http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/english.php Journalist - English en vasilis@vasilis.nl Copyright 2012 Pivot Pivot - 1.40.1: 'Dreadwind' Tue, 08 May 2012 06:56:36 +0200 60 http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=369&w=femke_van_zeijl http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=369&w=femke_van_zeijl#comm I have been criticised on Twitter about not saying much on Boko Haram, as the islamist group held responsible for many bombings in Northern Nigeria is popularly called. I explained that Boko Haram gets enough free air time as it is. Moreover at the moment I don't feel I have anything new to add to the discussion on Boko Haram. I have something to say though about the media in times of terror, when journalism becomes a life or death issue. I did so on Twitter @femkevanzeijl under the hashtag #terrorandmedia. This is a recap of that Twitter talk.

There are 3 questions a journalist covering terrorism should ask himself. Let me call it 'A Journalist's Checklist in Times of Terror':
#1 Am I being used as a tool of terror?
#2 Am I adding to the fear?
#3 Am I becoming a party in the conflict?

All things a journalist should try to avoid at all times. Not an easy task. Who ever said is was an easy job? Some rules of thumb might make the job easier though. '10 Rules of Media Etiquette in Times of Terror', if you will:#1 Know the stakes and agenda of the parties in the conflict to understand why messages are conveyed to the media.
#2 Decide case by case if a message's newsworthy enough to outweigh the effect of yr media helping sender fulfil his agenda.
#3 Putting news in perspective to a confused and scared audience is more important than reporting on yet another explosion.
#4 Perspective is not yet another opinion piece. Well researched social/economic background stories serve purpose better.
#5 Do not publish hit lists. It is the easiest way for anyone to get attention.
#6 Do not publish about bomb scares. We do not publish about false fire alarms or almost accidents either.
#7 Don't let your media's agenda be ruled by terror. There is ALWAYS other news worth covering. It balances the image.
#8 Write under general bylines ('from our reporter'). Share professional responsibility and lessen the risk for individuals.
#9 In breaking news, don't let your emotions shine through using derogatory words. It's up to the reader/listener/viewer to judge.
#10 Stick to the facts, stick to the facts, stick to the facts.

Let me elaborate a bit on these Rules of Etiquette before I round off. I speak of 'parties' in the conflict. Plural. Politicians and NGOs have an agenda in times of terror too. All need scrutiny. You'd be surprised how often decision #2 will turn out negative: not newsworthy enough to justify granting free airtime. One might object #6, saying hit lists will get published online anyway. It's the media's responsibility to argue against it and explain why. I would like to put the emphasis on #10. Hearsay, innuendo and half truths are deadly to journalism in general. In times of terror they are deadly.
A Nigerian media wide debate on the issue wouldn't be a bad idea. Professionalism is something to hold on to in times of crisis. People panic when violence erupts, but if you have discussed how to act beforehand, chances are you will act more responsibly.
So far my opinions as a media professional – both Checklist and Etiquette Rules are open to discussion. Consider yourself invited. ]]> 369@http://fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/ English Mon, 07 May 2012 21:47:00 +0200 http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=368&w=femke_van_zeijl http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=368&w=femke_van_zeijl#comm It is Nigeria's best kept secret and in my opinion could be as successful an export product as crude oil: moin moin, or steamed bean cake. The first time I tasted it, I fell in love. Sweet, spicy, creamy and silky... Healthy too, made from ingredients you can find all over the world. This week's blog on YNaija is about my love affair with moin moin. But talking about food is like talking about sex: eventually you want to experience it. Find the recipe below.Recipe for moin moin - Nigerian steamed bean cake
3 cups soaked and peeled black eyed beans
1 big onion
1 bell pepper
1 or 2 chilly peppers
2 boiled eggs, tin of salmon
sunflower oil, salt

The peeling of the beans. Disaster. Tip: do not soak the beans longer than ten minutes. The usual method, rubbing the beans together to make the skins come off, takes ages. Alternatively you can zip the beans in the blender ever so shortly. Then put them in water so the skins float to the surface. Still a nuisance. The Nigerian friend who came to dinner and brought a bag of ready peeled beans (African Food Products) has won my everlasting gratitude.


Once the pealing is over with, things go quick. Throw all ingredients except the eggs and fish in the food processor with half a cup of warm water and chop to a pulp. The mixture should have the consistency of thick custard. While the machine does its work, fold bags out of tinfoil as shown in the adjoining pictures (starting left on the top and continuing clockwise). Fold them well! Moin moin is prone to expand and badly folded bags will burst during the steaming process.

Fill the tinfoil bags with a spoonful of bean mixture, some salmon shreds and a couple of egg slices and then another spoonful of bean mixture. Do not fill up entirely but leave a bit of space before closing the bag. Also to prevent moin moin explosions. True moin moin is folded in local 'ewe eran' leaves or banana leaves - after one failed attempt I gave up on that. What you should experiment with are the added ingredients: roasted mushrooms, sautéd onions, leek... But not egg plant (garden egg). Do not go there.

Carefully put the filled bags in the steamer, put the lid on and leave on the stove for at least an hour. Check for ruptures once in a while - you want to be aware of them sooner rather than later. Trying to clean a casserole encrusted with moin moin is a torment. When the moin moin is cooked, leave it to cool down a bit before you peal the tin foil off. Nigerians have moin moin with spongy white bread or lovely jollof rice. I have my moin moin with moin moin. ]]> 368@http://fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/ English Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:14:00 +0200 http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=366&w=femke_van_zeijl http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=366&w=femke_van_zeijl#comm The big man whispers something in my ear, but the monstrous fans on the freshly cut lawn make so much noise I cannot understand him. So he speaks up. His voice is surprisingly squeaky, as if someone is squeezing his throat.
‘I could help you with rent, you know. you don’t have to settle for the Mainland.’
Being a woman in Nigeria means a large percentage of the time you are seen as a sexual commodity. Add to that being white, no matter how you look, and you also become a sexual trophy.
Read my blog on YNaija ]]> 366@http://fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/ English Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:12:00 +0200 http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=364&w=femke_van_zeijl http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=364&w=femke_van_zeijl#comm ‘Animal! Beast! You idiot!’ The taxi driver’s following lines are lost on me because they are in Yoruba. Judging his expression and intonation the content is at least equally insulting as his tirade in English. In his opinion, the bus driver coming from the opposite direction should have given way. Needless to say his opponent does not agree, which the latter expresses in a language matching his counterpart’s abusiveness. The two happily insult each other for a couple of minutes, not minding holding up traffic on this back road in Surulere near Lagos University’s Teaching Hospital. Then they move on as if nothing happened.
Lagosian anger management: read my blog on YNaija ]]> 364@http://fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/ English Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:27:00 +0200 http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=362&w=femke_van_zeijl http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=362&w=femke_van_zeijl#comm ‘Funkeeee!’ Immediately when I come walking around the street corner, they notice me. My neighbours in this little part of Ebute-Metta have not forgotten about me. Little Gbenga comes sprinting out of the corridor where his mum was dusting his neck with talcum powder. ‘Auntie Funke!’ When he grins, I see a hole: there’s one baby tooth missing. It reminds me of my eldest niece who is also changing teeth. They are of the same age. Mikkey, one of the street’s fathers, sends for a bottle of STAR for him and me. Even when it is only eleven thirty in the morning, I would not dream of refusing.
Read my blog 'Femke becomes Funke' ]]> 362@http://fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/ English Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:16:00 +0200 http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=360&w=femke_van_zeijl http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=360&w=femke_van_zeijl#comm My right hand with the carefully kneaded little ball of amala is half way my to mouth when I look up. Three pairs of eyes are pointed at me. Apparently the personnel of this joint around the corner in Agege, Lagos, does not have a whole lot to do. The waitress with the shuffling pace brought me a bottle of water and then took a seat at the nearest table. She manoeuvred the plastic chair in such a way she now has an excellent view of the stainless steel bowl with okra soup in front of me on the table. With great interest she follows how I dip the yam dough in the slimy green sauce and try to hoist it up without creating to many threads. I stuff the amala in my mouth, wipe the one unavoidable string of slime off my chin with a napkin and go on eating. Ten years of travelling in Sub-Saharan Africa made me almost immune to stares. Most of the time, at least.
Read my blog on YNaija.com ]]> 360@http://fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/ English Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:45:00 +0200 http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=358&w=femke_van_zeijl http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=358&w=femke_van_zeijl#comm A managing director in showbiz has heard of me already and wants to launch me on television? I had understood Nigeria was the land of opportunity, but hadn’t expected things to happen this fast. I have only been in Lagos for a week. My cv must have been going round in the right circles...
Read the new entry of my blog 'Femke Becomes Funke' ]]> 358@http://fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/ English Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:23:00 +0200 http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=356&w=femke_van_zeijl http://www.fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/entry.php?id=356&w=femke_van_zeijl#comm Writing behind people's backs - it is not intended that way but it is often what it feels like when you write your stories in a language your interviewees do not understand. The coming months I will be blogging about my moving process to Lagos on the Dutch website OneWorld.nl. But this time the interviewees will be able to read it too: CitizensPlatform.net, a Nigerian website, will simultaneously publish the English equivalent 'Femke becomes Funke'.
Read the first entry 'A Terrifying Dream' ]]> 356@http://fvz-journaliste.nl/pivot/ English Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:52:00 +0200