• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

DR. IVAN EDWARDS: Former US president Barack Obama is right

Watchdog Uganda by Watchdog Uganda
2 years ago
in Conversations with, Op-Ed
17 0
ShareTweetSendShare

The unequal coverage of the Oceangate submersible, with the loss of 5 lives, versus the sinking of a migrant boat, with the loss of 700 people, in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coastline of Greece, is a travesty that underlines “an obscene inequality.”

The Oceangate submersible incident gripped and dominated the news cycles worldwide while the migrant boat tragedy got a glancing moment in the press.

What is behind such inequality of coverage? 5 occupants versus 700 occupants. True, one lost life leaves a hurting and grieving family behind (and we should offer condolences to them), but the proportion of 5 lost lives versus 700 lost lives clearly shows that more pain and suffering, in terms of magnitude, is left behind for the families of the 700 lives who perished. Clearly, the scales are heavily tipped against the loved ones of the 700 lives.

One can suppose that the reasons that explain such outrageous inequality are attributes of class, race, and notable status.

The 5 occupants of the Oceangate submersible were people of class. They were fabulously rich (one of whom was a billionaire with links to Buckingham Palace); they had connections to people in power and had access to outstanding resources. A trip in the submersible that cost $250, 000 was mere chump change for them. In contrast, the migrants in the capsized boat were poor, had no connections to powerful people, and had no access to the meagerest of resources – except to the clothes they wore.

The occupants of the Oceangate submersible were fair skinned. The migrants in the boat were likely darker skinned. It is abominable to think about this – but one must wonder whether this “-ism” could have played a role in the inequality of coverage.

The occupants of the Oceangate were obviously notable. They were great minds with a lot to offer humanity. The boat migrants, however, were non-notable; they were just “migrants” looking for refuge with nothing to offer society except cause more problems (sarcasm).

Such “obscene inequality” must be looked at closely. The press should look at itself, through close introspective lenses. Why did the two events, one significantly more impactful than the other, get different coverages in a clearly “illogical and lopsided” way?

This introspection shouldn’t stop at the press. The public that desires such sensational stories should not get off easily. Why do readers like to follow one story over the other? This leads us to the fact that “obscene inequality” can run deeper than we think.

About the writer
Dr. Ivan Edwards is a Ugandan American who was born and raised in Uganda, and later immigrated to the US, where he currently resides. He is a medical doctor, a USAF flight surgeon, at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, a humanitarian, an entrepreneur and an international motivational speaker.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
Share4Tweet2SendShare

Related Posts

Minister Milly Babalanda
Op-Ed

BABIRYE MILLY BABALANDA: My Nomination Reaffirms My Mission Of Servant Leadership To Budiope West

21st October 2025 at 09:34
Dr. Ayub Mukisa (Ph.D.)
Conversations with

Dr. Ayub Mukisa: Unless the cheap sale of Karamoja’s sorghum stops, hunger and misery will never end

20th October 2025 at 18:08
Kagenyi Lukka
Op-Ed

KAGENYI LUKKA: Why President Museveni Deserves Another Term in Office from 2026-31

19th October 2025 at 07:43
Next Post

Over 2,000 entrepreneurs graduate from Stanbic Bank Business Incubator training

  • NAGRC’s Super Goat Breed Poised to Transform Uganda into a Major Exporter

    3205 shares
    Share 1282 Tweet 801
  • Chris Rwakasisi: From Obote’s Security Minister to a Symbol of Forgiveness in Today’s Uganda

    38 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 10
  • 10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1294 shares
    Share 518 Tweet 324
  • Col. Samson Mande: Why I fled Uganda and how I reconciled with Museveni

    32 shares
    Share 13 Tweet 8
  • Gen. Chefe Ali: The Silent Storm Behind Uganda’s Liberation and Kenzo’s Legacy

    32 shares
    Share 13 Tweet 8
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Youth Activist Angella Namirembe Dies at 27 in Tragic Road Accident

21st October 2025 at 21:35

Inspectorate of Government collaborates with Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition to strengthen corruption fight

21st October 2025 at 19:56

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

NAGRC’s Super Goat Breed Poised to Transform Uganda into a Major Exporter

17th September 2025 at 08:52
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0

Youth Activist Angella Namirembe Dies at 27 in Tragic Road Accident

21st October 2025 at 21:35

Inspectorate of Government collaborates with Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition to strengthen corruption fight

21st October 2025 at 19:56

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda