THISDAY MD Donates Books to UNILORIN English Department

Thisday Newspapers' Managing Director, Mr. Eniola Bello, recently donated a collection of his books to the Department of English and Literary Studies at the University of Ilorin. In a gesture to encourage media practitioners and journalism students to uphold journalistic standards, Bello emphasized the importance of accuracy, objectivity, fairness, and balanced reporting.

Bello expressed concern over the rise of "street journalism" and its role in the spread of fake news. He stressed that journalists must verify facts and obtain multiple perspectives before publication to prevent unnecessary crises and damage to individuals and society. With over three decades of experience in journalism, Bello has worked for various media organizations such as Vanguard and Concord before joining Thisday.

The donated books, which are a selection of articles written between 1999 and 2003, provide a historical account of Nigeria’s democratic journey. These works will be placed in the University of Ilorin’s Department of English and Literary Studies library for students and researchers to utilize. Bello, who was honored by the University of Ilorin as one of the 50 Unilorin ambassadors, hopes that the students will appreciate the historical content and writing styles present in the collection, as he believes that "style is as important as the message."

Prof. Abdullahi Kadri Ayinde, the Head of the Department of English and Literary Studies at the University of Ilorin, expressed gratitude to Bello for his contribution to the department’s academic resources. Ayinde noted that Bello was once a student at the Department, which was formerly known as Modern European Languages. The donated books will enhance the department’s collections and benefit the students and staff, according to Ayinde.