Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Nigerian Press Organisation, consisting of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) will on Friday honour fallen media leaders in Lagos.
Tagged: “An Afternoon of Tributes,” the programme, which will be hosted by the President, NPO and NPAN, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, is expected to hold at the MUSON Centre in Lagos.
The keynote address will be presented by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and will witness current media managers pay tributes to their colleagues who have passed on in the last year.
Those to be honoured include a former Governor of Lagos State and pioneer NGE and NPAN President, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; former Minister of Information and Culture and ex-President and Secretary-General of NGE, Prince Tony Momoh; and Life Patron, NPAN, Mallam Ismaila Isa.
Other deceased media leaders to be honoured are a former Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Executive Director, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Ben Egbuna; late publisher, Leadership Newspapers, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah; as well as ex-publisher, New Nation and former Editor, Sunday Times, Mr. Gbolabo Ogunsanwo.
The event will also witness tributes to former General Manager, Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation (LSBC) and columnist, Mr. Bisi Lawrence; former Editor, Daily Express, Mr. Eddie Aderinokun; and a past President, NGE and former Managing Director and Chairman News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mallam Wada Maida.
Jakande was born in the Epetedo area of Lagos Island, Lagos State on 29 July 1929 and began a career in journalism first with the Daily Service and then in 1953 joined the Nigerian Tribune.
In 1956 he was appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Tribune by the owner, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He later published The Lagos News and served as the first president of NPAN.
Jakande died in Lagos on the 11 of February 2021 and his remains were interred at the Vaults and Gardens Cemetery, Ikoyi, Lagos State on Friday 12th February 2021.
Momoh started his journalism career as a sub-editor at the Daily Times in October 1962, rising steadily through the ranks to become editor and deputy general manager between June 1976 and May 1980.
Egbuna was the pioneer executive director, news, VON and a former DG, FRCN as well as being a former President, African Union of Broadcasting (AUB).
Isa, born in Funtua in January 1942, was a member of the 1994 Constitutional Conference under General Sani Abacha and founder of Funtua Textiles Limited and later managing director of the Democrat Newspaper.
He was also the founder and Chairman of Bullet Construction Company, one of the largest indigenous construction companies in Nigeria, responsible for building several federal buildings.
