Feel free to criticise us constructively, Alake urges Nigerian media

<p>Alake said Tinubu came to office to make positive impact and to make a name not to acquire material things which he already had.</p>, <span>A file photo of Dele Alake, spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, addresses journalists after a meeting between the Federal Government and NLC over fuel subsidy removal on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.</span>, <h2>Minister-designate Dele Alake has said that the Federal Government does not see the mass media as an adversary, but a tool to put the administration on its toes.</h2>, <p>Alake, current Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, made this known at a meeting with media executives on Friday in Abuja.</p>, <p>This said at the end of the day, both the media and government operate in the same society.</p>, <p>“If we are practising adversary journalism and we create problems in our society, where are we going to practise,” Alake asked.</p>, <p>He said the meeting was to seek the understanding and buying-in of the media to ongoing fundamental policy initiatives of the Tinubu government that were necessary for the country’s development.</p>, <p>He implored the media to practise responsive journalism, saying this was critical to avoid heating up the polity and misleading the public.</p>, <p>“When there is genuine course to criticise the government, do it constructively and also suggest and proffer solutions to issues affecting the country.</p>, <p>“It is important that even when we are angry at what is going on in the country, we should still apply that sense of responsibility in our reportage so that even after venting our anger, we will still have a society to live in to practice our profession and thrive,” he said.</p>, <p>Alake explained that government did not see the media as enemy because of its criticism, saying that criticism was part of democracy.</p>, <p>“Criticism you must do because it is an integral part of democracy; however, what is obnoxious is destructive criticism, you have to engage in constructive criticism.<