The Painful Silence: When Will Our Four Detained Journalist Be Free?

By Omotayo Ayanda

As the new year unfolds, a haunting question lingers in the hearts of families, colleagues, and advocates: When will Olurotimi Olawale, Precious Eze Chukwunonso, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami be free once again?

Since their detention in September last year, these journalists have endured separation from their loved ones, forced to spend the festive season in the cold isolation of incarceration.

Their absence during what should have been a time of joy has left their families drowning in pain, uncertainty, and heartbreak. While others celebrated new beginnings, these families counted the days with a mixture of hope and despair.

These men are more than just journalists; they are fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, and the backbone of their families. Their detention has not only silenced their voices but has also plunged their loved ones into untold emotional and financial hardship.

Mothers are left to explain to their children why their fathers are not coming home, while wives cry into their pillows at night, wondering if this nightmare will ever end.

But this is not just a family tragedy; it is a national disgrace. The continued detention of these journalists is a chilling reminder of how fragile press freedom and democracy have become in Nigeria.

These men were doing their jobs, seeking the truth, holding power accountable, and serving the public. Yet, their commitment to these principles has cost them their liberty.

How long will the silence from the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and other stakeholders last? How long will the anguish of these families continue to be ignored? The NUJ must rise to its duty, not just as a union, but as a touch of hope for every journalist in this country.

These men are not just four individuals, they represent the collective voice of the press. Their detention sends a chilling warning to every journalist who dares to speak truth to power.

But the NUJ cannot fight this battle alone. Where are the civil society organizations, the human rights advocates, and the international press freedom groups? Where are the voices that should be shouting from every corner of the world that this injustice cannot stand?

The detention of these journalists is not just about four individuals; it is a test of Nigeria’s soul. Are we a nation that values truth, justice, and democracy, or are we willing to let fear and repression silence those who dare to hold a mirror to power?

The world is watching, but more importantly, their families are waiting. Waiting for their fathers to come home. Waiting for their husbands to embrace them. Waiting for justice to prevail.

The time to act is now. Not tomorrow, not next month, not when the news cycle shifts, is now. Let this new year not be another year of waiting and suffering for these families. Let it be the year we prove that justice, press freedom, and democracy are more than just words; they are principles we are willing to fight for.

Comrade Omotayo Ayanda is the immediate past Secretary of Kwara NUJ