Nigeria’s oldest surviving newspaper, “Daily Times of Nigeria’’, is to honour President Mohammadu Buhari, with the Nnamdi Azikiwe Leadership Award, and President Nana Akufo-Ado of Ghana with the Babatunde Jose Leadership Award.
The awards, the Chairman of the Daily Times Group of Newpapers, Mr Fidelis Anosike, said on Monday in Lagos that awards were part of the activities to celebrate its 91st anniversary, beginning with a historic national exhibition, with the theme, “Nigeria through the Times …’’.
Anosike said that the “AA’’ top-level exhibition would hold at the foyer of Abuja International Conference Centre on May 16, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The exhibition will also hold at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, from June 1 to June 6.
“To celebrate this exciting milestone in Nigeria’s media history, the Daily Times Nigeria has lined up activities to mark this historic occasion.
“The history of the Daily Times as we all know is synonymous with the history of the Nigeria.
“The Exhibition is aimed at bringing to memory, the vision, struggles of our founding fathers who laboured vigorously for Nigeria’s independence as exclusively documented by the Daily Times and retained in our very rich archive.
“ The exhibition shall showcase the history of Nigeria from the colonisation era, the rise of Nigeria’s nationalism, pictorial exhibitions of historic constitutional conferences and the emergencies of political parties.
“It will also feature the Nigerian independent pictures, the Daily Times first publication of June 1, 1926, the Daily Times Independent edition, of Oct. 1, 1960 and landmark editorials of the Daily Times.
“To be exhibited also are photographs of editors of the Daily Times publications and memorable front pages from Daily and Sunday Times,’’ Anosike said in a statement he jointly signed with Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Chairman, DTN Anniversary Committee.
The statement said that the 91st anniversary events would come to a climax with “Times Heroes Award 2017’’ instituted to honour deserving Nigerians who had distinguished themselves in various endeavours.
It said their activities had positively impacted lives, a legacy the Daily Times canvassed over the years.
The annual award, it said, would hold at the Abuja International Conference Centre, Conference Hall from 6.30 p.m. on May 16.
The statement listed those to be honoured as President Mohammadu Buhari, who is being given the Nnamdi Azikiwe Leadership Award, President Nana Akufo-Ado of Ghana who would receive the Babatunde Jose Leadership Award.
The immediate past President of Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan, will receive the Ernest Ikoli Leadership Award, and the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki will have The Politician of the Decade Award.
Eight serving governors, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia,, Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, Bindo Jubrilla of Adamawa State, Nyesome Wike of Rivers, Willie Obiano of Anambra, and Ibrahim Dankwabo of Gombe State, will be awarded the Governor of the Decade Award.
Others to be honoured include Nigerian Media Icons like Nduka Obaigbena, John Momoh, Linda Ikeji, Chris Ubosi and Business icons Tony Elumelu, who is being awarded Man of the Decade Award, and the Chairman of Heirs Holding and UBA, Mrs Ibukun Awosika.
The Chairman of First Bank Plc, will be awarded Woman of Decade and Pastor Paul Adefarasin, will received the Life Impact Award.
The statement said that this year’s ward was consolidated because the last award was in 1996 when the organisation marked its 70th anniversary.
It added that henceforth, the award would be held every year.
The statement said notable icons of the Daily Times were Sir Adeyemo Alakija, Ernest Ikoli, Alhaji Babatunde Jose, Dr Patrick Dele Cole, and Chief Henry Odukomaiya.
Others it listed are Chief Segun Osoba and Mr Sam Amuka, Mr Tony Momoh, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi, Chief Innocent Oparadike, Araba Tola Adeniyi, Tunj Oseni and Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria’s Heritage, the Daily Times clock 91on June 1, 2017.
The company, Nigerian Printing and Publishing Company Ltd., was incorporated on June 6, 1925, while the first 2,000 copies of the Nigerian Daily Times were on sale on the streets of Lagos on June 1, 1926.
The event which is expected to attract people from all walks of life will be used to unveil our very unique vision for a new Times Journalism Institute.
The institution will be sited in Abuja for the promotion of humanitarian cause such as issues of the Internally Displaced Nigerians IDPs scattered across the country. (NAN)
