Monday 4 November 2013

Plagiarism: An apology from someone with a stake in The Nigerian Telegraph

A result of sorts – An apology
After a long day of making the case about my blog being plagiarised by The Nigerian Telegraph, I finally got someone with a stake in the newspaper to engage me and chat about the issue.
The apology for ‘our mess’ is what makes the apology worth its weight.
The apology came from the Finance Editor of the Nigerian Telegraph.


Our Twitter exchange appears below, and though I asked to use our conversation in a blog, his view was if I must. I guess I should because if I make an accusation of plagiarism and receive an apology, it is only right to blog about it.
Obviously, along the lines of Do The Needful when it comes to plagiarism, I do expect The Nigerian Telegraph to take down that article. I created a Storify of some of the tweets, titled, Closing the loop on plagiarism.

It is serious
Along the way, I was admonished, maybe that is a strong word, advised to forgive and forget – No, you do not forgive plagiarism and it is very difficult to forget because this goes to the heart of the principles that underpin and undergird an organisation and the personalities that run it; it is a matter of honour and of integrity.
However, I am ready to accept the apology and the promise that it never happen again because the person who made the apology is someone I respect for his views and opinions on Twitter. He is the Finance Editor of The Nigerian Telegraph; I believe he also appreciates the reputational risk of being associated, albeit remotely with an organisation tainted with the proven allegation of plagiarism.
The Twitter Conversation
I believe I used the word ‘Plagiarism’ fairly and justly, and I am ready to move on. The Twitter trail of that event appears below.
My first observation

Then I asked

After which I wrote this blog and asked for an apology

Then I broadcast the tweet





When I originally wrote the blog, I thought is was written for The Nigerian Telegraph by a Chidi Okoye, but later found that it was signed by the Editor and online at this URL http://telegraphng.com/2013/11/culture-impunity/

Then it became a cause

Many hours later, after posting a comment on that article, which they moderated but never published, I returned to make my case.


Then I got this response - What is the issue?

It got an apology, but I needed to know who it was coming from.

He is the Finance Editor for the Nigerian Telegraph, I do consider him a friend on Twitter.


I then asked to use the exchanges we had in a blog, at least to say I have received an apology.



We concluded the conversation thus:

Do The Needful; That means after the apology, restitute by taking that article down.
This is a promise.


I use the word 'Plagiarism' fairly and justly.




No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments are accepted if in context are polite and hopefully without expletives and should show a name, anonymous, would not do. Thanks.