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By Oluseye Ojo
Publishers and senior editors in the media space of Nigeria on Friday converged on the Colossus Hotel, Ikeja Lagos, and defined the future of journalism profession in the country as it relates to tabloidisation. They gave the definition at the 10th year remembrance of the former Deputy Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Limited, Pastor Dimgba Igwe, who died on Saturday September 6 2014. The anniversary was held in the Alexandria Hall of the hotel.
The media icons that spoke on the occasion included Igwe’s close friend and former Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Limited, Chief Mike Awoyinfa; Publisher of Prime People Magazine, Vintage People Nagazine and TNT, Mr. Muyiwa Adetiba, who was the guest lecturer; founder of Diamond Publications and Chief Promoter of Diamond Awards, and Mr Lanre Idowu, who represented former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, who was the special guest of honour on the occasion.
The roll call also included former Presidents of Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, and Mrs Funke Egbemode; former Special Adviser to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, and a former President of NGE, Mr. Femi Adesina; current President of NGE and Editor, Vanguard newspaper, Mr Eze Anaba; Editor-in-Chief of Tell Magazine, Mr. Nosa Igiebor, as well as Editor, Saturday Sun, Mr. Tope Adeboboye.
Former Provost, Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba, Lagos, Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye; Publisher, Naija Times, Mr. Ehi Braimah; Editor-in-Chief, Political Economist, Ken Ugbechie; and Deputy Managing Director of Thisday, Kayode Komolafe, were also among the top media executives in attendance at the programme anchored by the former MD, The Sun Ghana, and 2006 CNN/Multichoice African Journalist, Mr. Shola Oshunkeye.
The matriarch of the Igwes, Pastor (Mrs.) Obioma Igwe; Vice President, and Vice Chairman of Governing Council, Chartered Institutes of Personnel Management of Nigeria, Mrs. Chidinma Obiejesi; and General Overseer of Evangel Pentecostal Church, Rev’d Iheanyi Ejiogu, where Dimgba Igwe was Deputy General Overseer before his death, were also among dignitaries that graced the event.
In their separate speeches, they all paid glowing tributes to Igwe for a life well spent and for the impact he had on the younger generations. They also enjoined Nigerians to live an impactful life by mentoring younger ones, fear God, live with integrity, and celebrate unsung heroes in journalism.
Femi Adesina, who opened the floor spoke about how Igwe died on September 6, 2014, said the late Vice Chairman of The Sun Publishing Limited had embarked on his usual early morning jogging before a hit-and-run driver knocked him down, and he did not survive it despite being taken to different hospitals. He noted that Igwe deserved to be alive till date because he was very careful about his living. He added: “But we are not God.”
Mr Nosa Igiebor, who noted the closeness between Mike Awoyinfa, and Dimgba Igwe, called on Nigerians to wake up and shun accepting the “normalisation of abnormalities” in the country.
In the lecture, Muyiwa Adetiba, stated: “The future of tabloidisation is secure for as long as there continues to be in social and demographic patterns in the world, and human beings, being human, continue to fund storytelling, and if tabloidisation continues to serve the need to reach bigger audiences by evolving ideas around shifting priorities in journalism and media landscape as a whole.
“Instagram and Twitter now known as X, arw classic examples of how tabloidisation has evolved in the present and possibly for the future.”
During a panel discussion moderated by Mr Ken Ugbechie, Funke Egbemode, Richard Akinnola, Muyiwa Akintunde, and Steve Nwosu, all frontline editors, agreed that tabloidisation is not junk and it is not low journalism. They aggregately said tabloidisation is the future of journalism because the present generation want news items to be concise and brief, but detailed. They emphasised the investigative niche of tabloidisation in the media industry.
The President of NGE, Eze Anaba, noted that he did not meet Igwe in person when he was alive, but he met him through his work. He charged the family not to grieve anymore because Igwe lived a fulfilled life. He described the gathering as the celebration of commitment to truth, courage, and public good beyond professionalism. He described Igwe as a man, who mentored super stars. He also urged people that are alive to live impactful life.
Publisher of Naija Times, Ehi Braimah, who described Awoyinfa and Igwe as good brands, noted: “When you are good at what you do, you will become a good brand. A good brand will always attract values.” The Vice President of CIPM, Chidinma Obiejesi, said Igwe left a good legacy behind. Also, Gloria Oriaku, an associate of Igwe, said Awoyinfa and Igwe trusted each other and were good friends till death separated them
Awoyinfa, on the occasion, said: “To me Dimgba has not died. We have always been talking.” He also read an emotion-laden letter he wrote to Igwe on the 10th anniversary of his death. The letter gave pictorial descriptions of how Igwe died and how he (Awoyinfa), received the news in the United Kingdom.
The matriarch of the Igwes, Pastor (Mrs) Obioma Igwe, described her husband as a truly family man. She added that God has been there for the past 10 years that the patriarch of the family had breathed his last. She thanked the organisers of the programme, and the close friend of her late husband, Mike Awoyinfa, for not forsaking the family after the demise of his friend.
