VICE PRESIDENT HONOURS DEPARTED MEDIA LEADERS

21/05/21

DANIELS G.O

22/05/21

DANIELS G.O

AN AFTERNOON OF TRIBUTES ( Honouring The Departed, Inspiring The Living)

Nigeria’s Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo has cautioned the misuse of the Social Media to tier the country Apart.He also warned against debates over the place and future of Nigeria as well as activities of some group working for destruction.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,was speaking on Friday in Lagos where he delivered a keynote address at an event to honor Nine media practitioners in the country who died between 2020 to 2021

The event which was Titled “An Afternoon of Tributes for Departed Media Leaders”, was organized by the Nigerian Newspaper Association Of Nigeria Organization (NPAN) , the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) And The Nigerian Union of journalist NUJ

The Vice President applauded the role of the media in Nigeria’s political history, but advised that the gatekeepers in the fourth estate must demonstrate a greater awareness of the sensibilities and sensitivities of our society.
Osinbajo noted that Nigerian press has deep roots going back about 150 years. and was instrumental to the birth of the nation.

He described the institution to which the honorees belong as a rich one. Remembering Several luminaries of the anti-colonial and nationalist movement who were also leading figures in the press. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ernest Ikoli, Anthony Enahoro, Herbert Macaulay first established themselves as journalists of repute. Indeed, at one point, Azikiwe and Obafemi Awolowo controlled five and ten newspapers respectively.

According to the vice President, The media has been at the forefront of all our epochal struggles from the fight against colonialism to the struggle to entrench democracy.

A third struggle is now underway. It is the quest to deepen democracy and to realize our collective possibilities as a just, prosperous and progressive nation.
The media leaders he said, in whose name and memory the event was organised are giants precisely because they understood the struggles of their times and embraced their roles in them. In so doing, they wrote their names in gold and remain reference points for succeeding generations.

Prof Yemi Osinbajo commended the NPAN and BON for conceiving the idea of a memorial of such taste and magnitude.

On the list of the Departed Media leaders are

*Alhaji Lateef Jakande first Civilian Governor Of Lagos State (July 24 – February 11 2021)

*Prince Tony Mother Former Minister Of Information & Culture (April 27th- February 1,2021

*Ben Egbuna ,FOrmee Director General FRCN (July 13th -January 28th 2021.

*Eddie Aderinokun ,Former Editor, Daily Express (July 1930-January 3rd 2021

* Sam Nda-Isaiah ,Former Publisher Of Leadership Newspaper (May 1st -December 11th 2020

*Chief Gbolabo Ogunsanwo ,Former Publisher,New Nation,Former Editor Sunday Times (June 28th- November 27th 2020

*Bisi Lawrence, Former General Manager, Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation ( October 23rd 1932 – November 11,2020.

* Malam Wada Maida Past President NGE,Former MD And Chairman NAN (March 5th 1960-August 17th 2020)

*Malam Ismaila Isa,life Patron NPAN (January 17,1942-July 20th 2020)