LEADERSHIP, Great Phenomenon With Positive Impact
By Dr Ibrahim Sheme, longest-serving daily editor and pioneer editorial director
The journey has been phenomenal. But it is not entirely surprising that LEADERSHIP reached where it is today because it started sprinting as soon as it was born. The founding chairman and editor-in-chief, Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah, of blessed memory, had a boundless and restless spirit that drove his competitive edge. He had a clear vision of what he wanted to attain and his intended destination. He clearly understood the media scene in Nigeria and knew the yawning gaps that needed to be filled.
One of the gaps was the near absence of a national newspaper that could tell the truth to power. Newspapers in those days were somewhat laid-back and lugubrious, if not timid, and were not keen to question the chicanery of the political and economic establishment because of their own self-interest.
Mr Nda-Isaiah had made a name as the most popular columnist in the Daily Trust and, then, the most widely read newspaper in the North. His Monday back page column was acerbic, unflagging and unconventional. It was his fearlessness and zest that he brought to LEADERSHIP. Right from edition number one, the paper showed its true colour with differences in many respects. It was voluminous in terms of page numbers; its size was trim and stitched like a book, its many colour pages, and its attractive design aesthetics. Though based in Abuja, the newspaper was being printed in Lagos in order to get the best output.
It was an instant hit with the vendors and the readers, and anybody tired of the old-school journalistic approach of the leading newspapers now had an alternative read.
Mr Nda-Isaiah maintained that excellent disposition for most of the years of his life as the publisher and driving force behind his newspapers.
Many vital milestones have shaped the company’s growth, but I will mention a few. The first milestone was the paper becoming a daily. I shouldered the sole responsibility of creating the various sections and columns that would be appearing in each edition from Monday to Sunday. To do that, I understudied what the top five dailies were serving their readers daily. To be competitive, I made sure that any of the sections came a day before that of our immediate competition, the Daily Trust. For example, if the weekly Health pages of the Trust were on Wednesday, those of LEADERSHIP would be on Tuesday.
However, I left the company a few weeks before the daily started and handed over the work to Aniebo Nwamu, who made additions and adjustments.
Another milestone was the introduction of the Hausa edition called LEADERSHIP Hausa. Other titles followed, such as LeVogue, a glossy magazine patterned on the ThisDay Style magazine. Of course, others came along in due course. Another significant milestone was moving from the rented house in Garki II to the excellent permanent site of the company that the Chairman acquired and constructed in the Utako district of the city. I returned to the company in 2007 after only a year’s absence, so I was there when we moved and when most of the milestones happened.
Other milestones included the acquisition of equipment, such as the printing press, the introduction of various shades of innovative content in the newspapers in the stable, and changes in the management structure. For example, the company had its first managing director, Mr Azu Ishiekwene, and I was the first editorial director after working as the longest-serving editor of the daily. Many such innovations marked the growth of the company under Mr Nda-Isaiah’s visionary leadership.
LEADERSHIP’s entry onto the print media scene was a huge upset in the industry. It caused some newspapers to redesign their mastheads and pages, introduce more colour, change management systems, create new titles in their stables, and generally up the ante of their business drive. Some also introduced the annual lecture.
Whenever I look back on my years at LEADERSHIP, I feel proud of being a part of its story. Though some others might feel differently about it, LEADERSHIP is a great phenomenon that has positively impacted Nigeria’s development. It has had its warts and mistakes, but overall, it is worth its while. I am glad it has clocked 20 years and wish it many more decades of success.
