(This first editorial of THE NIGERIA STANDARD, published on July 8,1972, is a special tribute to Iliya Galiya Audu, the first Editor of the newspaper. Born on January 1, 1940, he passed on to glory on June 17, 2024. It is reproduced in today’s – June 26, 2024 – edition of the newspaper)
Today, we join the growing family of the nation’s news media. And we dedicate ourselves to the service of helping to build a strong and virile press that will enhance the enlightenment of our people, promote better understanding and ethnic harmony among the various groups that make up this great country and contribute to the economic advancement of and political stability of our country.
In carrying out our sacred duty of moulding public opinion, we shall not allow selfish motives or sectional interest to becloud our sense of national duty. We are born at a momentous period in the history of our country, a time when the Federal and state governments have embarked on gigantic programmes aimed at building a solid foundation for economic take-off and political stability.
We owe it a duty not only to support the effort of the governments in this regard, but also to create a favorable atmosphere in which the people will continue to cooperate with government in their task of nation-building. We can only do this if truth, objectivity and fair play form the cardinal principles of reports and comments.
For the benefit of the government and the governed, we will always offer constructive criticisms and maintain a virile editorial policy within the limits of the law. We will advise, implore, exhort, explain and criticize whenever necessary, without fear or favor.
And as a vehicle of information, we will also undertake to interpret correctly government policies and measures to the people and relay the people’s reactions and views on such measures back to the government for its guidance.
As one of the national couriers of news and views, our principal political objective is to play up all the factors that contribute towards the promotion of unity and trample on those that tend to kindle narrow nationalism, parochialism, and selfish tribal interests which are not only the symbols of disunity, but are capable of frustrating a nation’s hope for a more progressive endeavor.
Our task to the nation is difficult. But our ability to perform it satisfactorily will depend entirely on the amount of co-operation which we receive from you. We therefore appeal to all of you not only to co-operate with us but to patronize us in order to make The Nigeria Standard a success.
