Publisher of Blueprint Newspapers, Alhaji Muhammed Idris, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu were among top dignitaries that gathered at the weekend in Lagos to honour nine departed media icons at the event jointly organised by the Nigeria Press Organisation (NPO), consisting of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN); Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE); Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON).
Those honoured included pioneer President of NPAN and former governor of Lagos state, late Alhaji Lateef Jakande; former Life Patron of NPAN, Malam Ismaila Isa Funtua; former Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Tony Momoh, and former Publisher of New Nation and Sunday Times Editor, Chief Gbolabo Ogunsanwo.
Others are former Director-General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Mr. Ben Egbuna; former Publisher, Leadership Newspapers, late Sam Nda-Isaiah; former General Manager, Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Bisi Lawrence; former Editor, Daily Express, Mr. Eddie Aderinokun, and past NGE President and former MD/Chairman, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Wada Maida.
Giving a vote of thanks at the event which was held at MUSON Centre, Alhaji Idris, who is also the General Secretary of Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) eulogised the departed media icons for their various contributions to the development of the industry.
He said the deceased had contributed greatly to the development of journalism in Nigeria, noting that the tributes further confirmed that the institutions in the industry today are there to the credit of some of them.
Alhaji Idris explained that by honouring the late media icons, those still alive are also paying the greatest tributes to themselves.
He also commended Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for his support towards the media over the years, noting that the profession will always be grateful to him.
“Your presence here today sir to be part of this event where we honoured our departed senior colleagues’ shows the high esteem you hold for the media in this country.
In his tribute for Ismaila Isa, Sam Amuka-Pemu, publisher of the Vanguard Newspaper, said the deceased was unfairly regarded as an undue beneficiary of government favour.
He said Isa’s company, Bullet Construction, had been in good business before he became noticed as friends of heads of government.
The tribute was read on his behalf by Gbenga Adefaye, general manager of Vanguard, and incumbent provost of Nigeria Institute of Journalism, NIJ. Adefaye led the team that organised the event.
Ray Ekpu, a founding director of the Newswatch Magazine, and now a director of May Five Publications, gave testimonies about Momoh who he said towered above many others in his time and also fought for the freedom of the press.
Olusegun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State, also a former chief executive of Daily Times, wants the family of Jakande to check his library for materials that could enrich a memoir in honour of a man who was the grandfather of journalism in Nigeria.
