The Nation Newspaper

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  • The Nation celebrates its special ones

    IT has been a wonderful year for The Nation: eight awards – the highest by any newspaper – at the November 9 Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA) in Owerri, the Imo State capital and seven – also the highest- at Sunday’s Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) in Lagos. This newspaper was also named Newspaper of the Year and Editor Gbenga Omotoso Editor of the Year.

    The men who brought the laurels lined up yesterday to receive accolades from the management. They were invited to the weekly Editors’ Meeting to shake hands with Managing Director Victor Ifijeh, Executive Director (Finance and Administration) Ade Odunewu, General Editor Ade Ade-Adeleye, General Manager Soji Omotunde and others.

    It was time for some rib cracking, hand popping and back patting inside the board room at the company’s Lagos headquarters.

    All smiles, Ifijeh said the DAME awards confirmed this newspaper’s feats at the NMMA. “You’ve made us proud,” he told the awardees.

    The honours, he said, are for “all our reporters everywhere and for our perceptive writers and our sub-editors who ensure standard as well as our non-editorial colleagues who provide the logistics”.

    Ifijeh recalled that in the citation, The Nation was described as one of the giants. “We want to be the giant,” he said, adding: “We must continue to press on – as defined in our Vision – to be the first paper of choice for discerning readers. We will get there. We will be the undisputed champion. In fact, with eight awards from NMMA and seven from DAME- with 15 nominations – we are the champion.”

    The managing director told the awardees that the management would reward their enterprise. “You’re special and we will treat you as so,” he said. The audience clapped excitedly.

    Odunewu, who Ifijeh conferred with “the honorary membership of the Board of Editors”, described the awardees as “our strikers” who deserve to be encouraged as they strive to do better.

    To him, Ifijeh deserves commendation because “if an organisation is doing well, it is the head”.

    Mr. Ade-Adeleye described the awardees as the next generation of the company’s leaders, saying “it is a privilege for them”.

    Sport Editor Ade Ojeikere popped the champagne. Glasses were filled and Odunewu proposed the toast – to the health of the company and its leadership. More handshakes, more jokes and a photo session.

    Gbenga Omotoso emerged the Editor of the Year. Editorial Board Chairman Sam Omatseye won the Informed Commentary Prize.

    Serial award winner and Associate Editor Olatunji Ololade, who less than a month ago won the CNN African Journalist of the Year in the Medical and Health Reporting category, got the Peninsula Resort Prize for Health Reporting. His winning entry is “Blind Medicine”, published on April 6, 2013. Ololade was also runner-up in the Child-Friendly and Development Reporting categories.

    Star reporter and multiple award-winner Seun Akioye won the Development Reporting Prize with his entry “Even the rich envy us the way we live”, published in The Nation on Saturday, April 20, 2013. Assistant Editor Joke Kujenya was runner-up in this category. This is the third prize the story has won this year. The expose on Dustbin Estate in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State has won the N1 million Golden Pen Reporter of the Year organised by the Nigerian Breweries Plc and the NMMA Environment Reporting prize.

    Akioye was also a runner-up in the Investigative Reporting category, which was won by The Nation’s Head of Investigative Desk Adekunle Yusuf for his story “How addiction to corruption is killing the drug agency”. The report was done for Tell Communications Ltd, his former employer. Akioye and Chief Correspondent Kunle Akinrinade were runners-up in this category. Yusuf was also runner-up in the Business Reporting category, which was won by Gbenga Salau of The Guardian.

    Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu won the Anthony Enahoro Prize for Political Reporting with his entry “Census: Can Nigeria get it right?” published on September 24, 2013.

    Senior Correspondent (Judiciary) Joseph Jibueze got the Judicial Reporting prize, with his entry “Rape: Why most suspects escape justice”, published on June 17, 2013.

    The organiser said: “In emerging The Newspaper of the Year for the first time at DAME, The Nation put up an impressive fight, elbowing out The Punch in a close finish. The Nation won five DAMEs in Informed Commentary, Development Reporting, Health Reporting, Political Reporting and Judicial Reporting. She also came second in six categories, namely Informed Commentary, Development Reporting, Child Friendly Reporting, Business Reporting, Editorial Writing and Press Investigative Reporter of the Year.

    “Finally, she also recorded two third place positions in Press Investigative Reporter of the Year award and Development Reporting. Established in 2006, The Nation has gradually emerged as a paper of record, parading some of the most enterprising reporters and columnists in the land. Guided by its Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director Victor Ifijeh, the Editor, Gbenga Omotoso, Sam Omatseye, its chairman of the Editorial Board and a host of other key officers, The Nation is truly one of Nigeria’s leading newspaper giants.”

     

  • Why The Nation man Ololade won, by CNN

    Why The Nation man Ololade won, by CNN

    The Nation’s serial award-winning Assistant Editor Olatunji Ololade emerged at the weekend winner of the Health and Medical Category of the CNN African Journalist of the Year.  Ololade received the award from the Managing Director of MSD South Africa, Kaja Natland in Arusha, Tanzania.

    He won the award for his story titled: “This marriage will kill me – Tragedy of Nigeria’s child brides”.  The judges praised Ololade for his excellent writing and attention to details.

    This is what the judges said about his winning entry: “This category provides the challenge of making oftencomplicated and technical issues understandable and readable. Our two excellent finalists illustrate both the range of entries and how well many of those rose to the challenge. Our winner produced a moving account of Nigeria’s child brides and a close look at the devastating medical and personal implications of forcing young teenagers to marry much older men. It is a major story on a widespread problem, written with a deep sense of humanity, and an excellent attention to detail. The medical issues are set out with clarity and the result leaves one with a tangible sense of the horrors of this practice and the long-term trauma. It is a moving and informative exemplar of the value of well-crafted health reporting. It was well-illustrated and effectively presented.”

  • NUJ nominates The Nation reporter for award

    The Benue State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) 2013 Media Merit Award Committee led by the Rector of the College of Advanced and Professional Studies (CAPS), Dr. Tyotom Keghku, has nominated The Nation reporter in Benue State, Uja Emmanuel, for an award.

    A letter to Emmanuel, dated August 22, signed by the secretary, Central Planning Committee, for the 2014 Media Merit Award, said: “The NUJ Benue State Council has nominated you for the 2013 Media Merit Award in recognition of your contributions to journalism.”

    The award has been fixed for tomorrow at the Lush Ecents, Kwarafa Quarters, Makurdi, at 5pm.

  • The Nation man Ololade makes CNN Awards shortlist

    The Nation man Ololade makes CNN Awards shortlist

    The Nation serial award-winner Olatunji Ololade has been announced among the 28 finalists of the CNN African Journalist of the Year.

    The organisers’ statement at the weekend also showed that two reporters from Premium Times – Ben Ezeamalu and Emmanuel Ogala – made the shortlist.

    Other Nigerians, who will join other finalists from 10 countries, are: The Punch man Bayo Olupohunda and Business Day’s Obinna Emelike.

    Ololade and others will enjoy an all-expense paid finalists’ programme where prizes will be handed out to category and overall winners in Dar es Salam, Tanzania.

    Winners will be announced at an award event and gala night on October 18.

    The gala, to be hosted by CNN International anchor and correspondent, Isha Sesay, will be preceded by an all-expense paid four-day programme of workshops, media fora and networking.

    A statement announcing the finalists quoted the Executive Vice-President and Managing Director of CNN International, Tony Maddox, as praising “the quality and excellence of work” in the competition.

    The other finalists from outside Nigeria are: Daniel Biaou Adje, ORTB, Benin; Safia Berkouk, El Watan, Algeria; Vinayak Bhardwaj and Tabelo Timse, M&G Centre for Investigative Journalism, Mail and Guardian, South Africa; Romão Brandão, Jornal OPAÍS, Angola; Sean Christie, Freelance for Landbouweekblad and The Mail and Guardian, South Africa; Bob Koigi, Farmbizafrica.com, Kenya and Joseph Mathenge, Freelance for The Saturday Nation, Kenya, among others.

     

  • Jonathan’s war against the media

    Jonathan’s war against the media

    IT came across at first a mere mistake, the work of overzealous members of the armed forces. But when on Friday, newspapers did not get to the readers all across the country, it was obvious that it was not an act of soldiers acting beyond their call of duty. It was their damnable call of duty.

    They had been mandated by the high command to impound newspapers, including The Nation, from reaching their destinations. The Nation was not the only victim in this act of savage disregard to free speech. It affected major newspapers, and the umbrage is evident in the voices of these newspapers because of its throwback to the era of military nervousness.

    The Nation was not allowed to move in the various regions of the country. In the Southwest, this newspaper did not circulate in the major cities of the region, including Ibadan, Ekiti, Osogbo, Abeokuta, Ondo and Akure. In the South-south, the newspaper did not reach buyers in Port Harcourt, Asaba, Warri, Uyo and Calabar, as well as other parts of the region.

    In the Federal Capital Territory, the soldiers clamped down at the distribution hub in Garki. They hounded away the distribution staff, including drivers, and set the vehicle drivers in disarray. They impounded the vehicles of such newspapers as The Nation, The Punch, The Vanguard, The Leadership, The Guardian, The Sun, and quite a few others. This happened on Friday with a repeat on Saturday.

    The Nation newspaper was also barred from the northern cities, including Kano, Kaduna, Zaria, Jos, as well as their smaller towns. The fact that this was allowed to happen once and the second time, and the military did not retreat from such act, shows that the military was not alone in this matter. It was not an example of lower level zealousness but upper-crust disdain and fear.

    The Jonathan administration that has claimed to give fair airings to divergent views has reached a new high mark in tyranny. At the time of this editorial, no government official from the Presidency has issued any statement on this primitive show of force.

    To worsen this matter and establish a pattern, the Nigeria Press Council has issued a directive to broadcast stations across the country, including the TV Continental and Channels TV, stating that henceforth, no live political programme should air without clearance 48 hours before broadcast.

    This is happening also against the background of an order in Abuja by notorious police commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu (formerly of the Rivers State Police Command but now of the Federal Capital Territory), to ban any protests for the release of the over 200 missing Chibok girls. The shameful pirouette on the order has not been adequately explained.

    It shows a strong temper of intolerance by the Jonathan administration that it could be comparing itself in deed not the best of democracies but to the worst of military dictatorship. This is a president who in farcical language tended to derogate the vices of Pharaohs and Nebuchadnezzar. Yet his government is presiding over the cruelest act of suppression of free speech.

    The excuse advanced by the military on the first day of the clampdown was that they were working on intelligence that the insurgent group Boko Haram was planning to use newspaper vans to carry out attacks. We appreciate the military for being sensitive to a piece of intelligence. But what was the wisdom in detaining vehicles for a whole day? If they wanted to check the vehicles for incriminating or subversive matter, all they needed to do was search the vehicles and satisfy themselves that the vehicles did not carry any substance that could imperil the peace.

    Such an exercise when done professionally should not have delayed the vehicles for more than 30 minutes. They have the tools to search for arms and other explosives, and we believe they ought to have at least technology of modest sophistication to detect them. They could have undertaken their searches and allowed the vehicles to reach their places of destination. How does a newspaper that trades on truth become a public enemy? How does the Jonathan administration, which has bumbled its way serially in the fight against terror, now want to nail down the media as the enemy? Is this shameful show of cluelessness the way the Jonathan administration has been conducting its war on Boko Haram? If that is the case, we can see why it has become a laughing stock of the international community. They have been tragically pursuing the wrong targets.

    Is the media guilty because it wants to report the facts and imbue the society with the various actions and tendencies of the political class? If the Jonathan administration has any point of view to canvass, it has its media staff to articulate them.

    The Jonathan administration cannot also explain why it has decided through the Press Council to rein in free speech also in the electronic media. Live shows are an important jewel in broadcasting and in modern communication. The president’s periodic press show is also beamed live on national television and online. So, would the president say that it ought to notify the Press Council and allow it to vet everything the president says?

    This muzzling of free speech has no place in a civilised society. It is rash, reckless, irresponsible and out of sync with the high ideals of democracy and liberal society. We therefore call on the presidency to halt this vicious trend.  It is not in its place to allow or disallow the media to do its work.  The Constitution already grants that right and it cannot be taken away by anybody, no matter how misguided or powerful they think they are.  But the Jonathan presidency must halt its newfound war against the press because it is a distraction too many — and this government is too tragically distracted already. The media mirrors society, and the president has no right in the constitution to stop this. It subverts the tenets of the constitution that guarantees free speech.

    Ordering soldiers to impound distribution vehicles and the Press Council to choke out targeted political shows is a sure way to rank this president and its team among the despotic follies of history anywhere.

  • Soldiers impound Warri/Benin bound The Nation van

    The crack-down on The Nation newspaper continued on Saturday as the June 6 consignment  for Warri and Benin axis was seized by men of the Nigerian army at Elele, Ikwerre council area of Rivers state early in the morning.

    The newspaper distribution centre at the Airport Junction, along the Warri/Sapele Road in Effurun was taken over again Saturday morning by a detachment of soldiers in two vans, a repeat of the experience on Friday.

    The driver of  The Nation’s van conveying the  Saturday edition, Chisom, had his phone and the vehicle’s key seized from the soldiers who impounded his vehicle.  .

    Giving a hint of the development, a colleague of Chisom, Uche Uka-George, who suffered a similar experience on Friday when his van was impounded by soldiers around Okuokoko, on the outskirts of Warri metropolis, said his colleague who carried the Owerri consignment for Friday had not returned till Saturday morning.

    “Today it’s Chisom Godknows, they seized his car key and his phone, nobody knows what is happening to him now because they seized his phone, nobody has been able to reach him. They held him around Elele. The Ogoni boy who went to Owerri yesterday has not returned”, Uche said.

    The soldiers who held Uche on Friday had told him that they had orders from Abuja to hold the vehicle and the paper until it was ascertained that he was not carrying explosives.

    Uche was told that  his vehicle was being held till bomb experts arrive from Benin.  The waiting  lasted from 5:40am till about 4:00pm.

  • DAY 2: Clamp down on The Nation

    For the second day, the Nigerian military authorities impounded the delivery vehicles of The Nation, thus preventing the paper from being sold in Abuja and many major towns nationwide.

     

  • The Nation shines at Quill Awards

    The Nation shines at Quill Awards

    Your Newspaper of the Year, The Nation, was the toast of everyone at the weekend during the Promasidor Quill Awards.

    The event, which held at the Grand Ballroom of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, brought together dignitaries and professionals in the media.

    Judges showered encomiums on the newspaper’s leadership for ensuring incisive investigation and analyses of issues affecting development and good governance.

    Multiple award-winning reporter and Head of The Nation Investigation Desk, Adekunle Yusuf, emerged winner in the CSR and Industry Reporting category. Yusuf’s winning entry details the collapse of industries in Kaduna and Kano states.

    The accolades at the Quills Awards came a week and a day after two of the paper’s reporters – Collins Nweze and Deji Ademigbuji – won the first and second runners-up prizes at the Citi Bank Awards for their incisive business reports.

    Ademigbuji is due to receive next month in Paris, France, the Schneider Prize for his report on Electronics Counterfeiting.

    Yusuf’s winning entry, titled: A Tale of Two Endangered Empires, was selected as the best among the several reports submitted in the category.

    “A tale of two endangered empires effectively gave a vivid illustration of the current socio-political life in Kano and Kaduna states. In his write-up, Mr. Yusuf stated that despite several initiatives by individuals and governments to arrest the declining economic fortunes of the two states, there is no hope that the lost glory of the once vibrant industrial hub is likely to be restored.

    “The judges were satisfied with the way the winner professionally examined the issues surrounding the decline in industrial activities in the empires and, therefore, considered his entry in-depth and outstanding,” the panel said.

    According to the panel of judges, chaired by Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole, a veteran journalist, Yusuf’s entry gives a vivid illustration of the current socio-political life in Kano and Kaduna states.

    Yusuf dedicated the award to workers and management of Vintage Press Limited, publisher of The Nation titles.

    Odimegwu Onwumere of National Pilot was the runner-up in the category with an entry, titled: CRS: Companies’ Fate in Nigeria.

    Another multiple award winner and Assistant Editor of The Nation Investigation Desk, Sina Fadare, was a runner-up in Best Report on Children category.

    Kunle Falayi (The Punch) and Isioma Madike (National Mirror) won the award.

    Fadare’s entry, titled: On the Trail of Oke-Ogun Tobacco Farmers, examined how children ended up as consumers of the dangerous substance after they were corralled into tobacco plantation by farmers.

    The Punch man, Falayi, who also won the Education Reporting category, was declared the overall winner. Besides the plaques, he also won a full scholarship to the prestigious Thomson Foundation in the United Kingdom (UK), where he will take a four-week course in Journalism to boost his reporting skill.

    Falayi, who started Journalism three years ago, said he was winning award for the first time.

    The reporter noted that he did not expect that such an honour would come early in his career.

    Other winners include: Gbenga Salau of The Guardian (Nutrition Reporting); Ayodele Ojo of The Sun (Best Photo Story); Daniel Obi of Business Day (Brand Advocate of the Year) and Obinna Odogwu, a student-writer (Future Award).

    The chairman of Promasidor Nigeria, Mr Keith Richards, said the Quill Award was borne out of the need to promote excellent reporting and professionalism in Nigerian media.

  • The Nation thanks God for ‘special year’

    The Nation thanks God for ‘special year’

    Members of the staff of Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation and Sporting Life, were ecstatic yesterday as the management held a special end-of-year interdenominational thanksgiving service.

    The quadrangle at the company’s premises was saturated with “anointing” from respectable clerics, who joined the the employees to give thanks to God for “a special year.”

    The thanksgiving followed the resounding achievements of the company last year.

    The Nation and Sporting Life shone at the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME), Sports Business/Media Award, Nigerian Media Merit Awards (NMMA) and PEARL Awards among others.

    The Nation is the Newspaper of the Year at the NMMA. It won five others, including Editor of the Year, Editorial writing of the Year and three individual awards.

    The service began with the a praise and worship session led by Olawale Olugbayibi, a store keeper and Moses Emorinken, the Personal Assistant to the Managing Director.

    The duo anchored the over two-hour spiritual-filled service, which featured special prayers, various hymns and a sermon.

    Editorial Page Editor Sanya Oni led the opening prayer. General Manager, Training and Development Pastor Soji Omotunde delivered the welcome address.

    Pastor Omotunde described the year as “special” for the company.

    He said: “It is great to witness this moment. Within seven years of its creation, our newspaper claimed Newspaper of the Year prize. Some newspapers are now envious of us because of our achievements.”

    He urged workers to put in more efforts to sustain the position.

    “God has placed us in the number one position. We should not go back; we are working towards sustaining that position,” he said.

    Urging the staff to be godly, Omotunde prayed that the company and its workers will “overflow” to 2014 by God’s grace.

    Deputy Chairman Editorial Board Tunji Adegboyega, who said a special prayer, thanked God for the company’s achievements.

    Pastor Steve Bulugbe, who ministered, said God had been wonderful in the last seven years.

    Quoting several lines from the Bible, the cleric said there was need for gratitude for whatever God had done.

    According to him, if an organisation deems it fit to thank God, He would bless it the more.

    Prophesying that the level of everyone present will change, his prayer received a thunderous “Amen”.

    Thanksgiving, Pastor Bulugbe said, is commanded by God.

    “Thanksgiving is the will of God to man; it is better to do God’s will . Every obstacle in front of The Nation shall be divided,” Pastor Bulugbe said and the gathering yelled ‘Amen’.

  • What Christmas means to The Nation facebook fans

    What Christmas means to The Nation facebook fans

    It’s that season of the year when Christians around the world celebrate Christmas. The Yuletide, marked every year to acknowledge the birth of Jesus Christ brings merriments, it is a time to share, exchange gifts, visit friends and celebrate.

    When November elapses, the spirit of Xmas takes the centre stage even though the actual celebration is 25th of December. The streets wear new looks, Xmas light and trees adorn public places, homes and offices with inscriptions like ‘Merry Xmas’ all over.

    The Nation Newspaper sought to know what Xmas really meant to people. As expected, people have diversed views of what the celebration of Christ’s birthday means to them.

    The Nation facebook fans submitted commented on what Xmas meant to them, below are some of their interesting responses:

    Olalekan Folorunso: It means the birth of divine redemption to humanity, it’s a confirmation that God came in form of human and lived among men, it means generosity- because it was a product of love for God’s grace to have permitted a carpenter to be the father of our Lord Jesus Christ- Matt.13v55. Christmas has demolished the middle wall of partition between God and man, you need no contractor to fast, pray and see vision for you anymore. Christmas has restored the lost friendship between man and God.

    It is a confirmation that our existence must be a blessing to our world 1 John 2v2. For this reason I say to you, though your beginning may not have beautiful story like Jesus that was born in a manger but ended up as Messiah of universal, with your focus on God you will end yours in glory IJN amen Lk.2v7.

    Mohammed Malabu: It means a lot to d Christians, and also we Muslims join our Christians friends in celebrating it, I hope this period will be a turning point for Nigeria’s peace and unity.

    Victor Ezeugo: To me, it means always remembering the sacrifice of Mary and the loyalty of her son Christ Jesus, and remembering me of His mercy and forgiveness to others and also to keep myself like a child.

    Adebowale Geronimo: It means the birth of Christ. We need a messiah born for us. That is important.

    Golden Mark: A season that heralds the birth of Christ, the birth or nativity of Christ, a season of unspeakable joy and expectation a season that reminds us of the second coming of Christ.

    Idachaba Ocholi: It means the celebration of my lord Jesus Christ.

    Kolawole Ajpower: It means the depth of Christ love which we are supposed to replicate.

    Thompson Omie Noah Peter: Love was born on xmas day

    Fabong Venkur: It’s a moment of reflection, celebration, Love, sharing and resolution.

    Ogba Chidi Sammy: This is what Xmas means: no more beating on closed doors, but an open heaven, Angels ascending and descending freely. Our prayers reaching the throne of God and the Holy

    Spirit constantly pouring, on us like sunshine from a cloudless sky. God with us- Emmanuel!

    Brian Ryan: Christmas is the most celebrated day of the year. When God gave salvation freely to mankind!

    Kollis Olawuyi: New things, new born, new glories, new message and many more.

    Cajetan Onuoha: The birth of our Lord and Saviour- Jesus Christ. It is a time for us to reflect on our Lives, Repent of our Sins and turn back to God our Creator. A time to help the Needy in our Society, care for the Sick and visit the prisoners. The Mass of Christ.

    Ubanwa Michael: It means Christ and the reason for the season

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