Viewing the President through blindfolds

Penultimate Monday, President Bola Tinubu presided over the 24th meeting of the Federal Executive Council at Aso Rock Villa. By tradition, journalists covering the President and the seat of power—print reporters, TV correspondents, videographers and cameramen—typically march into the council chamber to capture the opening moments for their various media houses. Call them establishment shots.

It is a symbolic ritual that gives the public a brief glimpse of their leaders at work. However, an unusual instruction filtered through this time— only those with cameras would be allowed into the chamber.

The first concern for the TV correspondents was the lost opportunity to communicate with their cameramen/women about which shots to prioritise in real-time. After all, cameramen and women do not operate in isolation from their reporters. For those in the print media, the usual headcount mentioning which ministers are in attendance was no…