Babajide Okeowo
The Nigerian Xpress, a top-of-the-range newspaper, on Saturday, at the Colonades Hotel, Ikoyi, in Lagos, made its much-awaited entrance into the media sphere.
Prominent Nigerians from all walks of life, ranging from the business, political, religious and traditional circles, were on hand to felicitate with the promoter, Mr. Steve Nwosu, as he officially introduced the newspaper to the public.
Mr. Nwosu, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper said in his welcome address that the birth of the newspaper was a dream come true and from a desire to contribute his quota to the development of the media industry and the country as a whole.
According to Nwosu, “The public presentation of this paper is an outcome of a dream which is to contribute our quota to the industry and to the country at large.
“Our intention is to bridge the gap between the traditional media and the new media, we will be very strong online and an equally strong print edition.
“The slogan of the newspaper is ‘News as it breaks’ and I assure you that we will not disappoint you,” he said.
The co-chairman on the occasion and a former governor of Jigawa State, Dr. Sule Lamido Lamido, congratulated Mr. Steve Nwosu and The Nigerian Xpress team on the birth of the newspaper, while urging the newspaper to be fair, balanced and objective in its reporting.
Dr. Lamido, who was represented by a former minister of state for foreign affairs, Dr. Nurudeen Muhammed, in his address, said “I congratulate the publisher of the newspaper Mr. and Mrs. Steve Nwosu for this breakthrough to merge the traditional and online medium, which is revolutionary.
“He is someone who I have enjoyed reading for so long, and as he has established this platform, I urge the newspaper to be fair, balanced and objective in its reportage, how we report the country is very important.”
Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Malam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, also congratulated Mr. Nwosu for the bold step and wished him best of luck in the new endeavor.
In the words of Malam Kawu,“Ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank Mr. Steve Nwosu for inviting me here today for the public presentation of The Nigerian Xpress newspaper, it takes tremendous courage to delve into the murky waters of newspaper publication at this time in the industry given the economic situation.
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“As the pioneer editor of the Daily Trust newspaper, I have a fair idea of the challenges ahead of Steve and his team in the next one year and beyond. We can only wish him success.”
Delivering the keynote address entitled, ‘2019: The Media and the Challenge of Free and Fair Elections’, Kawu painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s situation while urging the media to beam its searchlight more on the plight of Nigerians more than the cycle of elections.
“I watched the vice presidential debate organized by the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, BON the other day, with due respect to my colleagues, I felt very disappointed.
“The guide under which the debate held was narrow without a rigorous interpretation of the great challenges of our country.
“My challenge to Steve Nwosu is a simple one; please take a look back to the community of Kwara where you grew up?
“Do you think it was right of the Nigerian ruling class to kill your home and the industrial growth witnessed there?
“Can The Nigerian Xpress newspaper rise to challenge, tackle the dominance of poverty, systemic decay, which has become the order of the day for so long, I hope your newspaper will do so,” he said.
In the same vein, Prof. Pat Utomi, the founder of Centre for Value in Leadership, said “I used to challenge young reporters and even publishers on how they project today’s realities to the world.
“The main target of a newspaper is to project multiple ideas into meaning. There are so many things happening, how do we get meanings out of them?
“My hope and expectation of The Nigerian Xpress is that, with the pedigree of those who have gathered round this project, we will get great capacity for transmitting a rapidly changing world.
“I have no doubts in my mind that there are talents in this country, but we must have the discipline to do the right thing.
“So, I want to congratulate all those associated with this project and to equally challenge you that we are watching.
“I sincerely hope that you will pick up the mantle, congratulations to the team, go out there and make it happen,” he charged the team.
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Speaking of his expectations of The Nigerian Xpress, Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, said he has no doubt that the newspaper will do so well in the industry giving the caliber of thoroughbred journalists that the paper boasts of.
“I have no doubts at all on what this newspaper will achieve, the paper packs some of the doyen in the industry, people like Steve Nwosu, Abdulfatah Oladeinde amongst others, and these are people I have huge respect for.
“They are thoroughbred professionals who are committed to the development of the industry.
“They are enshrined with the doctrine of fair reporting so, the sky is the limit for the newspaper.”
The event, which was anchored by one of the foremost comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka witnessed a huge turnout of top politicians, captains of industry, religious and traditional leaders.
