How does one capture the essence that is Nduka Obaigbena, Editor-in-Chief and Chairman, THISDAY Media Group/Arise TV Networks, Nduka Obaigbena, a Prince of Owa Kingdom? In this special report to mark his 60th birthday, CHIEMELIE EZEOBI taps the minds of some of the THISDAY and ARISE family about the man who means different things to different people
As captured by Wikipedia, the Editor-in-Chief and Chairman, THISDAY Media Group/Arise TV Networks, Nduka Obaigbena is a Nigerian media mogul. Born on July 14, 1959 in Delta State, Nigeria, Obaigbena attended Edo College, Benin City, and the University of Benin, receiving an honours degree in Creative Arts.
Known for his innovations, this essence was best captured by Founder Cable News, Simon Kolawole, who was once the Daily Editor of THISDAY Newspaper. In a piece on his back page column- Simon Kolawole Live, he curated some of Obaigbena’s best steps, one of which was publishing THISDAY in 1995 without owning a printing press, and many soon followed.
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“He also brought about a switch to colour printing after many other newspapers had experimented and retreated. Those who said it was impossible soon joined the fray. He turned the back page of the newspaper to the prime location for columnists. It is now industry standard. He eliminated the practice of printing two different editions of the newspaper for the same day. Others followed. He introduced the publication of the full table of daily transactions at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). It is now, as it were, a law.
“Whenever you see a colourful “style” section in any Nigerian newspaper today, the tribute has to go to Obaigbena, who started it all in 1997. THISDAY Style is arguably the most sought-after weekly supplement on style and fashion in any Nigerian newspaper today. He re-christened rejoinders as “Right of Reply” and that has become part of our media language, tending to suggest that it is somewhere in the Nigerian constitution. In 1998, he introduced “map painting” (as we jocularly call it) to provide at-a-glance previews of how political parties would perform in states and geo-political zones at election times. We have to give credit to whom credit is due. There must be a reason why no politician or business leader jokes with THISDAY.