaker 2: I’m a professor in this field, okay, you don’t turn.

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Speaker 3: To tell you a cost?

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Speaker 2: What university gave you professorship and engineering. I didn’t know

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you a professor, Marie, Minister. I didn’t know, so please,

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you’ve you’ve never a professor in practice, professor in practice,

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I’m understanding, Gili. So second, you have no knowledge of

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what to ask. If you will let me have no knowledge,

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if you will let me ask you, you keep quiet, okay,

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and then stop there, minister, It’s all right, keep dignifying

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yourself and let the world see you for who you are.

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If you allow me to speak the other one hundred

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kilometers that you said added to it.

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Speaker 3: Would like to know the cost pack kilometer of that

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one and the win some homes. The cares is in court.

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Speaker 2: Now, I would like to know the cost ba kilometers

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for that one. I would like to also know the

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over seven hundred billion first tranch of loan you guys

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got for this project. Has the money been spent? I

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was the money deployed? I also like to know. I

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also love to know the terms of that loan? All right,

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how many years? What’s the paidback period? Was to pay

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back term of that loan?

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Speaker 3: And for the win some homes.

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Speaker 2: Isn’t it interesting that somebody that’s been a governor in

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the state, you know the law, a case is in courts,

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and there you’re coming to talk about the digits of

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the cases in courts because you deny that the case

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was not in court. Now you’ve already accepted that the

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case is in court. So it’s not just better you

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thrash it out with a woman that has been reporting

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a case in public that we all heard, and I

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ask you questions based on that. So I just answered

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the questions. I’ve got no answer grand with you. You

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know that we’ve spoken many times. In fact, when your

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people call to book, I booked them and I said

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you should come on air.

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Speaker 3: So please just tell us those information. And it’s very important. Minister.

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I’m not hearing even though this guys, it’s not