The Publisher of Oriwu Sun, Chief Monzor Olowosago, at a gathering of community newspaper publishers in Lagos State organized by the Special Adviser on Communities and Communication, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, pleaded with the state Governor to ask local councils, ministries and parastatals to patronize community newspapers in their different areas of circulation.
He said that judging from the Governor’s programmes since he assumed power, he believes so much in rural development; hence, there is need for him to patronize community newspapers to propagate his programmes down to the masses adding that the only way to do this is by asking the local governments and state to compulsorily tell them to patronize each community newspaper in their different areas for his programmes to have impact.
However, the Publisher quickly made a proviso that the state government should patronize community newspapers which are regular on the newsstands. Alhaji Olowosago, a guru in community journalism, told his colleagues that unless the national newspaper are deceiving themselves, the era of community journalism is now.
He said that from experience, the national dailies circulate only in Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu, Abuja and some areas in the north. According to him, they operate only in the state capitals without reaching the grassroots or communities, yet they claim to be national in outlook as if only those cities comprise Nigeria.
The Publisher of Oriwu Sun said that sooner or later, Lagos would be like Europe, Britain or U.S, which have community oriented newspapers. He asked the editors of community to form an association like the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).
Alhaji Olowosago also reminded his colleagues that they have to fight for recognition in their localities by publishing stories that are objective and relevant to their localities. He said that by consistently doing so, the local governments and industries would be forced to recognize them and give them advert patronage. Alhaji Olowosago, again advised them not to go cap in hand to beg the local governments for money or brown envelope before publication.
He said that by being objective, sooner or later, the chairmen of various councils would one day recognize them if only they publish a well laid out newspaper with impeccable English and sound editorial.
The Special Adviser on Communities and Communication, who addressed the journalists on January 16 this year at the L-wing, Alausa, Ikeja, while reacting to the Publisher’s speech, assured the community newspaper publishers that the Governor Ambode would give more patronage to them this year if they should put their house in order by paying their taxes and having registered offices for them to gain recognition by the government.
Mr. Bamigbetan also reminded them that the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund established by the state government was equally open to them. He asked to put their forms collectively for him to push their papers forward to enable them benefit from the Trust Fund.
The Special Adviser equally promised that already he is planning to talk with the Governor to officially meet more than thirty community newspaper publishers in Lagos State.
To round up the ceremony, the publisher of Town-Watch Newspaper presented an award to the Special Adviser for supporting community media and making them relevant in Lagos State. The award was presented by Alhaji Olowosago amidst jubilation and expression of gratitude.
A photo session ended the meeting with the following Publishers present at the meeting, Oriwu Sun Newspaper, Impact Newspaper, Ikorodu News, Town-Watch, Epe-Lekki Times, Mushines, Ifako-Ijaiye Post, The Grass-roots and Ilupeju Today.
Others include, The Commoners, Vanguard, Itesiwaju Eko, Agege Pulse Magazine, Niga FM 102.7, City 105.1FM, Echo News, Badagry Prime, Star FM, Oshodi Post, Isolo Voice, Province Community, Elgee Info, The Alimosho, Agege T.V Online, Inside Maryland, Lagos Panorama, Kosofe Inside out, Pivot Extra and the Harbinger.