· Outline how media can promote country’s unity, devt
· Bala Mohammed, Anaba, Onanuga, Adesina, Izeze, Bonuola, Ojikutu, Egbemode, Olurode others speak
· Jakande lived simply, governed wisely, and died with dignity — Mohammed
· Govs Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun, Eno send representation
By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor
SPEAKER after speaker, on Wednesday, heaped eulogies on the late first civilian governor of Lagos, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, and recommended his exemplary conduct as a journalist and political leader, to save Nigeria and the media industry.
In unanimity, the speakers agreed that the media has a special role to play in promoting unity and development of the country. They also agreed that the media is facing existential threat from poor funding and social media, and offered suggestions to overcome the challenges.
The suggestions include granting media industry subsidies, tax waivers, proper training, mentoring and remuneration of journalists, checking fake journalism and ensuring fairness, and accuracy in reporting.
The occasion was the third Lateef Jakande Annual Memorial Lecture organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, yesterday, in Lagos.
Jakande, who governed Lagos for four years, between October 1, 1979 to December 31, 1983, built 17 housing estates, abolished evening schooling, offered free education and healthcare and constructed series of roads across the state. He co-founded the NGE, Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN. He was the first black chairman of the International Journalism Institute.
Media titans at the well-attended event, chaired by Professor Lai Olurode, however, decried the absence of all the governors invited, which some of them described as a slight on the media.
Themed:” Journalism and the Challenges of Nation-Building in a Multi-Ethnic Society,” those who spoke at the event included the keynoter and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr Aminu Gimbawa; President of the NGE, and Editor of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr Eze Anaba; Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Bayo Onanuga; former Managing Director and Editor-In-Chief of The Guardian, Mr Emeka Izeze; former Presidential Spokesman, Chief Femi Adesina.
The speakers also include former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, Mr Lade Bonuola; Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of Punch Newspapers, Mr. Joseph Adeyeye; former NGE President, Mrs. Funke Egbemode; former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu; Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, who represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Mr Kayode Akinmade, who represented Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; and Mr Mike Effiong, who represented Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State among others.
Media can’t afford to fail — Anaba
Welcoming guests, which included media icons and titans, journalists and students of the Lagos State University, LASU, and Nigeria Institute of Journalism, NIJ, which were established by Jakande, the NGE President, Mr Anaba, said the theme could not be more timely or relevant given the state of the nation.
His words: “At a time when our nation continues to grapple with fundamental questions of justice, unity, and identity in the course of nation building, the role of journalism has come under intense scrutiny—both for its power and its responsibility.
“Today’s lecture is not just a conversation about the media; it is part of a broader national dialogue on how we, as journalists, can contribute meaningfully to building a just, inclusive, and cohesive society.
“As journalists, we occupy a unique and strategic position. We have the power to influence narratives, shape public opinion, and promote national values. With Nigeria’s rich diversity and multi-ethnic composition, we have an opportunity—and indeed a duty—to ensure that our reporting and storytelling help push the nation toward becoming a stronger, more united, and progressive society.
“Just a few weeks ago in Enugu, at our biennial convention, we explored how journalism can be deployed to enhance national security and stability. Today’s lecture continues that important conversation. It reflects the commitment of the Nigerian Guild of Editors to ensure that our diversity does not remain a source of division, but instead becomes a foundation for collective growth and shared prosperity.
“Our platforms—whether in print, broadcast, or digital—give us immense power to foster trust in institutions and promote mutual understanding among citizens. We must wield this power with a deep sense of responsibility, professionalism, and integrity.”
Jakande was a journalist, public servant, patriot — Mohammed
In his lecture, Governor Mohammed quoted late Senate President Chuba Okadigbo, who said: “If you are emotionally attached to your tribe, religion, or political leanings to the point that Truth and Justice become secondary considerations, your education is useless. Your exposure is useless. If you cannot reason beyond petty sentiments, you are a liability to mankind,” to stress why journalists and leaders must not be biased.
Describing Jakande as a journalist, public servant, patriot, he said: “We gather not merely to celebrate a life, but to renew a purpose: the purpose of journalism in the service of nation-building, especially in our richly diverse but often divided society.
He commended the NGE for sustaining the lecture, urging that “gatherings like this must be encouraged and institutionalised, for they allow us to learn from our past, reflect on our present, and chart a course for our future.
The governor went down memory lane to recall the “immortal power of the Press in the fight for independence noting that “the history of Nigeria is in many ways the history of its journalism. Long before we gained independence, it was the Nigerian press that laid the foundation for our freedom.
“Men like Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Anthony Enahoro did not just write editorials — they stirred national consciousness. Azikiwe’s West African Pilot bore the profound motto: ‘Show the light and the people will find the way.’
“Others followed: Bisi Onabanjo, Sa’adu Zungur, Bob Ogbuagu, Mokwugo Okoye — names that should not merely be remembered, but taught in every school of journalism. These were journalists who became leaders, not by switching careers, but by extending their service from the newsroom to the nation.
“Indeed, there is hardly any profession better suited to train future public servants than journalism for the journalist is trained to listen, to investigate, to challenge power, and above all — to serve the public interest.
“That was the philosophy of Alhaji Lateef Jakande. As Governor of Lagos State, his journalistic values became governance values: simplicity, honesty, accessibility, and efficiency. Jakande governed with the pen still in his heart, even if not in his hand.
Even when he served under General Abacha — a decision that drew sharp criticism and even scorn — he endured it quietly, out of a deep belief in unity, nationhood, and the possibility of service in difficult circumstances. That experience is a reminder to all of us that sometimes, history judges not by the noise of the crowd, but by the integrity of the motive.
“I can relate to that experience personally. In 2010, I moved the Doctrine of Necessity motion in the Senate — a decision that allowed Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to assume presidential powers at a moment of constitutional uncertainty. The backlash was fierce. My constituents accused me of betrayal. Petitions to recall me circulated like wildfire. Yet I knew that the path of nation-building often runs through the terrain of misunderstanding. In that moment, I understood something deeper about Alhaji Jakande’s own journey.”
Journalism under fire
Recalling how the Nigerian press has endured and resisted oppression in many forms under colonialism and military rule, he said, “Today, the threats are different but no less insidious. The digital age has opened the floodgates of information — and misinformation. Social media has democratised speech but also diluted truth. Artificial intelligence now creates headlines, but who checks the heart behind them?
“And then, there is the corrosive influence of big money. Politicians, corporations, and special interests now compete to own narratives, not just policies. Editorial independence is constantly under siege, and the temptation to trade truth for access is greater than ever.
“Yet the challenge is not only external. It is also internal. Some media houses lack the institutional discipline to be the watchdogs they aspire to be.
“Young journalists are often exploited, poorly trained, and handed a pen without principles.
“You cannot promote ethics in society if your own house is in disorder. Journalists must not only write truth — they must live it.
“The veterans must mentor. The institutions must reform. And we must invest in civic education, media literacy, and training that equips the next generation with not just tools — but with a mission.
Journalism’s role in nation-building
“Let me be clear: journalism is not just about reporting events. It is about shaping the nation’s soul.
“In a multi-ethnic society like ours, where language, religion, and geography too often define identity, the media must help create national consciousness — a consciousness that values justice, merit, and shared destiny.
“We must not merely be a federation of ethnicities. We must be a nation of citizens. This requires cultivating national ethos: values that transcend our differences.
Respect for life, rule of law, dignity of labour, truth over tribe
“As Martin Luther King Jr. famously said: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Permit me to localise that dream: “I dream of a Nigeria where children are not judged by their surname, their state of origin, or their place of worship, but by the content of their character and the strength of their service.”
That dream can become reality — with the right leadership, and with the right media.
“Let me cite an example from our own experience in Bauchi State. Despite our diverse population — religiously, ethnically, linguistically — Bauchi remains one of the most peaceful and united states in Nigeria. This is not by chance. It is the result of deliberate, inclusive policies that reflect our belief in fairness, merit, and unity. We appoint based on ability, not ancestry. We build schools and health centres where they are needed, not where they are politically convenient. Our traditional and religious leaders are empowered to act as bridges, not barricades.
What journalists must do
To promote unity and development of the country, Mohammed urged the media to do five things: defend the rule of law because no nation can survive selective justice; demand credible leadership; champion national reconciliation; promote civic education and language inclusion; and begin with housekeeping
“The media must fix its own broken windows. Exploiting interns, hoarding opportunities, turning a blind eye to corruption within — these must stop. The pen must remain clean to remain powerful.”
Why Nigeria must not fail
He argued that Nigeria’s “survival as a nation is not optional. It is imperative because our size gives us leverage. Our diversity, properly harnessed, is strength. Our shared history binds us more than it divides. Our natural resources can fuel prosperity — if managed with integrity,” and urged the Nigerian media to be the spark of that integrity.
Concluding with plaudits on Jakande, he said: “Here was a man who lived simply, governed wisely, and died with dignity. He never used his office to build empires. He built schools. He built houses. He built people.
“Let his life be a reminder that power is not what we hold — it is what we do with what we hold.
“To my colleagues in journalism: remain steadfast. Remain principled. Remain patriotic. Even when others falter, let the Nigerian press be remembered as “the last men and women standing.”
Other speakers at the event echoed these views and added more perspectives with the representatives of the governors offering apologies for their voidable absence.
Prominent persons at the lecture included Jakande’s widow, Alhaja Abimbola Jakande, his son, Seyi and family members; Mrs Modupe Jemibewon; Alhaji Najeem Jimoh and Mr Emeka Ugwu-Oju among others.
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