Iredia, Momoh, Obaigbena, Igiebor inducted into Nigerian Observer Hall of Fame

GOVERNOR Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Tuesday commissioned the newly built Nigerian Observer Newspapers’ office complex with an assurance that the newspaper would continue to uphold the dreams of its founding fathers.

This was just as the governor reiterated that the remodelled Nigerian Observer Newspapers complex was part of his administration’s resolves to build on the legacy of the founding fathers.

Governor Obaseki said that the Observer Newspapers had been a stable where notable media owners of today began their trade.

Obaseki said that his administration had been able to turn the fortune of the establishment around with the installations of the state-of-the-art printing facilities adding that his aim was to make it a formidable media hub among the comity of states in the country.

He assured that with what his administration had committed to the newspaper, the establishment would be able to remain afloat.

In his remarks at the ceremony, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, while speaking on the ‘Chronicle of the Nigerian Observer as of today’, said the Nigerian Observer Newspaper was birthed on May 29, 1968, with copies of the newspaper appearing on newsstands across Nigeria.

He said going down memory lane, it could be said that the Nigerian Observer, one of the legacy projects of late Brigadier General Samuel OsaigbovoOgbemudia, the Military Governor of the defunct Midwest State and Bendel State, “was a response to the genuine demands of a people who increasingly began to feel that they needed some outlet for the articulation of their own ideals with emphasis to inform, educate and entertain.”

Nehikhare said the Nigerian Observer was then a training ground for most successful journalists in the country who later moved to other national newspapers and magazines, and today, media owners.

He said further that the Nigerian Observer produced many successful journalism veterans and in the late 60s, 70s and 80s, a copy of the Nigerian Observer was a hot cake on the newsstands and most individuals and institutions made it a must on their reading desk every morning

Nehikhare lamented that the sudden drop of the Nigerian Observer in recent years left much to be desired, apparently due to dwindling funding, and this gave much concern to well-meaning citizens of Edo State and other admirers of the once popular and widely read newspaper.

He added that those and other reasons drew the attention of Governor Obaseki to the essential service sector of the communication industry in Edo State.

“The state government then embarked on the overhaul of the newspaper and publishing outfit to ensure that it takes back its pride of place in the society.

“With the elaborate plans put in place by the government, which include acquisition of state-of-the-art printing press and working environment conducive for staff, the company hopes to generate money for the state government through advert placement, commercial printing and any other media-related businesses,” Nehikhare said.

The commissioner maintained that for the media outfit which started 55 years to appreciate those who had contributed to its successes, it had decided to induct veteran journalists and media luminaries, including former staff of the Nigerian Observer, into The Nigerian Observer Hall of Fame.

He said they included the former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Tony Iredia; founder of Channels Television, Tony Momoh; Founder of Thisday Newspapers and Arise Television and former staff of Nigerian Observer, NdukaObaigbena; veteran broadcaster, Sunny Irabor; Founder of BusinessDay Newspaper, Frank Aigbogun; Founder, Tell Magazine, NosaIgiebor and pioneer General Manager of Midwest Newspapers Limìted, Publishers of the Nigerian Observer, Ebenezer Williams Abiodun Aloba.

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