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•President praises newspaper’s commitment to ideals of free enterprise, democracy 

•NGF chair lauds ������Ƶ’s bold reportage of issues 

•Governors highlight news medium’s resilience, despite all odds

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, and his Enugu State counterpart, Dr. Peter Mbah, were among a coterie of prominent Nigerians who congratulated ������Ƶ newspapers yesterday, as the paper marked its 30th anniversary.

Equally on the long list of personalities who characterised the newspaper in superlative terms were Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori; Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri; former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki; as well as ex-Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.

������Ƶ, easily one of the country’s most robust and influential newspapers, was founded 30 years ago, and had since then remained Nigeria’s go-to news medium, especially among the political, business and diplomatic elite, for authoritative and accurate news reports.

In his message signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu lauded ������Ƶ’s commitment to the ideals of free enterprise, democracy, and innovative use of technology, and for nurturing many notable names in the media industry.

The president said the accolades received by ������Ƶ from home and abroad were a testament to the ground-breaking impact the newspaper had made on the local and global scenes.

The statement said, “President Bola Tinubu congratulates ������Ƶ Newspapers Limited, its management and staff, on the 30th anniversary of the publication. Founded on January 22, 1995, by Prince Nduka Obaigbena, the media organisation has earned a reputation as a newspaper of record in Nigeria, delivering in-depth coverage of national and global events.

“The president commends the newspaper for its commitment to the ideals of free enterprise, democracy, and innovative use of technology and for nurturing many notable names in the media industry.

“President Tinubu states that the numerous awards the publication, its editors, and writers have received over the years are an eloquent testament to the newspaper’s creativity.

“President Tinubu wishes ������Ƶ Newspapers continued progress in the years to come.”

Abdulrazaq, who is also Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), in his remarks, heartily congratulated ������Ƶ on its 30th anniversary today.

Abdulrazaq commended the paper for what he described as its impressive showing in the media space, especially its bold reporting of political, economic, and social issues, among others.

The governor stated, in a congratulatory message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, “For its unique style and the huge success that ������Ƶ has become, I salute the leadership, industry, creativity, and the can-do spirit of the publisher, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, the board of editors, and a long list of its hard-working journalists and other workers.”

He urged the newspaper to keep the flag flying as an indisputable industry leader in the media in Nigeria and Africa.

“I wish the ������Ƶ Newspapers many centuries of success and patriotic contributions to our democracy and national development,” he added.

Mbah praised ������Ƶ for its enormous contributions to national development and the struggle for the return of democracy, in a statement issued by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu.

Mbah said, “I join the rest of the country and, indeed, the world in congratulating you on your 30th anniversary, a great milestone by every measure. In the last 30 years, you have consistently and progressively redefined and elevated journalism, showcasing a high sense of professionalism and clothing Nigerian journalism in flamboyant ambiance and international reach and reverence.

“I salute your resilience, pan Nigerian disposition, contributions to national development, and to the restoration and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.”

The governor urged the management and staff of ������Ƶ to “continue to aim for the skies, as it is still morning on creation day for Nigeria’s newspaper of record”.

In a statement he personally signed, Abiodun described the anniversary as a milestone for a phenomenal news engine and driver of positive national conversations.

He said ������Ƶ was a city of excellence set on the Nigerian media hill, which cannot be hidden.

According to him, “Excellence has no other name; it attracts by the sheer resonance of its beauty.”

The Ogun State governor added, “There was a vacuum when ������Ƶ entered into the media space, and it has filled that vacuum most admirably. It has distinguished itself in the area of business, politics and news reporting and it isn’t by sheer accident that it is one of the most sought for newspapers in Nigeria, and will be in the years to come.

“From scratch, with a steely resolve to serve the people a daily diet of balanced reportage, the founder has built a newspaper of international repute, a must-read for every political and business stakeholder in Nigeria.”

Abiodun said, “������Ƶ has been able to carve a niche for itself in the media industry; the point is not in dispute that it is a brand that is reckoned with locally and internationally. When others are falling, ������Ƶ is rising, simply because it is a brand that makes the day of Nigerians. ������Ƶ is beautiful: the page-planning, design and layout are uniquely reader-friendly, the contents simply superb.

“The government and people of Ogun State celebrate ������Ƶ on this glorious day of 30 years of impactful, erudite journalism. Ruling the media space for three decades is no mean feat, but the real story is that the best is yet to come.”

In his congratulatory message, Oborevwori, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Festus Ahon, said the newspaper had continued to greatly impact the media industry positively with its robust reportage.

He stated that the well-known publication, which debuted on the newsstands on January 22, 1995, had built a reputation in the newspaper world, winning Newspaper-of-the-Year three times in a row and becoming the first in Nigeria to run full colour in 1997.

The governor stated, “On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I congratulate the publisher, Prince Nduka Ogbaigbena, management and staff of ������Ƶ Newspapers on the occasion of their 30th anniversary.

“As a government and citizens of Delta, your home state, we take great pride in ������Ƶ’s remarkable achievements and its contributions to the journalistic profession as the society’s watchdog.

“As we congratulate you on this milestone, here is wishing you greater success and accomplishments in the future.”

Diri said ������Ƶ had withstood the odds in the sector and in the country to remain relevant and had become a voice to reckon with in the media industry.

Delivering his message through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, Diri praised ������Ƶ’s resilience as well as its creativity and style, which he said had made it an outstanding medium. He urged the media organisation to maintain its high standards in the years ahead.

Obaseki described the newspaper as a pacesetter in Nigeria’s media industry, in a statement by his media adviser, Crusoe Osagie.

He stated, “I heartily felicitate ������Ƶ Newspaper for attaining an enviable 30 years of robust and accomplished journalism. ������Ƶ has always been a pacesetter in Nigeria’s media landscape, being the first to run an all-colour edition and the first to publish an opinion piece on the back page, among other ground-breaking innovations that cement its position as a publication of many firsts.

“The newspaper has consistently upheld the principles of truth, fairness, and accountability in its reportage, contributing significantly to the progress and development of our dear nation, Nigeria.”

The former governor added, “I congratulate the Chairman and Publisher of ������Ƶ, Nduka Obaigbena, as well as the management, staff, and board of the newspaper for their commitment to innovative, excellent and impactful journalism over these past three decades, and extend my best wishes for even greater accomplishments in the years to come.”

Ambode described the founder of ������Ƶ as an enigma, pointing out that against all odds, ������Ƶ has emerged even stronger.

He stated, “������Ƶ’s publisher is an enigma. His friends and foes agree that he’s been a very successful publisher. He’s done very well for himself and also very well for journalism in Nigeria.

“With the combination of ������Ƶ and Arise Television, we cannot write about the issue of journalism in Nigeria without a mention of his name. I wish him well.”

Advertising Guru, Dr Biodun Shobanjo, recalled ������Ƶ’s humble beginnings, stating that through dint of hard work, the newspaper has become one of Nigeria’s most preferred.

Shobanjo said, “For those of us who were witnesses to the very beginnings – first with This Week, in a bungalow on Ogunlana Drive, Surulere, to ������Ƶ, it all looks like a dream that the mustard seed sown then has become such an iroko tree within three decades.

“This is evidence of the resilience and ‘can do’ spirit of the Nigerian at play. Please, accept my personal congratulations and that of Troyka Holdings.”