Date Published: 03/23/10

Dear Editor,

Ahmadu Bello Legacy: Letter to Northern Governors on NNN

Sometime in 2009 the 19-governors of the Northern State assembled to honour one of the founders of northern harmony, Sir Ahmadu Bello with a fund raising activity aimed at keeping alive the late Sarduana of Sokoto’s numerous legacies. At the fund raising ceremony that took place, billions of Naira was reportedly raised from far and near donors.

The North is known for keeping legacies of their leaders past when compared with the West and the divided East; therefore one was not in doubt that the North would not allow New Nigerian Newspapers which was one of the legacies so left behind by the late Sir Ahmadu Bello. If the West could still revere Chief Obafemi Awolowo for what bequeathed the region, I do not see why the North should not for those of Sir Ahmadu Bello.

Therefore one is happy about the recent reactivation of the New Nigerian Newspapers whose staff had gone on a week’s warning strike in order to get the Governors of the Northern States to do their wish towards sustaining the establishment. The appointment of the new acting Managing Director in the name of former Editor, Mallam Tukur Abdulrahman is a welcome idea and in the right direction towards revamping the establishment.

It is my belief that New Nigerian Newspapers if properly managed could be not only for propagating the ideals of the northern states but also is a venture that could pay its bills and at the same time continue to bring in some financial dividends to the owners. All it needs is to be retooled and not privatized.

Dr. Akin Jamiu, 164 Akilo Road, Ogba, Lagos State