The evolution of technology and science seems to be moving faster than the predicted way. Technology brings into the world a relief and an additional relish to the human activities. The form of technology has made information to move faster and important in our daily lives. The world is evolving from what it used to be called an analog age to a digital age. Information can now be passed across to as many people in a given territory on Internet without stress and more faster with the help of media.
The Will Nigeria is one of the major online news services founded in October 2009 by a journalist and a publisher, Austyn Ogannah, a prominent person in the fight for good governance in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, a Nigerian but based in United States of America. He was the president of the Online Publishers Association of Nigeria in 2017. A statement issued by OPAN prior to Austin Ogannah election, explained that, at the association’s meeting held, members unanimously elected publisher of THE WILL, Prince Austyn Ogannah, as its next President, while publisher of Huhuonline, Mr Emmanuel Asiwe, was elected as the Vice President.
Austyn Ogannah takes over from Mr Femi Awoyemi of Proshare and he is expected to lead the group for them for two years. He has been interviewed by different broadcasting station in Nigeria and beyond about pressing issues on politics in Nigeria and outside the country.
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The Will Nigeria is a revolutionary project nurtured by its expounder into becoming a global mainstream media. The online service was first published in San Francisco, California, USA, where the Bill of Rights protects press freedom. Some of their prominent corerespondents are; Abdullahi Maikudi, Aina Ojonugwa, Amos Esele, Ivory Ikonu, Jude Obafemi.
The online news platform soon gained prominence and respect when Nigeria was faced with a constitutional crisis and the power struggle that ensued In Nigeria in the early year of 2010 fueled by the unexpected sickness and eventual death in office of the then former Nigerian President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. It created a lot of attention on the mainstream as this was a surprise and a form of shock to all Nigerians.
The template upon which the online news service was set upon was one of rigidity, fearless, unbais and authoritative publications through the intrigues of the power struggle. This gives rise to the news service to be one of the first outlet to break the news of Yar’Adua’s eventual death in Abuja on the night of May 05, 2011, the blogosphere quickly attracted a multitude of readers for the next few hours, as this incident will create a lot of political changes and give rise to change both in the political structure and the country’s administration at large.
The news outlets does not confine itself to politics alone but also to sport, religion, research, business and any other development on human endeavours.
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After the popular identification on the news outlet, one week later, precisely on May 12, 2011, THEWILL got another major break and crystallized its standpoint as a powerful emerging online media when it exclusively reported the arrest and detention by Interpol in Dubai, UAE, of a key and very influential person, prominent and Intrumentalist in the Nigerian power struggle, Chief James Ibori, a former governor of oil-rich Delta State, who somehow evaded Nigeria’s security agencies and fled to another country after a warrant was issued for his arrest in Nigeria and Britain over charges If lending money illegally. Since that report, TheWill online service media has developed ahead, establishing itself as a model for other benefactors in the rapidly growing unrestricted online news community in the country.
For about eight thousand news articles, opinions and commentaries published within two years of launch, the news service has remained concentrated on its mission and vision which according to its publisher, is to continue to facilitate and expand the national conversation, whilst also empowering a platform for readers, fellow advocates and contributors, who may want to give their candid opinion on the issue of public policy, influence public opinion and ultimately contribute towards inspiring the change that Nigeria and Africa so deire and long for.
The Will Nigeria has consistently and invariably produce exclusive stories and breathtaking stories. They are said to be given the minimum of 60 different articles every 24 hours. Also, the media has made sure that it used all major forms of social media outlet to pass across information to humanity. They are functional and consistent on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Telegram, Linkedln.
THE MISSION AND VISION OF THE WILL NIGERIA
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THE WILL will stimulate and expand the national conversation, reporting the news as it breaks, while providing a forum where readers and contributors may have an impression on public policy, influence public opinion and eventually, contribute towards bringing the change that we need in our country, Nigeria.
THE WILL will also overcome the good battles, the journalism will be contentious, fearless and powerful. We will see matters as people have always wanted to see them. We will take on the big topics of our time (especially corruption and bad governance), issues responsible for the social deterioration and institutional drawback in our country today.
THE WILL is a form of assistance to the struggle for adequate country and better future. It shall hold those authorized with power responsible for their daily activity and shall advocate for justice and human rights. The Will will be relentless in the quest for the truth with un-biased and investigative journalism.
Some of the little difficulties faced by the media service are: appealing to generation Z and millennials, regular Google algorithm remakes and stratagems, getting readers to pay for their information, combatting ‘fake news’ and the decline of trust and competing with news aggregator sites.
In order to overcome these challenges, the service might consider utilising social media and audio podcasts, which young people rely majorly upon, to present news quantity in an animated, pictorial and auditory way, making digital news websites understandable and accessible to obtain, offering to young people free access to paid newspaper quantity, and creating content that alludes to that age frame, in the hope that they continue to be loyal and decide to pay for it as an adult. Also, remaining up to date on Google Algorithm Updates and guidelines and ensuring that their website has a good E-A-T score (Expertise, Authority & Trustworthiness).
