Arrangements for the public presentation of the Book on the first decade of The Guardian got a major boost yesterday. The Board and Management of The Guardian newspapers limited adopted the book project as “worthy of every support” they can muster.
A near full Board and Management of the newspaper gave audience to the duo of Aaron Ukodie and O’seun Ogunseitan who made a presentation with a near-press-ready copy of the book to Publisher Maiden Ibru and Prof Wale Omole the Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Guardian and flagship pioneers like Dr Patrick Dele-Cole and Dr Alex Tomopolus.
Others at the meeting include Mr Martins Oloja, Editor-in-chief, and Kunle Sanyaolu, member of the editorial board.
Ukodie and Ogunseitan have brought together more than 300 of Nigeria’s best and brightest journalists over the last four decades, and particularly those who worked at The Guardian between 1983 and 1993, with a view to comprehensively tell the story of The Guardian newspaper and the details of its founding.
The book is about 700-pages, on The Making of The Guardian and the newspaper’s first 10 years. The book substantially honours the memory and labours of the Nigerian trio of Mr. Alex Ibru, Dr Stanley Macebuh and Mr. Lade Bonuola among a host of others. The book documents the excellent professional media business standard that The Guardian bequeathed to Nigeria. It effectively reminds and documents a past where Nigerians dreamt big and how they delivered world-class performance on their dreams.
Over 40 former staff of The Guardian, among them, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, Mr. Lade Bonuola, Dr. Patrick Cole, Mr. Kingsley Osadolor, Mr. Yaya Awosanya, Mr. Emeka Izeze, Professor Onwuchekwa Jemie, Professor Femi Osofisan, Ted Iwere, Femi Kusa, Senator Ayogu Eze, Segun Adeniyi, Ben Tomoloju, Sully Abu, Fred Ohwahwa etc, contributed to the richness and depth of the book. The book also includes telling, moving, and insightful recollections and reflections by 35 of the newspaper’s former staff.
The book is due for public presentation on April 7, 2021, the date at which pioneer publisher, late Chief Alex Uruemu Ibru would also receive an award for his excellent proprietorship.
Several governors, top politicians, captains of industry, and top journalists are due to attend the event.
