The latest response from the Office of the Executive Chairman of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government once again as pitiable as it is, underscores the core issue that has remained unaddressed from the very beginning: a fundamental inability to recognise what Lagos Focus News actually did, simply reporting what constituents and opposition voices openly complained about and, sadly and quite ironically, there’s an admission by the Local Government itself that the incident in question indeed occurred and there is evidence that an opposition party member that initially reacted to it before Lagos Focus News report was threatened by some notable figures( issue for another day) .
1. You Confirmed the Incident, Yet You Attack only the vehicle through which it was reported, leaving the Encoder, very poor indeed
The Local Government keeps insisting that Eyegate Media/Lagos Focus News “forced a narrative,” yet in the same breath acknowledges that:
the picture was taken,
the event happened within the period of the taxpayer-funded retreat, and
the circulation of that image came from the LG’s own public communication channels and still domicile on the Facebook wall of the Lawmaker…Haba Kilode
If anything, this confirms our point:
Public officials created, circulated, and amplified content that citizens interpreted rightly or wrongly as political messaging within the context of a governance retreat.
A responsible government learns from the reactions of its constituents; it does not attack the Medium or messenger.
2. Content and Timing Matter — A Lesson the Local Government Must Learn
The LG keeps insisting the picture was taken “after all official business had ended,” as though that eliminates the public perception problem.
In governance communication, content and timing are everything.
Citizens reacted not because the picture existed, but because its timing, context, and circulation created an impression that political promotion was tied to an official LG activity, ‘shikenan’.
A government that wants the trust of its people must pay attention to:
what it publishes,
when it publishes it, and
how it will be interpreted by the public.
Dismissing these concerns as “manufactured controversy” reflects a worrying lack of sensitivity to public perception.
3. Reporting Public Opinion Is Not “Manufacturing Tension”
The LG’s rejoinder repeatedly accuses Lagos Focus News of being “sensational,” yet our report did precisely what responsible journalism requires:
We published the reactions of constituents and opposition stakeholders who expressed displeasure.
The same reactions of the oppositions abound on Social Media including evidence of your threat to the initial writer on Facebook to take down the post, if it’s false why did you threaten them (This is talk for another day)
We did not invent their comments.
We did not assign motives.
We did not impute opinions.
We reported the sentiments that were already circulating in the constituency.
For the avoidance of doubt:
Eyegate Media does not insert its own opinions into news stories.
Where an opinion exists, the attribution appears clearly as it did in this case.
If the LG is uncomfortable with public reactions, its task is to address the concerns of the public not to attack the platforms amplifying them.
4. The LG’s Attempt to Invalidate Public Perception Only Deepens the Issue
The LG argues that because the photograph was taken during a “social moment,” of the budget retreat, it should not carry political weight.
But what determines public interpretation is not the private intention behind a photograph, but the public consequence of releasing it.
If constituents believe the photo symbolised political endorsement as was clearly tagged by the serving lawmaker on his Facebook wall within a governance retreat milieu, their perception is the story, and responsible media has a duty to reflect it.
The LG cannot downplay constituents’ reactions and simultaneously claim to be accountable to them.
5. A Government That Wants to Be Taken Seriously Must Correct Its Communication Errors
Rather than escalating rhetoric and making statements about “editorial gymnastics,” the LG should reflect on the following:
Why did constituents feel uncomfortable?(A government that is barely months old and several awaiting challenges to be tackled feel endorsement is a priority is heading to distraction)
Why did the image send the wrong signal?(primarily due to timing)
Why did multiple opposition voices interpret it as political messaging?
Why did the LG need to issue multiple explanations if the matter was as straightforward as they claim?
Public trust is not earned by dismissing citizens’ concerns,it is earned by acknowledging them and improving processes.
If the new administration wishes to gain credibility, these communication lapses must be corrected, not trivialised.
6. The LG’s Response to Our Earlier Reply Again Misunderstands Journalism
The LG suggests Lagos Focus News lacks “context, comprehension, and rigor.”
Yet:
We reported facts already in the public domain.
We quoted verifiable reactions from constituents and stakeholders.
We asked straightforward governance questions that remain unanswered.
We avoided opinionated language and attributed all opinions to their sources.
Journalism’s role is not to protect government from backlash; it is to reflect public discourse accurately.
If the LG desires less negative coverage, the solution is better governance communication, not antagonising the press especially one that knows its onions.
7. Unnecessary Aggression Cannot Replace Accountability
Phrases like “intellectual laziness,” “editorial gymnastics,” and “headline-chasing outfit” do not strengthen the LG’s argument, they expose defensiveness.
A government confident in its actions does not lash out at every critical report.
A government that understands democracy knows that: criticism is not an attack, it’s an accountability tool.
CONCLUSION: A CALL FOR MATURITY AND RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE COMMUNICATION
The essence of the story remains unchanged:
A picture was taken and disseminated during an official retreat period.
Constituents reacted negatively to its political tone.
Lagos Focus News reported those reactions faithfully.
Instead of escalating confrontational rejoinders, the LG should take this as a practical lesson in:
content strategy,
timing discipline,
public perception management,
and the importance of separating governance communication from political optics.
Eyegate Media remains committed to professional, ethical, and fact-based journalism.
We do not impute opinions.
We do not manufacture tension.
We report what citizens say and what governments do.
A responsive administration would learn from this incident.
A defensive one would repeat the same errors.
Ajeromi-Ifelodun residents deserve better than repeated explanations.
They deserve improved communication practices going forward.
