Today, we celebrate the first year anniversary of The Point Newspaper’s entry into the media space in Nigeria. In an enormously challenged economy, where the media industry is also already saturated, we have made it through the first year with measured but assured steps. This, indeed, is worth being proud of.
When we ventured into the media business sometime last year, the decision was buoyed by years of aspiration to create a media enterprise with an over-arching objective of practising a completely different brand of journalism, anchored on integrity and good ethics in the pursuit of good governance and a better Nigeria.
We thus set out to lay the foundation with a collection of some of the best hands in the industry, producing distinctive, exclusive and often times, investigative reports that either provided first hand information on happenings within the society or touched on the ills that continually draw us back as a nation – corruption, government and regulatory failures or outright abuses of persons or institutional rights. It was pure development journalism; a clear departure from the norm.
Since the publication of the preview edition on September 27, 2015; and later, the first edition on October 30, we have, through our weekly print editions on Fridays and daily publications via our online platform, kept faith with these ideals.
Our diverse and incisive stories have covered every sphere of Nigerians’ daily life, giving voice to the voiceless, while also drawing the ire of the powers-that-be when they focused on misuse of positions of trust or outright abdication of duties. But, through it all, we have remained steadfast.
We need not say that it has not been plain sailing all the way. Like every new venture, we have had our fair share of challenges. But our resolve to succeed, coupled with the immeasurable support of our partners, and those who, against all odds, believed in the project, has kept us on track.
We have, on this journey, learnt that, when publishing is treated like strict business, you can swim ‘through’ the tide by taking a day at a time and creating more business windows; and that the success of a newspaper must not necessarily depend on the name of a “big man”.
Today, looking back at the journey, considering the impact we have made on lives and the country, Nigeria, in our short but purposeful expedition, and thinking through the testimonies that have been pouring in for our efforts, we are glad we ventured. It has been tough, no doubt, especially in an environment that literally kills start-ups before they even rise. But all indices point at nothing but a great future by the grace of God.
This is, however, only the beginning. In line with our aspirations and the quest for a better world, I dare say that The Point is not just here to take a front seat in the Nigerian journalism space, but to become a global media power in no time.
In the years ahead, in this social re-engineering project that we have embarked on, we at The Point will continue to uphold the tenets and ethics of good and robust journalism, as we continue to hold leaders and followers accountable, in an overall quest for a better Nigeria with fair opportunities for all citizens and, by extension, a better world.
It will, indeed, not be an easy task, what with the enormity of challenges facing our dear nation at this critical time. Yes, the biting recession has made the flesh weak in many quarters, but we remain committed to creating a better society, where hard work pays, through constructive journalism.
This broad quest for the common good was what informed today’s Public Presentation and 1st Annual Conference on Economic Regeneration to kick-start an annual platform for the brightest minds in Nigeria to brainstorm on workable solutions to Nigeria’s immediate and remote economic problems, while also ensuring that action points do not end with the ‘Vote of Thanks’.
The theme of this maiden conference is: What is the Economics of Change? Every Nigerian deserves to know, particularly now that the effects of the biting recession are becoming too much to bear for the ordinary and even the extraodinary Nigerian. It is our belief that, with the line-up of participants at this event, the discussions will be engaging and fruitful.
Distinguished readers, permit me at this juncture to express my sincere appreciation to our partners, who have shared our dream from inception, and to everyone who has kept faith with us on the journey, critiquing our every step and nudging us to march on. This has been an enduring but interesting journey, and without your support, it might have remained ‘just an idea’.
