The Myth of Neutrality: Why Giving a Platform to “Prophecies” is Bad Journalism

In every election cycle across West Africa, we see a familiar and disappointing pattern. Established news outlets, which claim to uphold the highest standards of objectivity, begin to pepper their political coverage with “prophetic declarations.” One day it is a vision of victory for the ruling party; the next, a spiritual warning for the opposition.
To the editors and journalists who continue to publish these stories: It is time to stop pretending this is neutral reporting. It is a betrayal of your profession.

1. “Reporting” is not a Shield for Irresponsibility
   Many journalists argue that they are simply “reporting the news” by quoting a popular religious figure. But journalism is the art of selection. Every time you choose to publish a prophecy instead of a story on infrastructure, education, or policy, you are telling the public that spiritual guesswork is as important as material fact. Neutrality is not an excuse to abandon common sense.

2. Validation by Association
   When a reputable newspaper or TV station features a prophet’s prediction next to a legitimate political analysis, you are giving that prophet unearned credibility. You are telling your audience that “visions” belong in the same category as “data.” This confuses the electorate and undermines the work of serious investigative journalists who spend months uncovering the truth.

3. The Silence When They Are Wrong
   The most damaging part of this “prophetic journalism” is the lack of accountability. When a predicted result fails to happen, the media rarely returns to ask for an explanation. Instead, you simply wait for the next “prophecy” to generate the next headline. This cycle proves that these stories are not being published for their truth value, but for “clicks,” “likes,” and “shares.”

4. A Threat to Democratic Stability
   In a region where political tensions can lead to real-world violence, publishing conflicting “divine” victories is reckless. You are playing with fire for the sake of engagement. When both sides are told by “men of God” through your platform that they have already won in the spiritual realm, you are setting the stage for one side to feel cheated, leading to potential unrest.
   A Call to Action

Our democracy deserves better. We need journalists who can distinguish between a press release and a prayer point. We need editors who value their reputation more than a morning’s worth of viral traffic.
If you want to be a news organization, report the news. If you want to report prophecies, move to the entertainment or religious section. Do not let your “neutrality” become the mask that hides the erosion of the truth.
Suggested ways to use this text:
* The “Tag and Share” Method: Post snippets of this on social media and tag the news handles that are currently sharing these prophecies.

• The Formal Complaint: Many professional media associations (like the GJA in Ghana or NUJ in Nigeria) have ethics committees. You can email this to them as a formal concern about the “sensationalization of political reporting.”
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