ARISE News Is Not Anti-Tinubu
DIALOGUE WITH NIGERIA BY AKIN OSUNTOKUN In the autumn of 1994, while serving as a visiting editor at Deutsche Welle, I presented a paper on the June 12, 1993 presidential
In September 1994, while serving as a visiting editor at Deutsche Welle, Akin Osuntokun presented a paper on the annulment crisis following the June 12, 1993 presidential election in Nigeria. His argument emphasized the importance of understanding the Nigerian press's character by examining its history, which originated from the pre-independence anti-colonial nationalist struggle.
He highlighted that two of the three leading figures of Nigeria's independence, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Obafemi Awolowo, started their political careers as journalists. This prescriptive role was emphasized by British colonialist pundit Dame Margery Perham in the foreword to "The path to Nigeria's freedom," stressing the importance of journalistic influence in maintaining goodwill and confidence between British and Nigerian communities.
Post-independence, the Nigerian press played a similar opposition role during the military dictatorship era.
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