Nigerian politicians must learn from Daily Times’ historical exhibition, says Runsewe
*Calls for culture re-invigoration
The Director General National Council for Art and Culture, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, on Tuesday urged Nigerian politicians and leaders to pay frequent visits to the custodian of Nigerian political history The Daily Times to read about the country to learn the basics of their profession.
Otunba Runsewe, said this while performing the opening of the Daily Times exhibition show, which preceded the Times Heroes awards at the Abuja International Conference Center Tuesday.
He said that Daily Times, as the custodian of Nigerian history, should be made to host the exhibition every year to educate Nigerian politicians on the history of Nigerian politics.
He pointed out that Nigerian politicians in the first republic, has fought for the independent of Nigeria with the aim to form one united Nigeria and not individualistic and divisible Nigeria.
“Nigerians far and near, should be able to come over and be reminded of the history. Look at the newspaper exhibition today; I was just reading about the Ikorodu of 1956 and other areas in Lagos. Take a look at that publication in 1986 with the oil price at 5 dollars per barrel. I tell you that no country exists without its past and Nigeria should not be an exemption.”
According to the culture expert, the newspaper exhibition is a fantastic pride of a nation’s history and it is good that we are now able to showcase its culture.
On the importance of the media in revitalizing the culture of Nigeria, he observed that Nigerians must not forget that the media is the watchdog of the society and any nation that neglects the importance of the media must have lost its value. “the media, is a little bit being misunderstood in Nigeria, we advocate that Government, should associate with the media for successful growth and do not forget that the media is the fourth estate of the realm, do not also forget that the media single handedly sent the military back to the barracks so when the media was fighting to save this country from the hands of the military, fifty per cent of the newspaper editors ran out of the country as a result until democracy was installed.”
While introducing a new wave of instituting the quality and historical power of the Daily times, Otunba Runsewe, reiterated that his leadership should in the mean time storm the internet with the Daily Times copies of 1926 till date and by so doing, should be able to build a new cultural perspective on Nigerians and people in Diaspora who visit its websites to read the Nigerian culture.
He said that educating the world about Nigeria is the greatest thing that will happen to the nation, stressing that a lot of Nigerians are not breasted with the and what his organization, should do is to reawaken the consciousness of Nigerians.
He observed that the daily times must be playing the leading role among the newspaper industries for the reservation of culture.
Also speaking to Daily times, representative of the minister of information and culture Alhaji lai Mohammed, the permanent secretary of the information ministry, Alhaji Hussaini Dayar, stated that Nigerian history, will not be complete without historical exhibition of this nature.
He observed that history has a way of playing a role in nation building. “ as I said no nation makes a good future by forgetting its historical past it is a good thing that an organization like this puts the country and the generation next through”.
Speaking earlier, while welcoming the students at the exhibition venue, said that the Daily Times has come a long way and that one of its duty is to preserve the history for the youths like them. “ in his words the country is great, and has a great history. Nigerians must know where we are coming from to get it right”.
Baring her mind shortly after the exhibition, Miss Opeoluwa Olagunju, a student of Pacesetter Academy Wuje Abuja, stated that her perception changed soon after she participated in the exhibition since she always visit the internet for information which ended up with negative things.
Miss Opeoluwa, further appealed to the government to always expose the youth with historical exhibition of their country in order not to grow with the negative mind set about their country.
Ochijenu Ramat, an SS2 science student, said from what she saw at the Daily Times exhibition of historic publication of Nigeria’s event, there was need for the country to go back to history.
Teachers with the college, Mr. Ogbanako Mayaki and Miss Chizom Ike, who both led the students to the exhibition, corroborated that the advocacy for the reinvigoration of the Nigerian historical perspective, should be taken down to the parent education ministry to be inculcated in the curricular.
Also contributing at the exhibition told our correspondents that it was fascinating and educating to seeing diverse historical news events as reported by the Daily Times publications of the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Master John Obi a student of SASCON International School, said: “Some of the things I am seeing today from these publications were either told to us by our parents as history, or we read them on our on but I have not heard or read most of them until today that I see them in the Daily Times.
“We should go back to our past, we can make Nigeria a better place again,” the young student said. She also pointed out that her favorite of the Daily Times Publication is the ‘Woman World’, which she said captivated her interest because it deals mainly on women issues.
Two teachers from Pacesetter College Mr Maiyaki Ogbanamo who also shared their experience at the exhibition said until Nigeria take advocacy to the policymakers to make teaching of history compulsory for schools in the country, the nation cannot develop.
Some captivating stories of the Daily Times publications like: “Zik cccuses Awolowo of breach of Faith,” Daily Times Wednesday 16, 1956.
Northern Leaders Return from London Talks,” Daily Times Saturday September 5, 1953.
“Gowon Warns Nigerian Press,” “I Want a Constructive and Responsible Press,” Daily Times Tuesday May 13, 1973; “Crude Oil Price Drops to 5 Dollars, Dependence on oil to reduce,”- Daily Times Thursday July 10, 1986. These, among several other notable headlines, were displayed at the exhibition.
