Investigative journalist David Hundeyin has revealed his motivations and the broader implications of his decision to expose a bribery attempt to write against Dangote refinery.
Hundeyin disclosed that he was approached by an international NGO, Dialogue Earth, which offered him N800,000 ($500) to write a defamatory article against the Dangote Refinery.
The proposed article was to focus on environmental concerns, climate change, and energy transition policies, ostensibly to influence the Nigerian government to halt the refinery's construction.
Hundeyin stated, “Last week, I received an N800,000 offer from an international NGO called Dialogue Earth (formerly known as China Dialogue Trust) to write an article essentially saying that Dangote Refinery is terrible for the environment because something something ‘Environmental Concerns,’ something something ‘Climate Change,’ something something ‘Energy Transition Policy,’ something something ‘COP 28.’”
This was not the first time Hundeyin had been approached for commissioned work, but it was the first instance where the subject matter directly conflicted with Nigeria’s national interests.
He emphasized, “It is very common within the journalism space but this is the first time that someone has come to me with an offer to write about something that affects my country, and affects me potentially, basically telling me to write against my own interest.”
Hundeyin decided to go public with the bribe offer to educate the public about the external interests invested in maintaining energy poverty in Nigeria and West Africa.
He explained, “People need to know that there are external interests invested in the energy poverty that Nigeria and West Africa have historically faced. I don’t believe that my going public with it is going to change the world, however, I think that the power of public exposure is one of the last few powers that regular people in this part of the world still have.”
He further elaborated on Arise Television, stating that foreign actors exploit Africa’s energy challenges, and there is a narrative war being fought by these entities using African faces to lead the attack. Hundeyin maintained, “There is a narrative war being fought by foreign entities, using African faces to lead this attack.”
Despite his revelations, Hundeyin expressed skepticism about any governmental action, noting, “I expect the government to do absolutely nothing as they always do. I didn’t do this to get a response from the government. It was to educate the public because I think it is only the public that can rescue this thing now, because clearly the government of the day at the very least, doesn’t seem to care if Dangote refinery takes off or not.”
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