The History of the
Early Newspaper Press in Nigeria
I
intend to trace the origin of the newspaper press in Nigeria, to survey the
role which the newspaper played in policy formulation and implementation, to
examine some of the influences that gave impetus to the development of
newspapers, and how the ideas and attitudes of the newspaper developed in
response to changing circumstances and changes in personnel, among other
factors. It is our hope that the issues involved would provide useful
parameters for the assessment of contemporary newspaper press in the country.
Between
1880 and 1935, a total of fifty-one newspaper were established. These were made
up of eleven dailies, thirty-three weekly, three fortnightlies and four
monthlies, most of which were located in Lagos. Newspaper did not begin to
appear outside Lagos until the early 1920. For example, between 1921 and 1932,
with the growth of urban centres, provincial newspapers were established at
Onitsha, Aba, Enugu, Calabar, Port-Harcourt, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode and
Osogbo.
Coleman
(1960:72) attributed this accelerated growth of urban centre outside the Island
to internal peace and security, the
growth of commerce, the spread of education, as well as the nation’s
transformation from a restricted to a modern economy.
Apart
from contributing to inculcating good reading habit in the readers and
providing general enlightenment, the provincial newspapers, because of
distribution, hardly contributed to the advancement of political ideas or to
the resolution of political controversies.
Another
important issue in our discussion of the history of the press in Nigeria is the
motive of the publisher. Because of their limited resources and their relative
accomplishment in spite of these limitations, one can conclude that they were
inspired by considerations other than profit-making. Their dedication to the
enlightenment and education of their people helped tremendously to create a
great tradition of selfless services, sacrifice and philanthropy. The
conclusions of the Royal Commission on the British Press to the effect that
“the ambitions that inspire those who own newspapers are commonly varied
purpose, are seldom single and motives seldom unmixed” provide a backdrop
against which to assess the motive for the establishment of early newspapers.
The
history of Nigeria’s indigenous press is traced to Robert Campbell who, in
1863, founded the Anglo-African.
Though it was abandoned two years later,
it provide the much needed sourced of inspiration foe efforts in newspapering.
Campbell’s objection was to explore the growing interest in Western education
in Lagos in the 186s by making available to his readers materials which have
potentials to educate, inform and entertain them.
As a weekly, the Anglo-African appears as an assortment of scrapes culled from a
variety of sources; books, novels magazines, and overseas newspaper (Omu,
1996:206-212), and sold for three pence. Its literary matter interested only a
few subscriber, and since sales hardly exceeded about 30-50 copies a week, the
paper eventually died in 1865. Despite is early demise, the establishment of
the Anglo-African was no doubt a
noteworthy development in the history of Nigeria.
The real founding of the press
occurred fifteen years later when socio-political and economic developments
collaborated with local and external sources of inspiration to create
conditions favourable to the emergence of popular newspapers.
The
first newspaper to be established was Richard Beale Blaize’s Lagos Times and
Gold Advertiser on 10 November, 1880. It appeared twice a month and sold for
sixpence. Though forced to suspend publication because of financial problems
in November,1883, the newspaper’s
initial success stimulated the rise of rival newspaper.
One of such rival papers was the
fortnightly Lagos Observer, established by J. Blackall Benjamin on 4 February,
1882 with the support of his doctor and literary expert friend, DR. N.T. King.
When both King and Campbell died in 1884, Benjamin carried on single-handedly
until July 1890 when the Lagos Observer eventually died. Going by its short
life span, the Observer was adjudged the most successful newspaper in the 19th
century, and one which made appreciable contributions to the politics of the
time. It emerged as one of the symbols of the intellectual aggression which
characterised political development in the 19th century.
With the death of the observer, stage
was set for the birth of other newspapers.
The
Eagle and Lagos Critic, a monthly newspaper which sold for seven pennies, was
inaugurated on 31st March, 1883 under the editorship of Owen Emerik
Macaulay, a grandson of Bishop Crowther and brother of Herbert Macaulay. Even
though Owen Macaulay intended his paper to be marked by “the fearlessly and
acute observation characteristic of an eagle”, it lacked the attributes of an
eagle and the resources of a critic. It was perceived as pro-government in its
approach even though Owen Macaulay intended it “to balance opinions when they
are in opposition.” The Eagle was partially sustained by government
advertisements until 31st October, 1888 when it eventually
disappeared.
With
its disappearance, a weekly newspaper of two columns called Mirror was
introduced by P. Adolphus Marke. Despite Marke’s remark that “small axes cut
big trees”, he had modest aims for his newspaper which died with the issue of
24th November, 1888.
The
campaign for cultural national typified by the call for newspapers in Nigeria
languages would be heeded five years later with the birth of Iwe Irohin Eko and the Lagos Weekly Times between 1888 and
1890. The Eko was a Yoruba language
fortnightly founded on 3rd November, 1888 by the printer, Andrew
Thomas, to exploit the growing interest in Yoruba language and literature. It
was characterised by feature on Yoruba traditions and folklore. It finally
expired in 1892.
The
Lagos Weekly Times, which was established on 3rd May 1890, was a new
version of the defunct Lagos Times revived by John Payne Jackson, a Liberian –
born business man. This was made possible by a special arrangement between John
Jackson and Balizet. The agreement between the two allowed Jackson to revive
the Lagos Times under the new name,
enjoy autonomy in the management of the sales of the newspaper, advertisement
and job – printing business and provide a statement of account at the end of
three month to enable them determine Blaize’s share of the revenue which was
fixed provisionally at five pounds (5) a month.
GARBA UAMAN
KUW/U14/MCM/2016
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