A PHENOMENON IN NIGERIAN MEDIA INDUSTRY

When THISDAY Newspapers hit the street in 1995, I was an Assistant Editor with THE WEEK, a news magazine based in Lagos. Even then, the newspaper continued to get my critical attention because I saw in it not just a major challenge to existing newspapers but also a threat to news magazines like the one I worked for. The newspaper’s style of reporting major events was what I could only describe with the legal term: ‘Covering the Field’.

THISDAY’s reporters would cover a major politics or economic event or development and in one edition, produce the following day after the event or development, give readers several news stories covering various aspects of the issue. There would be news analysis, news tit- bits that cannot be presented in regular news stories but captioned ‘Political or Business Notes’, list of participants, throwback or flash back in history on that development, where there was need for info-graphs and maps, you will get them and the international dimensions will be presented. Even, some light- hearted social aspects of the issue would be presented. The newspaper gave total coverage such that news magazines that had to wait for almost a week or at least till the next Monday would be struggling to find the new perspectives or fresh angle that could convince readers to part with their hard earned money.

It was such a brilliant approach to journalism that made me admire the newspaper from inception. From June 1997 when I joined the THISDAY stable, the place became my natural professional home, even though I left two years later and only returned in January 2002. THISDAY newspaper is the best training ground for an ambitious professional who wants to grow or move on to be an entrepreneur or those who aspire to join public service or seeking to be in the corporate world later in life.

Why am I making this general claim? The young professional in THISDAY has an inspiration or motivation in the founder, Chairman/ Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena. He is a role model to learn from. A thinking machine, always coming out with ideas that, to some people, look strange, unconventional and out of the ordinary but they end up being pace setting that others struggle to emulate. He encourages his top managers to be creative and supports good ideas. The “Duke”, as some close friends call him, also has this knack for throwing staff members into terrains where ordinary persons would never think such persons could function. And in over 80 percent of the times, he was not wrong. That is how you see graduates who came into the company as advertising executives or administrative staff end up being damn good news reporters.

In the same way, you see young professionals who are simply challenged with big responsibilities that you would think the upstarts would collapse in a matter of days. They ended up as stars in those fields.

The same way THISDAY also groomed young stars like Bolaji Abdullahi who later became a Minister, Oma Djebah who later served as Commissioner in Delta, Waziri Adio now the Executive Director of National Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Simon Kolawole who was editor of the newspaper for many years before leaving to found TheCable, a leading online newspaper in the country, Sina Badaru who is into IT consulting and this writer, who left the organisation on sabbatical to serve in Ogun State as Commissioner and later as Special Adviser in the National Assembly.

The thinking machine in Obaigbena made him start the colour printing for the newspaper as far back as 1998 when people thought it was impossible in Nigeria. Many of us in THISDAY then who had to ensure the front page layout for the Monday paper was ready on Friday thought the man was crazy and was just punishing us. He remained focused, unperturbed by the grumbling and today,the entire Nigerian newspaper industry had to join him.

Let me be clear about this. While Obaigbena is a damn good team leader, many outside the establishment erroneously believe every exclusive story or good initiative is from him. The fact is that you cannot be an editor or manager in THISDAY if you do not have your thinking caps on always. Also, reporters and editors have the sole responsibility to source their exclusive stories. The platform has been created for you to stand on it and see beyond your contemporaries. No spoon-feeding in THISDAY.

THISDAY challenged the inner strength of young men and women. The members of staff were taught to work for long hours without complaining, make a lot happen with little resources and beat others to the big stories. These are lessons of survival. They teach perseverance. The lesson here is that nothing good comes easy and the THISDAY of yore taught those who are lucky to pass through it this success trick. The situation was that of organized or systemic chaos.

The reward system in THISDAY is also something worth mentioning. When the economy became better for the company after the initial difficulties, the chairman was superb in rewarding people. Perhaps, THISDAY is the only organisation in the media industry where new official cars are given not only to top editorial and administrative staff, mid-level production staff, computer operators, office assistants and others also benefit. Many of such lower cadre staff were also encouraged to go to school and do well for themselves in and outside the newsroom. Foreign travels for the sake of creating experience and exposure were sponsored or facilitated for many.

Looking into the Future

However, it is not all glitz, glamour and gold in Apapa and Utako, Abuja, where THISDAY offices operate from. The old tradition of excellence is being assailed by the country- wide economic situation. The Chairman, despite the fact that he constantly thinks out of the box, has made some decisions that have not worked, like the THISDAY South African edition which failed and a few other ventures

In all, I cannot but thank THISDAY for giving me the opportunity to spend 11 solid years of my professional life in the organisation. It remains the stepping stone to other offices I have held since 2011. It also remains my fortress and my second address, even while I hold political office.

May THISDAY continue to wax stronger in the next 25 years and beyond.

Olaniyonu, former Editor of THISDAY on Sunday and chairman, Editorial Board, is currently an aide to former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki