Nigeria, March 30 -- In school, we are taught that the media - often described as the Fourth Estate - exists to educate, inform, and serve as a watchdog for society. Yet, behind this noble ideal lies a troubling reality: media narratives are frequently shaped by the interests of their proprietors, patrons, and editors. Even on deeply sensitive national issues, editorial direction can be swayed by commercial gain, political allegiance, or ethnic loyalties.

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, as I discussed in a recent article, starkly illustrates the hypocrisy and bias in global media coverage. Western outlets routinely suppress narratives sympathetic to President Vladimir Putin, just as some Eastern media demonise President Volodymyr Zelensk...