The struggle for press freedom exists in all countries – it just might not be as visible
Press freedom is a global struggle that persists even in stable democracies, often manifesting through tensions between journalists and power, as well as within journalistic practice itself. The case of Nigerian journalist Kunle Ajibade illustrates the severe personal risks involved in protecting sources and defying authoritarian regimes. Despite constitutional protections and democratic ideals, journalistic autonomy remains contested, shaped by both external pressures and internal professional judgments.
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Open this photo in gallery:A truck driver picks up humanitarian aid designated for Gaza, as reporters tour the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing where aid is awaiting pickup, on Dec. 19, 2024.Ohad Zwigenberg/The Associated PressShareSave for laterPlease log in to bookmark this story.Log InCreate Free AccountAloa Alota holds a PhD in media studies from Western University and is a researcher affiliated with the Centre for Media and Development Research in Africa, based in London, Ont. At the height of Nigeria’s June 12 political crisis in the 1990s, journalist Kunle Ajibade was pressured by state security agents to reveal the source of a story that the military regime found offensive. He refused, invoking a core principle of journalism: the protection of confidential sources.
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