TheNewsGuru

Tag: Publisher

  • NewsDirect Publisher, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi is dead

    NewsDirect Publisher, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi is dead

    Media Icon and the NewsDirect newspaper publisher,Dr Samuel Ibiyemi, has given up the ghost.

    Dr Ibiyemi was reported dead on Tuesday afternoon at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan Remo, Ogun after a protracted illness.

    Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, described the death as shocking.

    In a condolence message to his family and media colleagues, Abiodun described Dr. Ibiyemi as a brilliant and versatile journalist, who deployed his wealth of experience in the profession to better the society.

    He said the late publisher was a stickler for the truth, noting that through his medium, he contributed his own quota to the economic and political development of Nigeria.

    “He was quick to realise the business aspect of journalism, hence, his foray into publishing. Through NewsDirect, a refreshing newspaper, Dr. Ibiyemi brought to bear his professionalism and business acumen.

    “His death is a huge loss to his family and the journalism profession. His legacies are immense and indelible.

    “We in Ogun State will miss this quintessential and courageous journalist of no mean repute. It is my prayer that God grant him eternal rest,” the governor said.

  • BREAKING: Hallmark Newspaper publisher, Emeka Obasi dies at 58

    BREAKING: Hallmark Newspaper publisher, Emeka Obasi dies at 58

    The publisher of Hallmark Newspaper, Prince Emeka Obasi is dead.

    According to CKN News, the veteran journalist died on Wednesday March 16, 2022, aged 58 after a protracted illness.

    The Abia State-born and former Commissioner for Information, Abia State, had been battling a health challenge for the past eight years.

    He is the founder and executive secretary of Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre (PPRAC), organisers of the Zik Prize in Leadership Award

    He was the founder of several Newspapers including National Mirror which he eventually sold to Mr Jimoh Ibrahim

  • Complete Sports Publisher, Dr Emmanuel Ojeagbase is dead

    Complete Sports Publisher, Dr Emmanuel Ojeagbase is dead

     

    The Publisher of complete communications Limited, publishers of complete sports newspapers, success Digest, complete sports online and many other media publications Dr Emmanuel Sunny Ojeagbase has passed on.

    He was confirmed dead on Saturday, 26 February 2022 in Atlanta, United States of America (USA) after a brief illness. He was aged 71 years.

    Dr. Ojeagbase hailed from Uzebba, Iuleha in Owan West of Edo State. Popularly known as Sunny Ojeagbase (or simply “S.O.”) before he added Emmanuel to his name, the late media entrepreneur broke into the national consciousness as the pioneer publisher of sports news in Nigeria when he established Sports Souvenir weekly newspaper in 1984.

    Before then, he was a retired soldier of the Nigerian Army who cut his teeth in sports journalism as a stringer at the Daily Times newspapers in the mid-1970s. Through sheer talent, determination and hard work, Ojeagbase blossomed very quickly and was appointed sports editor of Sunday Concord newspapers at inception in 1980 and sports editor of The Guardian newspapers also at inception in 1983. He resigned from The Guardian in 1984 to pursue his dream as an entrepreneur.

    Between 1984 and 1994, Ojeagbase introduced several other pioneering sports titles including Complete Football magazine, Complete Football International (CFI) and International Soccer Review (ISR) into the Nigerian sports market. Remarkably, the Complete Football titles played very prominent roles in ensuring Nigeria’s first appearance at the FIFA World Cup at USA 1994 as well as the country’s football Gold medal win at the Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games also in the USA. Between those two historic events in Nigerian sports, Ojeagbase introduced Complete Sports as the Number One daily sports newspaper in Nigeria in 1995.

    Also in 1994, Ojeagbase co-founded with his wife, Pastor (Mrs) Esther Ojeagbase, the Success Attitude Development Centre (SADC) with a vision and mission to teach young Nigerian entrepreneurs how to start, run and make a success of their businesses. SADC has gone on to produce and inspire thousands of successful entrepreneurs who are protégés of the Ojeagbase’s and many of whom are now employers of labour.

    Dr. Ojeagbase was ordained as a Pastor in March 2003 and he preached the message of God in words and in deeds to everyone who encountered him. His mantra was to do business and live life with the fear of God, integrity, compassion and peace of mind. He was a totally self-made man who was passionate about acquiring knowledge as attested to by a huge library filled with books on business management, leadership, entrepreneurship and related fields. He had a Diploma in Journalism from the University of Lagos, but he was conferred with an honorary Doctorate degree by a different institution for his accomplishments as an entrepreneur. He also received tons of awards and recognitions for his contributions to sports journalism, publishing, business mentorship and entrepreneurship.

    Pastor Ojeagbase was a rallying point for members of his immediate and extended families and also a benefactor to thousands of people. He created and facilitated breakthrough opportunities and jobs for young journalists and contemporaries alike. His generosity and philanthropy was limitless. He was completely detribalized and, despite being a Pastor, was extremely tolerant and unbiased to people of other faiths. He was a good man at heart and a great man in achievements.

  • Osinbajo writes IGP, demands investigations into alleged N4bn gift from Magu

    Osinbajo writes IGP, demands investigations into alleged N4bn gift from Magu

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, over allegations linking him to funds allegedly stolen by the suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu.

    The Vice President also demanded the probe of Jackson Ude, publisher of the online medium, Point Blank News that broke and shared the story.

    In the petition, Osinbajo said Ude was in the habit of publishing malicious articles against his person.

    The Vice-President said Jackson recently authored a story in which he stated that the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, who is facing a Presidential probe, told the investigative panel that he gave N4bn to Osinbajo.

    Osinbajo said the articles were defamatory and targetted at bringing him to ridicule before members of the public.

    He called on the IG to probe Ude with a view to prosecuting him for criminal defamation.

    Osinbajo said Ude also likened him to alleged international fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi, by calling him ‘Hush-bajo’.

    The petition dated July 8, 2020, and titled, ‘Criminal Defamation of the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), GCON by Jackson Ude’ read in part;

    “These vicious and malicious publications are meant to achieve one objective only, to present to his readership and others (Nigerians and foreigners) that our client is a dishonest and disloyal public officer and consequently unfit for the position of Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria he is occupying.

    “We are of the view that unless an action for criminal defamation is commenced against the said Mr. Jackson Ude, he will continue to use his social media platform to publish materials that are false and criminally defamatory of our client’s reputation.

    “In view of the above, we humbly request that you cause the above allegations made against our client to be investigated and if the suggested investigation confirms our complaint of the falsehood of these allegations, to initiate criminal proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Sections 391-395 of the Penal Code Act for criminal defamation against the said Jackson Ude.”

    Reacting to the petition, Ude, who is based in the United States, said Osinbajo should resign before instituting legal proceedings against him.

    “I am not afraid of Osinbajo and his minions. If he indeed wants to go to court, he needs to resign first and sue me. He cannot be VP and be using state resources to intimidate the judiciary. He cannot wave immunity that he didn’t confer on himself. Osinbajo should resign first,” Ude wrote on Twitter.

  • MRA Condemns Harassment of Publisher, Calls on Police to Investigate Alleged Threat to his Life

    Media Rights Agenda (MRA) today condemned the harassment of Mr. Oke Epia, publisher of the online newspaper, OrderPaper Nigeria, by a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tony Nwulu, and called on the Nigerian Police to thoroughly investigate the alleged threat to the life of the journalist.

    In a statement released in Lagos by its Programme Director, Mr. Ayode Longe, MRA reminded the Police that: “As a journalist, Mr. Epia has a constitutional right and duty to hold the government and government officials accountable to the people. The Police is duty-bound to protect him as a citizen and as a journalist as well as to refrain from harassing him or interfering with the performance of his professional duties, while thoroughly investigating any threat to him or any attempt by any individual to harass him with a view to bringing the culprit to justice.”

    Mr. Epia and his colleagues at OrderPaper are reported to have received a series of telephone calls from Hon. Nwulu and other “strange persons”, some of whom refused to identify themselves, threatening to hunt down Mr. Epia and his colleagues at all costs.

    Mr. Longe noted that the report published by OrderPaper regarding the collection and expenditure of funds meant for the execution of constituency projects in Hon. Nwulu’s constituency and the allegation that the project was not implemented is well within the professional duties and obligations of the online newspaper and its publishers, adding that if the former legislator feels that the story had defamed him or in any way unfairly portrayed him in bad light, he has recourse to the courts in a civil action for defamation.

    He said: “We are shocked that the former legislator, who ought to know that as an elected official, he is accountable to the public, has chosen to include the Police in his arsenal of tools for harassing and intimidating a media organization and its publisher rather than explaining to the public what has happened to the funds in question and demonstrating that the project for which the money was meant was actually implemented as specified. It is even more shocking to us that Police are allowing themselves to be used to harass and intimidate a media organization, its publisher and staff for carrying out their professional and constitutionally mandated duties.”

    According to him, if Hon. Nwulu is alleging that he is being blackmailed by the news organization, then it seems very likely that he has done something wrong that he is trying to prevent from coming out. Otherwise, a simple explanation from him on whether the constituency project has been implemented and details of how it was implemented, the cost and satisfactory proof of these would show if the report by OrderPaper was inaccurate or completely false and would likely lay the matter to rest.

    Mr. Longe observed that “Rather than provide the public with a credible explanation, Hon. Nwulu is leaving the substance of the issue and trying to use his power as a politician to silence the media while throwing up a lot of smoke in the process. It will not work; we can see through these antics.

    He added: “Mr. Epia says given the rate of attacks against journalists in Nigeria in recent times, he is fearful for his life as a result of the threat by Hon. Nwulu to hunt him down. We share his concern and call on the Nigerian Police to protect the journalist from an obviously angry individual who is determined to punish the publisher of the media outlet that dared to examine his performance in office. Hon. Nwulu feels that because he was once elected to the National Assembly, he is above the Law and cannot be questioned or asked to give account of his performance in office. Any demand on him to be accountable is viewed as blackmail.”