Nigeria’s media, her newspaper especially, is the product of numerous historical factors; ranging from; evangelical mission efforts to national sentiments that evolved into journalistic projects, to military era struggle against draconian laws. Nigeria’s press, its beginnings, growth and resultant transformation has been the subject of many scholarly works, research articles and academic writings; each examining various scopes of the print media and drawing various conclusions. Its beginnings have been ‘characterized by diverse twists and chequered evolution’ (Nwagbara, 2010, p. 15). An online feature article The Retreat of Nigerian Press records how the newspaper medium has fared in the Nigeria society,
In a 136 year history, the Nigerian news media has evolved from endorsing the colonial missionary catechism through the spirited advocacy of the struggle for independence and moved on to its post-independence mission, defining its role within the state (para. 2).
Oso L. (1999) explored Nigeria’s 20th century press origins, stating that the press served as ‘an organ of political agitation’ (p. 43) – whereby newspapers were published by political parties or politicians and operate with political orientation- a phenomenon which according to him led to neglect un contemporary structures. He observes that newspapers through the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s as evolving from missionary reporting to the crusade sense of political mission and the subsequent colourful, mass appeal circulation driven reporting ushered into Nigeria by Azikiwe’s West Africa Pilot. His academic paper “The Commercialization of the Nigerian Press: Development and Implications” (Oso, 1991) centres on the major shift in newspaper reporting brought about by Namdi Azikiwe in the era of political party newspaper politics 9p.43). Using the Pilot as illustration, he credits the newspaper with changing the pre dominant press as reporting from political party centered to reporting of human interest stories which appealed more to the common man and the dramatization of day to day domestic affairs of men on the street over news coverage of politics. He even opines that due to the major shift, press news reporting became more attractive, professional, influential, and neutral, with emphasis on objective news presentation and moving away from ‘stride factionalism towards a more central board of opinion’ (Oso, 1991, p. 47)
Seng and Hunt (1986) in their journal article explored the experience of Nigeria’s press under colonial, democratic and military rule, centering on the Military rule of General Mohammadu Buhari. In examining the press role as the main ‘critic of the existing regime in the tradition of western media’ (Seng and Hunt, 1986, p. 85) within that period- in the light of the argument strongly propagated by the then Buhari regime (through supreme military council (SMC) decrees, Decree No 4) that press should be a positive reinforcement of development . They documented challenges faced by the press and efforts to completely redefine the purpose of the press by the regime. They began by recounting the advent of British rule in Nigeria and limited role of the then budding, active and critical press, restrained by the British common law of libel. The first republic ushered in by Nigerian’s independence continued with repressive press law shifting the press from reporting what the government deemed offensive. The military government in 1966 was however commended for having ‘affirmatively protected the press by lifting the ban on newspapers imposed by many of the civilian government during the first republic’ (Seng & Hunt, 1986. P. 89). The Amakiri affair where a journalist was awarded 10,000 naira for beating and detention was also attributed to this free press period. Stringent press law however still remained.
An online article titled “The retreat of Nigeria Press” states that “despite being repeatedly in one form of chaos or the other at various points in Nigeria’s unstable political history, the Nigerian newspaper medium has been able to survive as a mechanism for balancing various ethnic and political forces”. (para 3).
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World service Trust Publication, Africa Media Development Initiative: Nigeria context (2004) outlined factors that have helped Nigeria’s media grow in the 21st Century, stating that since 2000, Nigeria media has grown with investment by private individuals presenting a diversity of viewpoints (p. 33). This has helped the print media especially where many viewpoints are represented by a variety of vibrant newspapers. The report goes on to recommend penetration of rural areas by the media using the efforts of mobile telephone companies in rural areas as a model of following the successes of these companies in recording huge growth rates.
In outlining the major characteristics of the media, Daramola (2005) lends explanation to a media’s survival as an essential part of a political state, ‘except for the newspaper which came much earlier, the mass media…[serve] all nation states of the world today: they have become an essential element in the process of democratic politics’ (p. 163). This certainly is very true about Nigeria’s press as it now forms an integral part of the Nation, an indispensable facet of the society and a major transformational tool of our post- modernist existence.
As the media of any society reflect their environments, so has Nigerian’s media. The newspaper medium especially, served as a major reflector of our social reality. Daramola asserts the mass media serves as primary source of definition of images of social reality and provide a shared cultural environment (p. 164). He goes on to note in quoting Hunt et al(1993) on how the newspaper or print medium has with time been studied and seen as a leading medium and the most effective advertiser (Daramola, 2005, p. 164).
The Nigeria newspaper medium as a whole and as a unit of Nigeria’s enlightened press is still flooded by challenges that threaten its credibility. BBC World Service Trust (2004) gives present challenges as lack of research mechanism/rigorous research, poor system of data collection and cumbersome licensing. From issues of unprofessionalism like poor quality journalism practice to commercialization of news and private ownership, upholding of protection of personal interest over objectivity of news reporting to the ever incessant issues of government intuitions and control, Nigerian newspaper have too much to contend with in reforming themselves and the Nigerian society (BBC World Service Trust, 2004, p. 34).