Martins Oloja, MD/Editor-in-Chief
What The Guardian stands for
The Guardian is an independent newspaper, established for the purpose of presenting balanced coverage of events, and of promoting the best interests of Nigeria.
It owes allegiance to no political party, ethnic community, religious or other interest group. It’s primary commitment is to the integrity and sovereignty of the Federation of Nigeria, and that to the unity and sovereignty of Africa.
The Guardian is a liberal newspaper, committed to the best tradition and ideals of republican democracy. It believes that it is the responsibility of the state not only to protect and defend the citizen, but also to create the conditions, political, social, economic and cultural, in which all citizens may achieve their highest potential as human beings. It is committed to the principles of individual freedom, but believes that all citizens have duties as well as rights.
The Guardian does not, in principle, object to the ideology of free enterprise, since this would be inconsistent with its commitment to individual liberty and freedom. But it believes that the state must intervene judiciously in the economic life of the nation, in order to minimise the adverse effects of free enterprise and ensure that less privileged citizens have reasonable and fair access to the basic necessities of life.
The Guardian will at all times uphold the need for justice, probity in public life, equal access to the nation’s resources, and equal protection under the laws of Nigeria for all citizens.
Late Icon, Alex Uruemu Ibru
The Guardian believes that Nigeria is a legitimate member of the international community, but holds that she can best fulfill her international obligations only if her own security and integrity are assured.
The Guardian’s logo is the ancient Egyptian symbol for Conscience. The motto, “Conscience, Nurtured by Truth,” is inspired by Uthman Dan Fodio’s saying: “Conscience is an Open Wound; only Truth Can Heal It.”
‘We will continue to practise good journalism after 40’
By Martins Oloja, MD/Editor-in-Chief
At this time that the political economy of a free press is quite unfavourable with high cost of operations, we are 40 as a daily newspaper. I thank God for His grace that has seen us through this turbulent time. On behalf of all our associates, I thank the publisher and the board of directors, who have been quite consistent in building the brand reputation of this great newspaper. They have made the difference and the distinction of 40 years we are celebrating today.
As we celebrate, I assure you that we will not allow democracy to falter in Africa’s most populous country. As a journalist, Walter Lippmann noted almost a century ago that democracy falters, “if there is no steady supply of trustworthy and relevant news”.
As our publisher has always enjoined us, we will not fail to supply good information, which is the life-blood of a healthy democracy. We will always be conscious of the fact that public opinion and debate suffer when citizens are misinformed about current affairs as increasingly the case. We will continue to promote knowledge-based journalism as a corrective.
We will always be guided by a classic that unless journalists are more deeply informed about the subjects they cover, they will continue to misinterpret them and vulnerable to manipulation by their sources. These are the abiding principles that have defined good journalism at The Guardian, which we all celebrate today.
All told, we will not fail to remind ourselves what the founding fathers left behind as defined by Benjamin Franklin that “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters”.
Please read what our great masters, leaders and editors have got to say to and about us at 40. They are quite illuminating. Read on…
I rejoice with The Guardian at 40. I am very happy that the newspaper has been growing from glory to glory even after the transition to glory of the founder since 2011.
I am from the academia, and so as a researcher, I have been impressed by the calibre of the members of the editorial board and staff. I would like to congratulate the publisher on her discipline and resourcefulness in the way she has allowed editorial independence that has defined the quality and profile of the newspaper till the present.
I am also glad to note that The Guardian has been restructuring its operations and a new phase of young intellectuals leading the newsroom is beginning to emerge. That is also a refining moment at 40… May the God of all Comfort bless The Guardian and Nigeria!
Prof. Wale Omole
Chairman Editorial Board
The publisher was a man of incredible patience and most fascinating self-control. In all the years that he was in the Editorial Board, no one on that Board heard one single sentence from him. He never said anything and when we asked him for comment, sir, what do you have to say about this issue? He would respond, my friends, you are the experts, I know nothing about this game. I learn a lot from you guys. For me, it is an educational experience not to be messed up by ignorance. Although, he didn’t say a word in the Editorial board, he fought to protect the newspaper in a way, which nobody that I know of has ever done. Our pain was his pain, our fear was his fear, our strength was independence. I am sure many of his friends and family would have tried to influence the paper, but he never intervened in whatever was written in The Guardian, including the famous decisions that the paper was not to be blotted with the penchant of honorific titles such as Chief, High Chief, Madam, Dame, professor and all sorts of titles.
It was a new concept of not pandering to influence seekers who love to have prefixes to their names. Even the first Chief Executive, Stanley Macebuh, refused to accept the Managing Director title and preferred to be called a reporter. We told him that if he goes out with a card of The Guardian saying Chief reporter it would not mean anything and would probably not get the interview. But to mollify him, we then said he should call himself Editor-In-Chief. That intension was obviously not taken in cognizance of the market forces outside The Guardian.
From the very beginning, The Guardian stood not only for Nigeria, but also for Africa. To that end, we had an editor from various geographical parts of Africa, East Africa, South Africa and various other places where the demand of our own understanding of our role of Africa had pushed us. We also had representatives in United Kingdom and United States of America.
I am glad to notice this, that our bold and courageous departure from the norm of business has further distinguished us from other newspapers. It was our intension to make The Guardian part of a news industry. We wanted to have a radio/Television license and have print houses in the East and North. The Guardian has lived to realise its promises and thereby creating clear footprint in the development of news and information in Nigeria. Ambassador Dele Cole
I heartily congratulate the Chairman/Publisher, Managing Director, directors, management and staff on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of The Guardian. It is a matter for gratitude to the Most High that we are permitted to see this glorious day. How time flies, as they say, even though time goes nowhere it is man that moves into to time for Time is eternal.
The Guardian hit town with a bang 40 years ago. It started operations on February 27, 1983; it went daily on July 4 of the same year. We could not go daily immediately because we were expecting the arrival and installation of our printing machines. The machines were coming from Europe. In the meantime we were doing our printing at The Sketch in Ibadan and the pre-press at The Punch in Ikeja. We were roaring to go. All the troops were at their beats.
I count it a great privilege to have been permitted to cross her portals, and found professional fulfillment. Our battle cry was “Sooner than later, you will read The Guardian.”
The credit of the organisation’s instant success should go in large measure to the founder and pioneer Chairman/Publisher, Mr. Alexander Uremu Ibru. He brought to bear his aura, sense of beauty, refinement and simplicity as well as humility on the company. The management was dedicated and the staff had a sense of mission and the requisite daringness to soar and accomplish. We saw the country upside down and like all youths in their melancholic temperament, resolved in collaborative working, to straighten things, give our land standards and renewed taste.
The newspaper was established as a quality journal addressed mainly to leaders, in politics and economy, to captains of industry, to universities, the Arts and Culture—to leaders in all facets of life, including religious leaders regardless of the spiritual values they may profess. Deliberately as characteristic of quality otherwise known as serious newspaper, it set out to appeal to reason rather an to emotions. Thus it was addressed at those in the AB and C socio-economic bracket.
We were severely independent, and predictably we equally paid direly for our unyielding stance once we agreed it was the truth in line with our motto: Conscience, nurtured by Truth. Our stance was regardless of whose ox was gored.
We were fortunate to have a Publisher who was unshaken in our self-imposed cause and chosen path. We had as head of the executive a liberal and a scholar, exposed and full of dreams, seeing the newspaper as the alternative government, a shadow government that must set the tone. That was no other than Dr. Stanley Macebuh.
If I may speak briefly about Mr. Ibru. He believed exceedingly in me and gave me unusual free hands to run the paper. At inception, as was the custom, I was sending to him our news schedule so he could have a fair idea of what we were going to put in his newspaper; so that we would not take him by surprise with certain aspects of the newspaper content. Had he any issues to raise with what we planned to push out? After a month or two that I did not hear from him, I went to meet him in the office to ask why I had heard nothing from him. To my shock, my Chairman returned to me all the copies of the schedules as I stapled and forwarded them. Mr. Publisher, Sir, what happened? He told me he did not open them. He had been told what I sent to him was the proposed content of the paper for the following day. He told me that he was a businessman and not a journalist. “You are the expert, get going with your job. Besides, Segun Osoba and Dele Cole had asked me not to interfere in your work!”
‘I said to him that should any of our readers have complaints about our publication, it was he that they would seek out to lodge their complaints being the publisher. Mr. Ibru said to me, “should anyone seek to complain to me, I will simply give whoever it may be your telephone number, your direct line, to speak to you!”
Such was the degree of free hands he gave to me.
He was pleased that we had shared values. We think the same way, he was wont to say to me. He discovered that I am an unrepentant apostle of free market economy. It is in freedom and struggle man unfolds his talents and abilities. This was the driving principle. The Guardian through his stance and encouragement was reaching for the moon, an editorial and business success.
The Guardian still remains in good hands who keep the flag flying. They are committed to the ideals of the newspaper giant.
I rejoice and say, arise, ladies and gentlemen and let us clink glasses. Hearty congratulations, dear friends and colleagues.
From Lade Bonuola, first Editor, second MD/EiC…
The paper deserves a lot of congratulations because other papers didn’t survive the exit of their owners. For example the National Concord is gone, Daily Times has not been able to come up since it went down, but The Guardian deserves accolades for being able to withstand the exit of Mr Ibru. It shows that there was a good management structure in the newspaper.
Everyone, even we humans, live and sustain on the basis of ideas, the paper should not stop generating editorial ideas to continue to thrive and become not easily reachable by competitors because the day you stop generating and developing ideas, they will catch up with you. Ideas can come from consultants, they can package something for you and you go and develop them on your own, or generate them from within and look for talented young men and women and there are many of them in town today who can make this thing work. Mr Femi Kusa
It is commonplace these days to over hype personalities and institutions, extol them for what they really have not achieved. You cannot say the same of The Guardian that I joined on the eve of my birthday in 1984.
It was a place Sully Abu, whom I met for the first time in Sonala Olumhense’s office earlier in 1984, in his uniquely guttural and revolutionary voice, said: “Common Emeka, come and join us.” I was enjoying my job in a small newspaper in Benin City, which I had joined soon after leaving school.
So, curiously I asked him: “And why should I do that?” He hardly allowed me to complete the question, when he burst out: “Because this is the first place I have worked where I looked forward to daybreak so I could go back to work.”
The Guardian was like no other media organisation. It was a newspaper uniquely brash in its advertisement pay off line that insists almost impudently: “Sooner or later, you will read The Guardian”.
Years later, after suffering a 12-month shut down, it came up with an even more provocative line. Its home advertisement was of a big military boot into which a little boy attempted to fit his tiny foot. Almost in a sigh, the pay off line declared: “Too big to fit”.
These were not hyperboles. The Guardian was special from inception. From the editorial suite in the newsroom, to the editorial board, it was packed with probably the best crop of professionals in the industry at the time, and maybe, till today.
This was a newspaper where as editor of the Sunday weekly, having served earlier under one of the best human beings I had known, Ms Amma Ogan, to editor of the flagship daily, The Guardian; and eventually as Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, totaling almost 30 years, not once did the Founder and Publisher, Mr Alex Ibru, ever attempted to influence my editorial work. It was not common then, it is not common today.
The Guardian was a mission to everyone there. Dr Stanley Macebuh and his team of eggs heads who put more rigour into knocking out editorials on public policy, than those paid by the State to do the work; Mr Lade Bonuola and his deputy, Mr Femi Kusa, who were some of the finest journalists I have known.
There were many more of course, young, old, men, women, bright, very bright lights, all of whom jaunted about in the pride of their profession. There were also those who knew how to make the place a commercial success in the Advertising, Circulation, Accounts, Production departments. You cannot work at The Guardian without a harvest of mostly fond memories.
As age goes, 40 years is morning yet for a great newspaper. There will be more trials, and more triumphs. But there must always remain only one The Guardian.
-Emeka Izeze
The Guardian has endured for 40 years as a bastion of excellence in journalism practice. I congratulate the board of directors, management and, indeed, all members of staff, past and present, on this milestone. Having been privileged to serve as Editor of the flagship, following in the illustrious footsteps of the late Dr. Stanley Macebuh, Chief Oyinlade Bonuola, Olufemi Kusa, Eluem Emeka Izeze; and leading the newspaper for more than 12 years, my joy on this occasion is total. I wish the organisation many more decades of excellence and success. Ambassador Debo Adesina
The Guardian did not invent journalism in Nigeria. It only reinvented that noble profession and pushed it to heights hitherto unknown where the dividing line between journalism and academics became completely obliterated. Even at that, The Guardian’s greatest achievement is in retaining this profile for 40 years such that what the paper says or fails to say defines journalism practice in the country. That I was part of this great professional and intellectual enterprise for 30 years, first as a roving reporter, and then as Editor for six years is a badge I feel so proud to wear at all times and in all places.
On the occasion of its 40th anniversary, I can only express a wish, and that is, for The Flagship to remember the circumstances of its birth and growth and keep the flag flying till tomorrow! Abraham Obomeyoma Ogbodo
I salute the Chairman, Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Guardian Newspapers, on this happy occasion of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Group. The Guardian was intended, by its founding fathers, to set new parameters in qualitative journalism and it has done so, with great credit, in the last forty years. It has been and remains, clearly, the flagship of the print media in Nigeria.
I am proud to have been associated with the Guardian, as a member of the Editorial Board and Columnist, for four years (1990 -1994). They were some of the most exciting and impactful years of my life. It was through the Guardian Publisher, Chief Alex Ibru, of blessed memory, that I became a Special Adviser in the Abacha Government, an experience that not only made me to be sought after, in the politics of the immediate post military era, but has continued to be rewarding to me till today!
May The Guardian Newspapers continue to wax stronger and brighter!!!
Prof. Femi Otubanjo
In this new joy, I join in the celebration of 40 years of The Guardian. I joined the Editorial Board of the Newspaper in February 1985 and left almost a decade later in September 1994. During that period, I occupied various positions of responsibility and leadership in the Board. We were proud of The Guardian and The Guardian was proud of us, collectively and individually, the Board helped to develop The Guardian intellectually and ideologically. Conversely, The Guardian allowed and helped us to realise and develop ourselves within and through it. If I may borrow the language of Karl Max, I will say The Guardian was the flagship of the print media in Nigeria and the paper knew itself to be so. Prof Edwin Madunagu
I t is 40 years indeed since the first edition of The Guardian newspapers showed up on the newsstands in Nigeria, with the vision to become one of the best five newspapers in Africa written in the English language, to give the voiceless a voice, to promote free enterprise and the rule of law, to serve as an interface between civil society, government and business and to provide opportunities for the defence and promotion of the freedom of expression in a robust, professional and intellectual manner.
The Guardian at 40 is a tribute to the vision of its founder, Alex Uruemu Ibru (1945 – 2011) who before his ascension to glory had built the newspaper into an enduring institution and one of the major landmarks in the development of the contemporary media in Nigeria. The Guardian revolutionised media practice when it arrived and for decades, it was the dominant print medium in the country. Mr. Ibru placed great emphasis on excellence, talent and editorial independence. He paid careful attention to style, content, philosophy, and tradition. He used to tell us that we could work in the company until our walking sticks failed us. “You are the professionals”, he used to say. “I did not borrow money to set up this place, so do your job as professionals,” he often added.
This in part made it possible for him to attract to the newspaper, some of the best and the brightest that ever put pen to paper in Nigeria, turning The Guardian into a place for great intellection, and more remarkably, a bridge between the ivory tower and the market place, and a palpable demonstration of capacity in all departments. The Guardian carried the banner for justice, equity and fairness.
Its stinging editorials and news pages railed against chicanery and mediocrity in the corridors of power. It had a reputation for detailed reporting and incisive analysis backed by electrifying brain power, providing multi-disciplinary journalism of a fresh tint. I arrived at The Guardian around October 1991, although I was not formally employed until January 1992. In those days, everyone had to take a test and go through a probation period.
The competition for space was tough. Many brilliant people fell by the way side. The Guardian was the place to be for anyone who laid any claim to some significant intellect. By the time I got there: there was so much history already made. The place was practically vibrating. We enjoyed the work. We loved the environment. It was a place where you could be in the editorial section and yet have friends, who became family – in Engineering or Circulation, Advert or Cash Office. Some people enjoyed the work so much, they almost forgot to take a wife! Some people even slept in the office if the work demanded that they did. Those were the days and what I recall are fond memories, not the ethnic in-fighting that later surfaced, and the gradual Nigerianisation of. a pace-setting model of value, entrepreneurship and industry.
I rose to become Chairman of the Editorial Board/Editorial Page Editor, 2000 to 2011 before moving on to serve the Federal Government as Presidential Spokesman/Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria, 2011 – 2015. I remember The Guardian as a core part of my life experiences, as is the case I believe with all the wonderful people with whom we worked together, taking work as fun, and looking forward to when that proverbial walking stick would drop. But life is about seasons, entrances and exits and nothing lasts forever. Within each and every one of us, members of The Guardian family lives a memory that cannot be erased even as the flock has been flung hither and thither, and as another generation continues with the dream and the tradition. It is a great privilege and a much-cherished opportunity to have passed through Rutam House and to be given this additional opportunity to say Happy Birthday at 40, to the Flagship!
Reuben Abati, Ph.D
I am so happy to note that The Guardian is 40 years… I owe my entire media experience to The Guardian as a newspaper. I will never forget. I would like to pay tribute to the memory of the late Alex Ibru who founded the newspaper. He (Ibru) created a platform that allowed us to express the very essence of our being without hindrance. I will never forget. Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi
I join The Guardian and its friends in celebrating its 40th anniversary. On that day, July 4, 1983, as the newspaper went daily 40, I reflected on “Journalism, as chained by journalists.”
I concluded: “There’s no doubt that only the truth will set us all free and build this nation. Our people need journalists who will courageously go after, and provide them with, the truth. People who can, and will relentlessly pursue causes, wage wars, run races, not those who hunt money and sell lies. People who, if necessary, will be men enough to give up their jobs, not their consciences. People for whom credibility is important. People who can see Nigeria, and as more than a geographical expression. People who, like Sir Walker Scott, will “vow to thee my country, all earthly things above, entire and whole and perfect…”
Today, its offices and its heart run by men and women who were yet to be born at that time, I challenge The Guardian to recommit. You cannot be the flagship without the flag or without the ship! Sonala Olumhense
I always knew that The Guardian would last as one of the best newspapers. I am proud to be associated with The Guardian. A lot of my friends then at The Guardian are still my friends. I am really proud to be associated with the success story of The Guardian.
Folake Soyinka
