Thisday Newspaper: With a modest beginning in a building located at Ikoyi, Nduka Obaigbena started his journalism career. This was without proper instruments and basic facilities. But with the help of certain individuals, he was able to make it into the limelight.
In other to fill a void in the print media landscape, the creation of the newspaper became an executed idea during late General Sani Abacha’s rule in Nigeria.
This was a result of the annulment of the June 12 election. It also includes the prescription of leading publications such as The Punch, defunct National Concord, and The Guardian.
Even after the prohibited publications returned, he pushed the bar in news analysis, political, and business reporting. The company also introduced a color production, and accomplishing unique editions in the media sector.
Nduka’s goal was not just to fill a void, but his sole aim was to eradicate the myths & traditions surrounding the publication of newspapers. This also includes its production in the country and changes the face of the industry.
THISDAY Newspaper
Nduka Obaigbena launched THISDAY newspaper on January 22nd, 1995. He is the chairman and the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper.
The public is aware of the newspaper and believes it to be credible in Nigeria. Thisday covers everything from breaking news to politics, business, markets, the arts, sports, and community, as well as the intersections between individuals and society.
It is Nigeria’s most authoritative news media, available on all platforms for Nigeria’s political, business, professional, and diplomatic elite. This also extends to the middle classes.
Thisday Newspaper also serves as a meeting point for aspirationals and millennials interested in new ideas, culture, and technology.
THISDAY newspaper has offices in the 36 states of Nigeria with its headquarters in Lagos. Also, it is worth of note that THISDAY newspaper has branches in other countries.
As of 2005, the organization made 100,000 circulations and a minimum of 35 million dollars as its yearly turnover. The journal was first referred to as Leaders & Company Limited’s Flagship Newspaper. Its headquarters is in Apapa, Lagos.
It operates two printing plants, one in Lagos and the other in Abuja. The daily is published by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. The firm is known for its early investment in color printing. This gave the publication a distinct edge among the few long-lasting national newspapers in Nigeria.
Achievements of THISDAY Newspaper
THISDAY newspaper was named the Newspaper of the Year in Nigeria. It was the first newspaper in Nigeria to delve into colored printing. Also, THISDAY newspaper was also the first newspaper to use technology to distribute information to its readers across the globe.
THISDAY also pioneered the concept of devoting the back page of the newspaper to informed commentary from nationally renowned columnists. As well as guest writers, drawn from among the country’s top public employees and seasoned private-sector technocrats.
This newspaper has also made an attempt to improve the national values of the country, Nigeria. THISDAY has invited notable people from all over the world to conferences held by the newspaper. Some of these people include Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Gerhard Schroder, John Howard, Beyonce, Jay Z, Rihanna, Lionel Richie, Seal, Diana Ross, and John Legend, among others.
THISDAY continues to be the favored newspaper of the world’s corporate, political, and diplomatic elites. It is easily the most recognizable and influential national media brand in the world.
The newspaper has achieved a number of milestones throughout the years. Making it one of the most well-known newspapers, as well as participating in other connected media projects. Projects such as media awards, fashion shows, and talks.
It attempted to publish in South Africa at one point, but the endeavor failed at a high cost to the corporation. This has unhappily become renowned for irregular employee payment and the failure to provide favorable working circumstances despite its enormous revenue earnings.
With the addition of Arise TV, a cable television channel, the company has proceeded to develop its print and digital activities while reforming its operations to ensure its survival for the next 25 years.
Newspaper publishing in Nigeria is a very expensive business due to the high cost of production. A new newspaper would often have run out of resources before gaining the support of its audience. It would have been erased from the newsstand.
Thus, in the last 25 years, no less than 40 newspapers have appeared and vanished in a flash, with only five remaining, the most notable of which is THISDAY.
At this point, it should be stated that THISDAY’s survival was not guaranteed. The newspaper went through the typical financial difficulties that new newspapers in Nigeria go through, but it withstood the storm because of Obaigbena’s indomitable and stubborn character.
Conclusion
THISDAY newspaper is an undeniably powerful platform that, since its inception in 1995, has changed the face of Nigerian media. Since its establishment, the newspaper has achieved numerous firsts in the media sector.
Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, the visionary Duke who launched the ambitious media platform, has been setting the pace in the media sector from its creation, while others have followed.
The Punch, The Guardian, and the now-defunct National Concord were among of the major newspaper that had been outlawed by the military dictatorship when the newspapers were first established.
The ban followed the annulment of the presidential election of June 12, 1993. Chief MKO Abiola, a late business magnate, won the election.
Like the previous concepts offered by the newspaper, other newspapers eventually began to replicate the idea until extensive opinion articles on the back pages of newspapers were the only popular thing to do in Nigerian media practice.
