Jakande lecture: Sanwo-Olu, minister, others to speak on media survival strategies

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; media executives and stakeholders are billed to speak at the second Alhaji Lateef Jakande Annual Memorial Lecture which will be held on Tuesday in Lagos. The Chairman of, THISDAY/Arise Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, will share with editors, media […]

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; media executives and stakeholders are billed to speak at the second Alhaji Lateef Jakande Annual Memorial Lecture which will be held on Tuesday in Lagos.

The Chairman of, THISDAY/Arise Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, will share with editors, media executives and other stakeholders the survival strategies of the media in the trying times.

With the 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 information minister, and Mr Sanwo-Olu will be the special guest of honour.

This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by the Nigerian Guild of Editors’ (NGE’s) President, Eze Anaba, and the General Secretary, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren; the publisher of Vanguard Media Group, Uncle Sam Amuka; a former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba; and a former Minister of Information and Culture, Gen Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd), will be fathers of the day.

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The annual lecture, which was instituted last year by NGE in honour of its founding President, late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, according to the professional body of editors and media executives, 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 Nigeria.

The statement reads in part: “The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) was formed on May 20, 1961 to serve as an elite organisation of editors through which editors as professional heads of their publications can enhance their professional interests by networking to discuss/address common challenges and developing relationships with their various audiences in the media itself, governments, 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 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 guild further said that after discharging “uncommon duties” to the Nigerian media, Jakande went on to render appreciable service as the first civilian Governor of Lagos State and as a Minister of Works and Housing.

The statement reads further: “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 to interrogate developments affecting the media and society.”

The guild further said that the event, which would provide a huge opportunity for media stakeholders to interrogate issues affecting the media sector, would be attended by media executives, scholars from the academic, policy makers, politicians, students of mass communication and others.