TOP 10 REASONS WHY A NIGERIAN JOURNALIST SHOULD QUIT THE PROFESSION

At what point should I quit my job? Very difficult question to answer. For the Nigerian journalist, this article might be of help to you.

A lot of people quit their jobs on a daily basis due to so many reasons best known to them. One can quit his job as a result of the poor funds, lack of passion, security reasons or maybe because they want to be their own boss.

Journalists are also among this table as many journalists leave their jobs to pursue a different career. Journalism which is basically writing for the print or broadcast media. A journalist can decide to quit his/her job and pursue something different entirely and there are so many reasons why a Nigerian journalist should quit the profession. Some of them are:

 

1) If you are not passionate about it: Journalism as a career path is tasking. It takes a person who is determined, passionate and relentless to succed in the profession. If one is not passionate about the career then he/she could leave journalism. In journalism you have to dig deep, contend with deadlines, be accurate, objective and determined. It takes one who is passionate about the job to offer the people what they need. There are times when you feel like you can’t go on or when it seems too difficult and the pay is not forthcoming but because it is what you loving you just keep pushing. A person who is not passionate about the job could find himself drowned.

 

2) When you are not paid well: today many journalist in Nigeria are not paid well and this is another reason why a journalist could quit the profession. Journalism can take all of your time and you may not be able to do any other side job to help yourself financially. The job is tasking and takes you here and there; it becomes bad when you are not paid well. If you are not paid well as a journalist here in Nigeria you can quit the profession. There are people who are breadwinners of their families and cannot sustain their homes because they lack sufficient fund. If you can get something better, then you can quit the job because ultimately you neeed money to survive in Nigeria.

 

3) If you have an alternative choice: This is another reason why a journalist can quit the profession. As a journalist you are stressed and always a thousand miles away even at the comfort of your house. You have to think of how to gather information and beat deadlines to please your boss and at the end of the day you are paid peanuts. If there is a good alternative means of livelihood available to you, then you can consider leaving the job and moving on to greener pastures.

 

4) Security reasons: It is no secret that the work of a journalist can become risky. This is especially on those who are investigative reporters, trying to gather information and specializing in exposing the ills of the top members of the society. This can become dangerous as many journalists are killed in the process of trying to investigate. If you are not strong enough and not willing to risk it all, then you can quit the profession. Journalism is for the smart, vicious, strong and determined.

 

5) If you are not ready to serve the public:  As a journalist, you must be ready to serve the public. It is the responsibility of a journalist to provide information to the members of the society. You must be willing to serve the public. If you do not possess the willingness to serve the public, then you can leave the profession.

 

6) Another reason why a journalist should leave the profession is if you are not ready for the ‘struggle’. In Nigeria today just like any other profession or business, journalists struggle to be the best in their profession, to be the one to deliver at all times. If you are not willing to put that effort that will make you stand out, then you can quit the profession.

 

7) When you fail to obey the ethical standard of journalism: In journalism, there are ethical standards that guide and check the activities and behavior of journalists. As a journalist you are expected to be fair and balanced in your reporting, avoid bribery, defamation, plagiarism, invasion of privacy, moonlighting, sycophancy, and many others. If you are not ready to obey the ethical standards of the profession, you should quit the profession!

 

8) Another reason why a journalist in Nigeria should quit the profession is when you are not courageous enough. If you are a journalist that is afraid to face certain situations and always avoid certain assignment, then you should quit the job. As a journalist, you should be fearless and ready to face certain situations and dig deep to find that hidden secret. If you are not courageous, then you should quit the profession.

 

9) In Nigeria today, there is no real press freedom and as a journalist who want to serve the public and make every member of the society accountable, it may become difficult to practice it. There is no real press freedom and for this reason a journalist can decide to leave the profession and practice in a different country to avoid the fear of being hurt or attacked if he/she decides to say the truth.

 

10) Another reason why a Nigerian journalist should quit the profession is when you are not ready for the ‘risk’ that comes with the profession. In Nigeria today, Insecurity is becoming a major challenge and this extends to journalists as well as there are some dangerous areas that a journalist would not want to operate in for fear of their safety. One cannot practice journalism freely in a country that is not safe. If you are not ready to handle the risk that comes with the job, then you can quit the profession.

(Written by Teniola Egbuwalo)