Jakande Lecture: Sanwo-Olu, Amuka, Osoba, Obaigbena Address Media Survival Strategies Tomorrow

As Nigerian media contends with a harsh economic environment, the chairman of THISDAY/Arise Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, will share survival strategies for the trying times with editors, media executives, and other stakeholders at the second Alhaji Lateef Jakande Annual Memorial Lecture scheduled for tomorrow in Lagos.

With a theme, “Rapidly Changing Media Landscape: Survival Strategies”, the lecture, which is slated for 10am at Radisson Blu Hotel, Isaac John Street, Ikeja, Lagos, will be chaired by the minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; while Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State will be the Special Guest of Honour.

In a statement issued yesterday and signed by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) president, Mr Eze Anaba and the general secretary, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the publisher of Vanguard Media Group, Uncle Sam Amuka; former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba and former minister of Foreign Affairs Gen. Ike Nwachukwu(retired), will be fathers of the day.

According to the professional body of editors and media executives, the annual lecture, instituted last year by the NGE in honour of its founding president, the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, is both a testament to the cherished service rendered by Alhaji Jakande and an acknowledgement of the significance of having such a conversation for the overall good of the media and the country, Nigeria.

“The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) was formed on May 20, 1961, to serve as an elite organization of editors through which editors, as professional heads of their publications, could enhance their professional interests by networking to discuss/address common challenges and developing relationships with their various audiences in the media itself, governments, and professional and trade associations.
“Originally named the Guild of Newspaper Editors of Nigeria, it was later renamed Nigerian Guild of Editors to accommodate colleagues in the broadcast/online media.

“The NGE’s founding president was Alhaji Lateef Jakande (1929-2021). He had rallied his professional colleagues to form the body that was conceived to occupy the strategic middle ground of editorial senior managers between media owners and the general workforce of journalists”, the NGE added.

The Guild said that after discharging “uncommon duties” to the Nigerian media, Alhaji Jakande rendered appreciable service – as the first civilian governor of Lagos State, and as a federal Minister of Works and Housing.

According to the NGE, “Sixty-three years after, the NGE – the professional body of editors and Media executives, remains a respected organisation among professional associations and a leader in the media landscape.

“And Alhaji Lateef Jakande’s name remains treasured – whenever committed service is mentioned in the media and public service.

“Consequently, as part of nurturing a culture of appreciation, the NGE, in 2023, instituted an Annual Lecture in honour of its late pioneer president, Alhaji Jakande – to continue interrogating developments affecting the media and society.”

The Guild said the event would provide a huge opportunity for media stakeholders to interrogate issues affecting the media sector and will be attended by media executives, scholars from the academic, policymakers, politicians, students of mass communication and others.