Dear editor,
Permit to bring to focus an issue that is very embarrassing to observe in our media and public offices. Infact, it is pitiful but as well unacceptable that even highly placed office-holders wantonly adopt other people’s phrases. I am referring to plagiarism, especially online plagiarism - the muddling of one’s work into another’s own - the use or close imitation of another author’s thoughts and the representation of these thoughts as if they are your own.
The most puzzling of this anomaly is that some of these perpetrators are ignorant of their transgression. They are ignorant of the fact that since they fail to give quotation or the right citation, they are not following the ethics of writing - it is indeed against journalist ethics.
In general, if you examine the news and stories we read in our media, for example, Nigeriaworld.com, you will be amazed by the ignorance and poor quality of writings and reports. Another frequent case is:
- pasting particular Eurosports.com article or report (word for word) in the Nigeriaworld.com sports central.
The implication is that the quality of our media become disregarded internationally. On the other hand, when caught in this kind of malpractice, some of our students who are admitted to further their education in the Western world end up facing somewhat criminal investigation that may lead to their expulsion from that particular institution.
There is a need to reverse this transgression before it takes deeper root in our educational system and become part of our culture.
Chuks Agu
The Netherlands
