A result of sorts – An apology
After a long day of
making the case about my blog being plagiarised by The Nigerian Telegraph, I
finally got someone with a stake in the newspaper to engage me and chat about
the issue.
The apology for ‘our
mess’ is what makes the apology worth its weight.
@TunjiAndrews Before I accept this apology, do you have a vested interest in @TelegraphNG to arrogate that responsibility?
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
The apology came from the Finance Editor of the Nigerian Telegraph.
@forakin @TelegraphNG :-) Yes, you may want to view my profile. I may not know who did it, but, its our mess
— Tunji Andrews (@TunjiAndrews) November 4, 2013
Obviously, along
the lines of Do The Needful when it comes to plagiarism, I do expect The
Nigerian Telegraph to take down that article. I created a Storify of some of
the tweets, titled, Closing the
loop on plagiarism.
It is serious
Along the way, I was admonished, maybe that is a strong word, advised to forgive and forget – No, you do not forgive plagiarism and it is very difficult to forget because this goes to the heart of the principles that underpin and undergird an organisation and the personalities that run it; it is a matter of honour and of integrity.
However, I am ready
to accept the apology and the promise that it never happen again because the
person who made the apology is someone I respect for his views and opinions on
Twitter. He is the Finance Editor of The Nigerian Telegraph; I believe he also
appreciates the reputational risk of being associated, albeit remotely with an
organisation tainted with the proven allegation of plagiarism.
The Twitter Conversation
I believe I used
the word ‘Plagiarism’ fairly and justly, and I am ready to move on. The Twitter
trail of that event appears below.
My first
observation
I cannot believe my eyes, my news reader just picked up something from a Nigerian newspaper, I've been plagiarised but it's disappeared.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
Then I asked
Why would anyone choose to plagiarise Akin Akintayo? Don't they know him?
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
After which I wrote
this blog and asked for an apology
Plagiarism: The Unforgivable Face of Nigerian Journalism http://t.co/gPtfkCShUn Dear @TelegraphNG I expect an apology.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
Then I broadcast
the tweet
I rarely do this, but if we are to get standards to matter more in Nigerian journalism, we have to start somewhere.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
@IfeanyiUddin The media is probably the most public forum of interaction, if change starts there, the information gets to it the audience.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
@IfeanyiUddin It does, but even a little voice in the wilderness has some purpose, I hope.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
@IfeanyiUddin I mean, we should give voice to the change we want regardless of how small our voices are.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
@forakin No problem there. But we must see the limits of the possible!
— Ifeanyi UDDIN (@IfeanyiUddin) November 4, 2013
When I originally
wrote the blog, I thought is was written for The Nigerian Telegraph by a Chidi
Okoye, but later found that it was signed by the Editor and online at this URL http://telegraphng.com/2013/11/culture-impunity/
This is just reprehensible, I left a comment on @TelegraphNG about their plagiarism and they have refused to publish it.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
Then it became a
cause
.@TelegraphNG Should not let their newspaper become a cause, I have been blogging for 10 years, I have a good Internet footprint.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
Many hours later, after posting a comment on that article, which they moderated but never published, I returned to make my case.
I accused @TelegraphNg of plagiarism this morning with proofs, they are still tweeting but I have still not been acknowledged.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
This represents the societal malaise in Nigeria. The powerful act with impunity and the masses cry themselves hoarse getting no justice.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
Then I got this
response - What is the issue?
@TunjiAndrews This is the issue http://t.co/gPtfkCShUn They lifted parts of my blog and presented it as theirs. @TelegraphNG
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
It got an apology,
but I needed to know who it was coming from.
@TunjiAndrews Before I accept this apology, do you have a vested interest in @TelegraphNG to arrogate that responsibility?
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
He is the Finance
Editor for the Nigerian Telegraph, I do consider him a friend on Twitter.
@forakin @TelegraphNG :-) Yes, you may want to view my profile. I may not know who did it, but, its our mess
— Tunji Andrews (@TunjiAndrews) November 4, 2013
@TunjiAndrews I see, I had not checked your profile recently. Am I allowed to use your responses in a blog? @TelegraphNG
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
I then asked to use
the exchanges we had in a blog, at least to say I have received an apology.
@forakin @TelegraphNG If you must.
— Tunji Andrews (@TunjiAndrews) November 4, 2013
@TunjiAndrews Well, if I make an accusation and have received communication, I guess it is best to close the circle. @TelegraphNG
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
@TunjiAndrews My investigation fingers a Chidi Okoye. I don't know if he is a @TelegraphNG engagement.
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
We concluded the
conversation thus:
@TunjiAndrews That is fine by me, I consider you a friend, I asked for an apology, that is the least I wanted from @TelegraphNG
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
Do The Needful;
That means after the apology, restitute by taking that article down.
This is a promise.
@forakin @TelegraphNG Thank you for this. I will see to it that it doesn't ever happen again with you or any one else
— Tunji Andrews (@TunjiAndrews) November 4, 2013
@forakin @TelegraphNG Big word sir. What does this word mean 'Plagiarsm'? :-)
— Tunji Andrews (@TunjiAndrews) November 4, 2013
I use the word
'Plagiarism' fairly and justly.
@TunjiAndrews I don't use the word 'Plagiarism' lightly, but I use it fairly and justly. :-) @TelegraphNG
— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ (@forakin) November 4, 2013
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