Nigerian Tribune
Encyclopedia
The Nigerian Tribune is an English language newspaper published in Ibadan
in Nigeria
.
It was established in 1949 by Obafemi Awolowo
and is the oldest surviving private Nigerian newspaper.
In the colonial era, the newspaper served as the mouthpiece for Awolowo's populist welfare programs. It also played an important role in defending the interests of the Yoruba people
in a period when different ethnic gropus were struggling for ascendancy.
From independence in 1960 until the 1990s most publications were government-owned, but private papers such as the Nigerian Tribune, The Punch
, Vanguard and the Guardian
continued to expose public and private scandals despite government attempts at suppression.
General Ibrahim Babangida
once said that of all the Nigerian newspapers he would only read and take seriously the Nigerian Tribune's editorial column.
The book Leadership Failure and Nigeria's Fading Hopes by Femi Okurounmu
consists of excerpts from a weekly column in the Nigerian Tribune published between 2004 and 2009.
The author, a patriotic Nigerian elder statesman laments how the corruption and the selfishness of successive leaders has destroyed the hopes not just of Nigerians, but of the entire black race.
In December 2008 Segun Olatunji, managing director and Editor-in-Chief of Nigerian Tribune resigned, and a few days later the editor, Rauf Abiodun also resigned as part of a series of staff changes.
Mrs. HID Awolowo, who is chairman of the Nigerian Tribune's publisher African Newspapers of Nigeria Ltd, appointed Sam Adesua as the new managing director/editor-in-chief.
Edward Dickson was appointed editor of the daily paper.
The changes were said to be part of a move to modernize the paper and expand beyond narrow Yoruba partisan politics in the face of competition from The Westerner, The Nation
and Nigerian Compass
.
In January 2011 the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) reacted angrily to an editorial in the Nigerian Compass that accused the ACN of imposing its candidates in the party primaries for the forthcoming national elections. An ACN spokesman called the paper a front for the People's Democratic Party
(PDP).
He said the paper was struggling since PDP governors had been removed from Osun
and Ekiti
states, causing the paper to lose advertising revenue directed to the Nigerian Tribune by the former governors.
The ACN said the paper was bringing shame to the name of the founder, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
It was established in 1949 by Obafemi Awolowo
Obafemi Awolowo
Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo was a Nigerian politician, trade unionist, author and statesman. A Yoruba and native of Ikenne in Ogun State of Nigeria, he started his career as a regional political leader like most of his pre-independence contemporaries and was responsible for much of the progressive...
and is the oldest surviving private Nigerian newspaper.
In the colonial era, the newspaper served as the mouthpiece for Awolowo's populist welfare programs. It also played an important role in defending the interests of the Yoruba people
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
in a period when different ethnic gropus were struggling for ascendancy.
From independence in 1960 until the 1990s most publications were government-owned, but private papers such as the Nigerian Tribune, The Punch
The Punch
The Punch is a Nigerian daily newspaper. It is the second largest newspaper in the country in terms of circulation, with 80,000 copies published daily in 1999.-History:...
, Vanguard and the Guardian
The Guardian (Nigeria)
The Guardian is an independent daily newspaper published in Nigeria by Guardian Newspapers Limited.The Guardian has been described as "Nigeria's most respected newspaper".-Foundation:...
continued to expose public and private scandals despite government attempts at suppression.
General Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
once said that of all the Nigerian newspapers he would only read and take seriously the Nigerian Tribune's editorial column.
The book Leadership Failure and Nigeria's Fading Hopes by Femi Okurounmu
Femi Okurounmu
Femi Okurounmu was elected Senator for the Ogun Central constituency of Ogun State, Nigeria at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic, running on the Alliance for Democracy platform...
consists of excerpts from a weekly column in the Nigerian Tribune published between 2004 and 2009.
The author, a patriotic Nigerian elder statesman laments how the corruption and the selfishness of successive leaders has destroyed the hopes not just of Nigerians, but of the entire black race.
In December 2008 Segun Olatunji, managing director and Editor-in-Chief of Nigerian Tribune resigned, and a few days later the editor, Rauf Abiodun also resigned as part of a series of staff changes.
Mrs. HID Awolowo, who is chairman of the Nigerian Tribune's publisher African Newspapers of Nigeria Ltd, appointed Sam Adesua as the new managing director/editor-in-chief.
Edward Dickson was appointed editor of the daily paper.
The changes were said to be part of a move to modernize the paper and expand beyond narrow Yoruba partisan politics in the face of competition from The Westerner, The Nation
The Nation (Nigeria)
The Nation is a daily newspaper published in Lagos, Nigeria. According to a 2009 survey it was the second most read newspaper in Nigeria. The paper's website says it stands for Freedom, Justice and the Market Economy...
and Nigerian Compass
Nigerian Compass
The Nigerian Compass is a daily newspaper with National circulation in Nigeria, covering news, business, politics and sports. The paper has weekday and weekend editions....
.
In January 2011 the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) reacted angrily to an editorial in the Nigerian Compass that accused the ACN of imposing its candidates in the party primaries for the forthcoming national elections. An ACN spokesman called the paper a front for the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP).
He said the paper was struggling since PDP governors had been removed from Osun
Osun State
Ọṣun State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria. Its capital is Osogbo. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east partly by Ekiti State and partly by Ondo State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west by Oyo State. The state's current governor is Rauf Aregbesola, who was...
and Ekiti
Ekiti State
Ekiti State is a state in southwest Nigeria, created on October 1, 1996 alongside five other new states by military dictator General Sani Abacha...
states, causing the paper to lose advertising revenue directed to the Nigerian Tribune by the former governors.
The ACN said the paper was bringing shame to the name of the founder, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.