Daily Times @ 100: How we plan to inspire the younger generation
As part of activities marking its centenary anniversary, Daily Times has unveiled an ambitious vision aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s global image, inspiring young people and strengthening national identity through innovative media and cultural initiatives. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Folio Communications Plc and Publisher […]
As part of activities marking its centenary anniversary, Daily Times has unveiled an ambitious vision aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s global image, inspiring young people and strengthening national identity through innovative media and cultural initiatives.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Folio Communications Plc and Publisher of Daily Times, Mr. Fidelis Anosike, said the newspaper’s centenary celebration is not merely about commemorating its past but charting a new course for Nigeria’s future through what he described as “Daily Times 2.0.”
According to Anosike, the transformation agenda is designed to leverage the newspaper’s historic credibility to tell Nigeria’s story from a Nigerian perspective and help improve the country’s international perception.
“Daily Times is not a chicken. Daily Times is an egg. So Daily Times is meant to fly on a different altitude,” he said.
At the heart of the vision is a 700-page publication dubbed the Grand Book, a project Anosike said has taken 15 years to develop with contributions from more than 80 professors.
”The Grand Book will tell the story of Nigeria the way Nigerians want to tell the story. We were there when Nigeria was formed, so we have the credibility to catalyse a change in the global perception of Nigeria,” he said.
The media executive also announced plans for a Heroes Platform, an awards initiative intended to recognise individuals making positive contributions to society and encourage integrity and excellence.
In addition, Daily Times plans to establish House of Nigeria, a network of virtual reality centres beginning in London. The centres, he explained, will enable Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly younger generations, to reconnect with their cultural roots through immersive digital experiences.
”The first House of Nigeria will be delivered in London before June 1, 2027. Millions of Nigerian children abroad know little about their heritage, and we are gradually losing our identity. This platform will help reconnect them to Nigeria,” Anosike said.
He argued that while Nigerians enjoy respect and admiration around the world, the country’s image has suffered from persistent negative perceptions.
”People love Nigerians, but people don’t love Nigeria. Nigeria must borrow the credibility of Nigerians to transform its global image,” he stated.
Anosike said the centenary initiatives are aimed at inspiring a new generation of Nigerians, noting that storytelling remains a powerful tool for national development.
As part of the broader vision, he highlighted the repositioning of the Miss Nigeria pageant into a female empowerment platform, the revival of the Daily Times Young Fashion Designer of the Year competition, and plans to launch a Young Journalist of the Year Award with a N10 million prize.
He also disclosed that the centenary celebrations will culminate in the Folio Africa Media Festival on June 1, 2027, which he said would provide a platform for discussions on the future of media, politics, storytelling and Nigeria’s place in the global arena over the next century.
“We are trying to recreate what visionaries did 100 years ago. By the time we conclude the centenary celebrations, Nigerians will see how we intend to define the media space and the storytelling space for the next 100 years,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Grace Ike, pledged the union’s support for the newspaper’s centenary initiatives.
”NUJ FCT stands ready to collaborate with institutions like Daily Times that have contributed immensely and meaningfully to the growth of our profession and democracy,” Ike said.
Founded in 1926, Daily Times remains one of Nigeria’s oldest, playing a significant role in the country’s media and democratic development over the past century.