KuniTyessi in Abuja
Nigerians have been enjoined to channel their intellectual capacities into productive ventures like writing of books so as to create wealth and for posterity.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu made this known in Abuja at the presentation of a book ‘Journalism and Business: My Newspaper Odyssey’, written by an economist-turned journalist, Malam Isiaq Ajibola.
He said if more Nigerians could convert their dreams, visions and experiences into commercial products like books, such intellectual works would further develop the minds of people, just as the sales would generate wealth for the authors.
The minister recalled Ajibola’s contributions to the establishment of Media Trust Limited before the other members of the founding team joined him to build a successful company known for its widely read newspaper, Daily Trust.
He commended the author for his exemplary resourcefulness, hard work and self-determination and urged him to remain a role model, especially to his professional colleagues.
In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion and immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada,commended the author for documenting his business and journalism experiences in a book.
Wada encouraged Nigerians to buy and read the book and to emulate the author’s doggedness in “what it takes to start a newspaper and make it work.”
In his welcome address, Ajibola explained that insufficient reference materials “beyond the subject matter of journalism itself” gave him the inspiration to write a book that would combine journalism and business, using his experience as a case study.
