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Thirty-six years after the murder of Dele Giwa, founding editor-in-chief of Newswatch magazine, former editors of Newswatch, who set up Verbatim News Network Limited, a publishing firm in 2012, unveiled a daily newpaper called Verbatim Daily last week, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of their engagement in publishing business.
The newspaper, edited by Tobs Agbaegbu, a former senior associate editor in Newswatch and editor- in- chief/CEO of Verbatim Media Group, debuted with a front page story titled, “Dead and forgotten: Shocking revelations at Dele Giwa’s grave,” a day after the 36th anniversary of Giwa’s death through a parcel bomb on 0ctober 19, 1986.
The publishing firm, which earlier started with the publication of a news magazine and an online platform, now owns a total of three news dissemination outfits.
On the occasion of the newspaper launch and 10th anniversary ceremony last week, the news organisation gathered notable Nigerians in a glamorous affair on October 20 in Abuja.
Welcoming guests, Agbaegbu, the editor-in-chief of Verbatim, told the guests how Verbatim News Network started as a fortnightly publication, which quickly evolved into an online daily publication and has finally achieved his dream of a daily newspaper publication.
Barely containing his joy, Agbaegbu expressed satisfaction that the hard work, high ethics and professionalism has paid off.
The chairman, board of editors of Verbatim Media Group, Alh. Ibrahim Modibbo, explained that, with the new Verbatim newspaper, the organisation aims at satisfying growing need for news breaks as well as hard-hitting investigative reports.
The newspaper launch and 10th anniversary event was chaired by Dr. Solomon Arase, a former Inspector-General of Police. He commended Verbatim for being consistent through the years, adding that they were a fine tribute to Newswatch magazine, one of the foremost news magazines in Nigeria.
Aside from the usual fanfare, the lively event was generously spiced with learning. The guest speaker, Dr. Mainasara Kogo Umar, a public affairs analyst and a director at the National Commission for Colleges of Education, delivered a lecture titled “Waiting for 2023: The power of hope.”
He advised politicians against placing the love of money above the good of the country, stating that the love of money had overtaken every sense of duty and piety.
The programme came to a crescendo with the unveiling of the Verbatim newspaper, led by Governor Abdullahi A. Sule of Nasarawa State.
The governor, who was representated by Comrade Yakubu Lamai, director-general of Strategic Communication and Event Management, Nasarawa State, revealed bold and ambitious plans of building a mega city to merge into Abuja, which would attract revenue to the state as well as provide decent housing for Abuja’s teeming population.
The governor was supported to unveil the newspaper by the chairman on the occasion, the guest speaker, registrar/CEO of the National Examination Council, NECO, Professor Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, the MD/CEO and chief electrical inspector of the federation, Engr. Aliyu Tukur Tahir, Prince Alex Mbata, CEO of ABM Group, and Alh. Adamu Usman Ali-Tubo, MD/CEO of Ali-Tubo Power Integrated Limited, among other dignitaries.
The unveiling of the newspaper was closely followed by an award ceremony where the Nasarawa State governor was honored as ‘Governor of the Year.’
The NECO bagged ‘Integrity in Public Service (Corporate Excellence)’ award, while its boss received a plaque of honour as an integrity ambassador.
Two other agencies of the Federal Government were honoured as follows: The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), for integrity in public service (corporate excellence award). Their MD/CEO, Tahir, was honoured as an integrity ambassador.
The third corporate awardee was the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), honoured with integrity in public service (corporate excellence award). Their boss, Mr. Joe Aniku Michael Ohiani, was honoured with a plaque as an integrity ambassador.
Other individual awardees included Prince Arthur Eze, renowned philanthropist and chairman of Atlas Oranto Petroleum; Professor Gregory Ibe, founder of Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State; chairman, Al-Tubo Power Integrated Limited; Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, a former Senate deputy minority leader; Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, a retired permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Abuja, and Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory.
Other award winners are Prince Alex Mbata, Darlington Nnabuike Ozurumba and Emmanuel Njoku, chairman, Emma Njoku Foundation.
Responding to the honor, Prof. Wushishi stated that integrity was non-negotiable in maintaining high standards of secondary school and other examinations.
He assured Nigerians of his determination to ensure that NECO remains a beacon of excellence in the education sector.
Engr. Tahir thanked the organisers and pledged to work even harder to take the nation’s electrical sector to enviable heights.
