Abstract
Following an in-depth analysis of the historical landscape of Nigerian newspapers, this chapter classifies Nigerian newspapers into four categories: clientelist–political, commercial, online and diasporic, and local language newspapers. The chapter explores the questions, where do each of the existing newspapers such as the Punch, Tribune, Guardian, Daily Trust, Leadership and the Nation fall in these categories, and how is the conflict between herdsmen and farmers reported in Nigerian newspapers. In this chapter, you will find the circumstances that gave birth to the Nigerian newspapers, and how the content of the newspapers responds to specific challenges. The historical origin of the newspapers, the nature of ownership and the transformations undergone by the newspapers both during colonialism and after independence have been reviewed. The chapter also looks at the concept of press freedom, the various approaches to understanding the concept, the criteria for evaluating press freedom, the kind of freedom enjoyed by the press in Nigeria, as well as the constitutional provisions of press freedom in the Nigerian constitution. Newspapers in Nigeria, such as the West African Pilot led by Nnamdi Azikiwe, have played a significant role in fighting for Nigerian independence; this and also the diversity of the debate in Nigerian newspapers, such as the argument over the status of Lagos as federal capital, are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Abeokuta is the Capital of Ogun State in Nigeria.
- 2.
Triumph was owned by Kano State Government; it was very popular in the 1980s, but collapsed during the leadership of Governor Rabiu of Kwanakwaso of Kano State between 2011 and 2015. It is now being published periodically, but certainly not at the standard it was known for.
- 3.
The Weekly Trust is the first private newspaper from Northern Nigeria that survived from the 1980s to date. It has since developed into a daily newspaper, Daily Trust . See Chap. 7 for the reasons why some journalist think the newspaper was able to survive despite the fact that it is based in the north.
- 4.
See Chap. 8 for discussion on the reasons for the death of newspapers in Nigeria. Democrat and Reporter were established in the north. Some of the respondents interviewed suggested why they think newspapers do not survive in the north.
- 5.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the Premier of the defunct Western Region.
- 6.
Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello was the Premier of the defunct Northern Region.
- 7.
An ethnic group in Nigeria.
- 8.
The capital of Nigeria has been shifted from Lagos to Abuja after the recommendation of a committee established by General Murtala Muhammad to advise for a new capital acceptable to all Nigerians, and Abuja was selected, being at centre of the country. In 1991 Abuja took over as the nation’s new capital, and Lagos still maintains its position as the commercial centre of the Nigeria.
- 9.
Gold Coast was the former name of Ghana.
- 10.
The critical stand against the media by the colonial government was also reflected by various military governments who were jittery of the press in Nigeria. See Ogbondah (2003) for a detailed discussion on the relationship between the military and the Nigerian press.
- 11.
See a story by the BBC on the third term debate which was defeated the attempt by former president Obasanjo to succeed himself, by the national assembly on May 16, 2006 at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4986904.stm
- 12.
The press release by Reporters Without Borders is available at http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=17715
References
Abubakar, A. T. (2011). Media Consumption Amid Contestation: Northern Nigerians’ Engagement with BBC World Service. PhD Thesis, University of Westminster, London.
Abubakar, S. (2017). Newspapers Coverage of Herders/Farmers Conflict in Nigeria. International Journal of Communication, 22(1), 213–225.
Adebanwi, W. (2004). Hegemony and Spatial Politics: The Press and the Struggle for Lagos in Colonial Nigeria. Africa Development, XXIX(4), 75–91.
Ado-Kurawa, I. (2005). Nigerian Politics & the National Political Reform Conference. Kano: Tellettes Publishing House.
Ado-Kurawa, I. (2006, 10–12 October). Press Coverage of Islam in Nigeria. Paper Prepared for the International Conference on Fundamentalism and the Media, Boulder.
Agbaje, A. (1990). Freedom of the Press and Party Politics in Nigeria: Precepts, Retrospect and Prospects. African Affairs, 89(355), 205–226.
Ahrend, R. (2002). Press Freedom Corruption and Human Capital. Downloaded via. www.scholar.google.com, 3 Dec 2006.
Arnold, G. (2005). Africa: A Modern History. London: Atlantic Books.
Azikwe, B. N. (1931). Ethics of Colonial Imperialism. The Journal of Negro History, 16(3), 287–1931.
Babalola, E. T. (2002). Newspapers as Instruments for Building Literate Communities. The Nigerian Experience. Nordic Journal of African Studies, 11(3), 403–410.
BBC News. (2006). No Third Term for Nigerian Leader. Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4986904.stm. Downloaded 6 Dec 2006.
Crowder, M. (1987). Whose Dream Was It Anyway? Twenty Five Years of African Independence. African Affairs, 86(342), 7–24.
Ette, M. (2000). Agent of Change or Stability? The Nigerian Press Undermines Democracy. The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics, 5(3), 67–86.
Gunaratne, S. A. (2002). Freedom of the Press: A World System Perspective. Gazette: The International Journal for Communication Studies, 64(4), 343–369.
Hallin, D. C., & Mancini, P. (2004). Comparing Media Systems: Three Models of Media and Politics. Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
Idemili, S. O. (1978). What the West African Pilot Did in the Movement for Nigerian Nationalism Between 1937–1957. Black American Literature Forum, 12(3), 84–91.
Jega, M. (2018). This Thing Called ‘Killer Herdsmen’. Retrieved May 15, 2018. Available at https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/this-thing-called-killer-herdsman.html
Jones, G. I. (1979). Press and Politics in Nigeria, 1880–1937. The International Journal of African Historical Studies, 12(3), 562–563.
Jose, A. B. (1975). Press Freedom in Africa. African Affairs, 74(296), 255–262.
Kperogi, F. (2011). Webs of Resistance: The Citizen Online Journalism of the Nigerian Digital Diaspora. PhD Dissertation, Georgia State University.
Kperogi, F. (2018). News Media’s Cultivation of “Fulani Herdsmen” Hysteria. Retrieved May 15, 2018. Available at https://www.farooqkperogi.com/2018/02/news-medias-cultivation-of-fulani.html
M’Bayo, R., Nwokeafor, C., & Onwumechilli, C. (1995). Press Freedom and the Imperatives for Democracy: Towards Sustainable Development. Africa Media Review, 9(3), 32–53.
Malaolu, O. (2004). The Effects of Militant Press on Nigeria’s Democratic Evolution. Unpublished MA Thesis Submitted to the Department of Mass Communications, University of Florida.
Nnaemeka, T. I. (1990). Cultural Influence, Modern Changes, and the Sociology of Modern African Political Communication. Journal of Black Studies, 20(3), 306–323.
Nossek, H., & Rinnawi, K. (2003). Censorship and Freedom of the Press Under Changing Political Regimes: Palestinian Media from Israeli Occupation to the Palestinian Authority. Gazette: The International Journal for Communication Studies, 65(2), 183–202.
Ogbondah, C. W. (2003). State-Press Relations in Nigeria (1993–1998): Human Rights and Democratic Development. Ibadan: Spectrum Books LTD.
Ogbondah, C. (2004). Democratisation and the Media in West Africa: An Analysis of Recent Constitutional and Legislative Reforms for Press Freedom in Ghana and Nigeria. West Africa Review 6, 1–36.
Olayiwola, R. O. (1991). Political Communications: Press and Politics in Nigeria’s Second Republic. Africa Media Review, 5(2), 31–45.
Omu, F. I. A. (1968). The Dilemma of Press Freedom in Colonial Africa: The West African Example. The Journal of African History, 9(2), 279–298.
Omu, F. I. A. (1978). Press and Politics in Nigeria (pp. 1880–1937). London: Longman.
Oso, L. (1991). The Commercialization of the Nigerian Press: Development and Implications. Africa Media Review, 5(3), 41–51.
Oyovbaire, S. (2001). The Media and Democratic Process in Nigeria (1). Available at http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/Essays/Oyovbaire.html. Downloaded 15 Aug 2006.
Perkins, M. (2002). Freedom(s) of the Press in Latin America: Reconciling Societal and Individual Rights in International Law. Gazette: The International Journal for Communication Studies, 64(1), 5–19.
Pratt, C. B. (1998). Responsibility and Ethical Reasoning in the Nigerian Press. Africa Media Review, 2(2), 46–64.
Reporters Without Borders. (2006). Calls for Third Presidential Term Increase Pressure on News Media. Available at http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=17715. Downloaded 06 Dec 2006.
Sahara Reporters. (2018). About Us. Retrieved May 15, 2018. Available at http://saharareporters.com/about
Sambrook, R. (2017). Stop Press: Last Words on the Future of Newspapers. Retrieved May 15, 2018. Available at https://theconversation.com/stop-press-last-words-on-the-future-of-newspapers-72027
Shettima, K. A. (1993). Structural Adjustment and Student Movement in Nigeria. Review of African Political Economy, 56, 83–91.
Tettey, W. J. (2006). The Politics of Media Accountability in Africa: An Examination of Mechanism and Institutions. The International Communications Gazette, 68(3), 229–248.
Tomaselli, K. G. (2003). ‘Our Culture’ VS ‘Foreign Culture’: An Essay on Ontological and Professional Issues in African Journalism. Gazette: The International Journal for Communication Studies, 65(6), 427–441.
Wu, H. D. (2003). Homogeneity Around the World: Comparing the Systematic Determinants of International News Flow Between Developed and Developing Countries. Gazette: The International Journal for Communication Studies, 65(1), 9–24.
Yahaya, I. Y. (1988). Hausa a rubuce: tarihin rubuce rubuce cikin Hausa. Zaria: Northern Nigerian Publishing Company.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Yusha’u, M.J. (2018). Historical Landscape of Nigerian Newspapers. In: Regional Parallelism and Corruption Scandals in Nigeria. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96220-7_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96220-7_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-96219-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-96220-7
eBook Packages: Literature, Cultural and Media StudiesLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)