• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • Engr Abba Babagana Dalori

      Engr Dalori Forfeits Galaxy Hospital, Petrol Station, Properties & Cash

      Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos

      Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals for Cybercrime in Lagos

      ASUU

      Tackle Corruption, Institutional Decay – ASUU Charges FG

      EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Accountant General Over N8bn Fraud as Court Sentences…

      PRNigeria logo fearured image

      EFCC Arraigns Ex-Convict, Other for Naira Abuse in Lagos

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Comptroller General Nigerian Customs Bashir Adewale

      Customs Moves Against 223 Importers in N379bn Permit Breach

      Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Customs Boss

      How Customs is Tightening Borders to Stop Illicit Cash Flows –…

      Customs boss, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi with NAFDAC DG Professor Moji Adeyeye

      Codeine, Tramadol Worth ₦20.5bn Seized as Customs-NAFDAC Cooperation Deepens

      Acting Controller General of Customs, Nigerian Customs Services, NSC, Ag. CG Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

      Adeniyi Inaugurates Lagos School Renovated by Nigeria Customs 

      Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada

      Customs’ Maiwada Named Among Nigeria’s 50 Most Influential PR Voices

  • National
    • Super Falcons wins WAFCON Trophy

      VON Apologizes for Erroneous WAFCON Report, Cites Possible Security Breach, Identifies…

      The recovered AK-47 rifles

      Police Operatives Eliminate 3 Bandits, Recover 10 AK-47 Rifles

      NYSC Corps Members in Camp

      Tinubu to Honours 210 Ex-NYSC Members for Meritorious Services

      PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship 2025 logo

      PRNigeria Opens Application for 2025 Young Communication Fellowship

      NDLEA officials

      NDLEA Arrests Chinese Businessman, 80-Year-Old Grandma in Nationwide Drug Raids 

    • Government
      • NYSC Corps Members in Camp

        Tinubu to Honours 210 Ex-NYSC Members for Meritorious Services

        court Judiciary

        Court Remands TikToker Arrested by DSS for claiming President Tinubu died

        Leon Usigbe

        Tinubu Mourns Veteran State House Correspondent, Leon Usigbe

        Dr. Ibrahim Bello, Emir of Gusau

        Tinubu, NUJ, Police, and Military Mourn the Death of Gusau Emir

        Dr. Ibrahim Bello Emir of Gusau

        His Death is a National Loss – Tinubu Mourns Emir of…

  • Security
    • The recovered AK-47 rifles

      Police Operatives Eliminate 3 Bandits, Recover 10 AK-47 Rifles

      NDLEA officials

      NDLEA Arrests Chinese Businessman, 80-Year-Old Grandma in Nationwide Drug Raids 

      Delegates of IEDPU praises CP Moshood Jimoh

      IEDPU Praises CP Moshood Jimoh of Lagos Police for Exemplary Leadership

      Troops Repel Boko Haram Attack in Gwoza, Recover Firearms

      Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA

      Troops Kill Three Terrorist Leaders in Sokoto Ambush, Recover Weapons

  • Features
    • Leon Usigbe

      Death, you can’t be Proud of this By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem 

      Tinubu’s Plateau Gambit – Yilwatda, 2027, and the Return of the…

      Ozumi and a recipient of a wheelchair

      Wheels of Hope: How a Simple Gift is Reshaping Lives at…

      Late Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari and Mansur Liman

      “Buhari: A Blunt, Honest Leader Who Laughed at His Own Predicament”

      Intelligence Synergy: Reshaping Nigeria’s Security Architecture, By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi

  • State
    • The recovered AK-47 rifles

      Police Operatives Eliminate 3 Bandits, Recover 10 AK-47 Rifles

      NDLEA officials

      NDLEA Arrests Chinese Businessman, 80-Year-Old Grandma in Nationwide Drug Raids 

      Delegates of IEDPU praises CP Moshood Jimoh

      IEDPU Praises CP Moshood Jimoh of Lagos Police for Exemplary Leadership

      Troops Repel Boko Haram Attack in Gwoza, Recover Firearms

      Nigerian Navy Personnel

      Navy Arrests 9 Impostors Operating as Fake Coast Guards in Akwa…

  • Event
    • Super Falcons wins WAFCON Trophy

      VON Apologizes for Erroneous WAFCON Report, Cites Possible Security Breach, Identifies…

      Cross section of participants and guests at the Kaduna State Chapter world PR day

      Kaduna NIPR Urges Students to Embrace Evolving PR Landscape

      Engr. Saleeman Adedoyin Saleeman

      Global IT Leader Saleeman Adedoyin Launches Free Summer School in Ilorin…

      Celestine Achi, AI in PR specialist

      BOOK REVIEW: AI is Reshaping PR—Celestine Achi Shows Us How

      Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’ Dies Weeks After PRNigeria Debunked Viral Recovery…

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home National How I saved Vanguard From Being Shut By The Military Junta
  • National

How I saved Vanguard From Being Shut By The Military Junta

By
Kehinde Olaosebikan
-
July 3, 2024
Kehinde Olaosebikan
Kehinde Olaosebikan

How I saved Vanguard From Being Shut By The Military Junta
By Kehinde Olaosebikan

Read Also:

  • VON Apologizes for Erroneous WAFCON Report, Cites Possible Security Breach, Identifies Culprit
  • Police Operatives Eliminate 3 Bandits, Recover 10 AK-47 Rifles
  • Tinubu to Honours 210 Ex-NYSC Members for Meritorious Services

The annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, adjudged to be the best in Nigerian history was a Pandora’s box with numerous consequences and troubles. For Nigeria, it was an opportunity, a great opportunity missed for real growth and development of the most populous Black nation in the world. It is a general belief that if the election that saw Chief Moshood Kolawole Olawale Abiola, A Yoruba man from Abeokuta flatly defeating his opponent, Alhaji Bashir Tofa in his home state of Kano without any qualms, had been upheld, Nigeria would have been better developed socially, politically and economically. By now, it would have been in the league of the developed countries of the world. But, sadly, Nigeria is today worse off than our situation before the annulled election, 31 years after.
For the media, the annulment and its aftermath, particularly the seizure of power by the dark goggled President from 1993 to 1998, the late General Sani Abacha was hell. The Nigerian Press almost totally lost its freedom. Media houses and journalists then had to practice their trade with fear and trepidation as no one was sure of what constituted a threat to the Abacha Government. Purposely to deal with the media and other perceived enemies of the regime, the government raised a special anti-people squad made up of the nastiest of men and officers from the military and security outfits. It is called the Strike Force and they terrorized the city of Abuja menacingly.
During the period, journalists were mauled, newspapers destroyed while many newspaper organizations closed down. In fact the media suffered arbitrary detention, misuse of criminal charges and unfair trials, oppressive use of defamation proceedings , torture and ill treatment , suspected assassination attempts, arson attacks and outright banning of publications etc.,. The Punch, The Guardian, Concord, Sketch, African Concord, The News, TSM, The Source, Daily Times and 26 other newspapers and magazines published by 12 media houses were proscribed or simply closed down. Many of them never recovered from the evil visited on them by the Abacha junta.
However, Vanguard Newspapers owned by one of the best men on earth, Mr. Sam Amuka-Pemu, the great Uncle Sam, the newspaper I joined immediately after my youth corps service in September, 1988 escaped the malevolence of General Sani Abacha. Our ever refreshingly Vanguard was neither shut nor prescribed for one day; not because we were weak or cowardly, we were with many hot, brave columnists, Pini Jason, Dele Sobowale, Kola Animashaun, Obi Nwakama etc. like all other notable newspapers we were hot, audacious and always with the masses. What really stood us out then was the profound leadership and exceptional professionalism provided by the great Uncle Sam. He reads the papers diligently and gives well thought out strategies and directions and this was what actually saved us from the Abacha’s troubles.
A particular story or column that nearly got us into the Abacha trouble, when we were about to be proscribed and or shut down was pragmatically managed by the trio of our publisher, Uncle Sam, our editor, the man of clarity in all areas, Mr. Frank Aigbogun and my humble self as the Abuja Bureau Chief of the newspaper then.
Information got to our headquarters in Kirikiri Canal, Lagos that our editor would soon be picked up, detained, charged to court and our source of living, Vanguard proscribed. Expectedly, the management was worried. As their representative in the seat of power, both Uncle Sam and the Editor called and briefed me about the impending calamity. Immediately, I made some checks and confirmed with additional information which I passed on to them and they became more terrified. With my position, I officially related directly with both the editor and publisher unhindered. Uncle Sam wanted to come straight to Abuja for a possible solution but I told him to allow me handle it first which I did successfully to the glory of God.
With my rich contacts and an uncommon audacity, I approached the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and I explained to him what Vanguard stands for, our style of operation and the fact that ours was more of development journalism. Now seeing me like his child (I was barely 30 then) and a good and bold defender of his place of work, he confessed to me the plans by the government to get the paper proscribed like others. I thanked him profusely and left his office. But, I did not stop at that as I made straight to the media office of the Abuja judiciary where I narrated the outcome of my meeting with the CJ. Being my friends, I convinced them to issue a press release on Vanguard Newspapers that Vanguard was not just only friendly to the government of the day but that Vanguard has a history of contributing immensely to the social development of the country.
I accompanied the head of the press of the FCT Judiciary to the headquarters of the Nigeria Television Authority to submit the press release to either their DG or the Director News and it made the major headline of that day Network News at 9. It was the first item beautifully delivered by the late ace broadcaster, Tokunbo Ajayi that glorious night.
So, instead of Uncle Sam and our versatile editor, Frank Aigbogun hearing about the order for the arrest of the editor, arraignment and proscription of Vanguard on the Network News, it was news of praise and commendation of the refreshingly different newspapers that came up. I was extolled by both Uncle Sam and the Editor but Uncle Sam knew that in Abuja I could pull any string.

Kehinde Olaosebikan retired from Vanguard Media Limited in 2003 and is now the CEO of Midas Communications Ltd, a global public relations firm.

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Alhaji Bashir Tofa
  • military junta
  • Nigerian Press
Previous articleLeaking Official Secrets Harms Policy Implementation – FG tells Workers
Next articleNDLEA Secures 25-year Jail Term for India-bound Drug Trafficker
Kehinde Olaosebikan
Kehinde Olaosebikan
Xing

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Super Falcons wins WAFCON Trophy

VON Apologizes for Erroneous WAFCON Report, Cites Possible Security Breach, Identifies Culprit

The recovered AK-47 rifles

Police Operatives Eliminate 3 Bandits, Recover 10 AK-47 Rifles

NYSC Corps Members in Camp

Tinubu to Honours 210 Ex-NYSC Members for Meritorious Services

PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship 2025 logo

PRNigeria Opens Application for 2025 Young Communication Fellowship

NDLEA officials

NDLEA Arrests Chinese Businessman, 80-Year-Old Grandma in Nationwide Drug Raids 

Delegates of IEDPU praises CP Moshood Jimoh

IEDPU Praises CP Moshood Jimoh of Lagos Police for Exemplary Leadership

Troops Repel Boko Haram Attack in Gwoza, Recover Firearms

court Judiciary

Court Remands TikToker Arrested by DSS for claiming President Tinubu died

Comptroller General Nigerian Customs Bashir Adewale

Customs Moves Against 223 Importers in N379bn Permit Breach

Dr. Ibrahim Bello Emir of Gusau

His Death is a National Loss – Tinubu Mourns Emir of Gusau

Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Customs Boss

How Customs is Tightening Borders to Stop Illicit Cash Flows – CG Adeniyi 

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN)

LPPC Elevates Nasarawa SSG, Osun AG, S/Court Judge’s Son, Ayodeji, 53 others to SANs

Recent Posts

  • VON Apologizes for Erroneous WAFCON Report, Cites Possible Security Breach, Identifies Culprit
  • Police Operatives Eliminate 3 Bandits, Recover 10 AK-47 Rifles
  • Tinubu to Honours 210 Ex-NYSC Members for Meritorious Services
  • PRNigeria Opens Application for 2025 Young Communication Fellowship
  • NDLEA Arrests Chinese Businessman, 80-Year-Old Grandma in Nationwide Drug Raids 
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
VON Apologizes for Erroneous WAFCON Report, Cites Possible Security Breach, Identifies CulpritPolice Operatives Eliminate 3 Bandits, Recover 10 AK-47 RiflesTinubu to Honours 210 Ex-NYSC Members for Meritorious ServicesPRNigeria Opens Application for 2025 Young Communication FellowshipNDLEA Arrests Chinese Businessman, 80-Year-Old Grandma in Nationwide Drug Raids IEDPU Praises CP Moshood Jimoh of Lagos Police for Exemplary LeadershipTroops Repel Boko Haram Attack in Gwoza, Recover FirearmsTroops Kill Three Terrorist Leaders in Sokoto Ambush, Recover WeaponsNavy Arrests 9 Impostors Operating as Fake Coast Guards in Akwa IbomArmy Dismisses Allegations of Delayed Promotions, Stagnant AllowancesCourt Remands TikToker Arrested by DSS for claiming President Tinubu diedDeath, you can’t be Proud of this By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem Tinubu Mourns Veteran State House Correspondent, Leon UsigbePolice Arrest 22 Cultists in OgunEnugu Police Raid IPOB/ESN Hideout, Nab 25 Militants, Recover Firearms
X whatsapp