Working as a staff of one of Nigeria’s most famous newspapers, the New Nigerian Newspapers, NNN, has been quite an experience and educative; an experience that no amount of money can ever buy nor take away from me.
I came into the legendary publishing house sometime early last year and I met some group of enthusiastic hard working men and women who to me are some of the most resilient and patient workforce I have ever come across in my working career as a journalist. I actually found it hard to believe that some of them had spent over twenty years working for the newspaper and are still working diligently everyday.
One dominating feature of the NNN is its conspicuous gigantic structure, which to me no other newspaper house has till date, despite the fact that the structure was part of the early days of Nigerian independence. I am still marveled at the one -in -town building that houses this famous Nigerian publication. To be honest, I am still in admiration of Mr. Charles Sharp, the hard working British man who conceptualized and built this magnificent newspaper company. I wonder how he would feel if he were to visit the NNN today. My view is that Mr. Sharp would definitely be a disappointed man at the way things have changed in this hitherto vibrant house.
The NNN to me is a resilient working ground where both the building and its workforce have refused to give way despite all the troubles and setback they have been encountering over the years. The structure, just like its workforce ,is still standing and pushing not minding that those whose responsibilities it is to see to the efficient running of this northern legacy has since closed their eyes and ears to its plight and watch as things go further deep down. Show me anywhere else in Nigeria where staff of a government establishment are owed long months of arrears and yet the workers are still found doing their job diligently. Or which other government owed media organization has the luck to have hundreds of men and women with families and other responsibilities and still come to work every day?
One baffling aspect of my experience in NNN is the fact that some of its staff daily comes to work from long distant part of the metropolis. We have those from Trikania, Nasarawa, Sabo, Kakuri, Barnawa in the southern part of the state, and their counterparts from Mando, Kawo, Rigachukwu, Badarawa, Malali and Tudun Wada in the northern axis of the once liberal state. All these places are long distances that cost much transport fare and surprisingly the NNN staff still sacrifices and make it to the place of work on a daily basis. They leave their homes daily, with the hope that things might miraculously change one day.
To be honest, I am still baffled at the present situation of this hitherto vibrant newspaper company, which to me is not only an ordinary newspaper publication organization but an institution with authority in the Nigeria media history. There is no way the history of the Nigeria press will be complete without the golden name of NNN standing out at the topmost part of the list boldly. Then what really happened to NNN the publisher of the famous Gaskiya Tafi Kobo, New Nigerian daily, New Nigerian Weekly and New Nigerian on Sunday? What happened to this great establishment that has produced ministers, commissioners, professors, university chancellors, senior special assistants to presidents, governors and other topnotch government officials and heads of various private organizations across the country and beyond? What happened to this famous trustworthy house of news and its strongest weapon of truth? Are those who have benefitted from this great legacy of the Sarduana, Sir Ahmadu Bello and are still alive really listening and seeing what has happened to this unquantifiable bequest? I am sure if the Sardauna were to have the chance to take a glimpse at this wonderful gift he left the north and Nigeria as a whole, he would definitely find it a bizarre and a big betrayal by the present leadership in the north, on whose hands rests the baton to change the present fortune of this resilient company and its equally resilient workforce and pensioners, who are still working, praying and waiting patiently for a miracle to happen and put a well deserved smiles on their faces.
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