As Daily Times marks its 100th anniversary, former Managing Director, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, has called for renewed commitment to preserving Nigeria’s history, strengthening credible journalism and repositioning media institutions to meet the demands of the digital age.
Ogunbiyi, who rose through the ranks from the newsroom to become managing director of the newspaper, said the centenary celebration was not only a milestone for the organisation but also an opportunity to reflect on the critical role institutions play in nation-building.
Speaking on the newspaper’s legacy, he described Daily Times as more than a newspaper, saying it played a pivotal role in shaping Nigeria’s media landscape and documenting the country’s political, economic and social evolution.
“It was never just a newspaper. It was an institution that helped build Nigeria,” Ogunbiyi said.
He said Daily Times served as Nigeria’s foremost training ground for journalists long before journalism became firmly established in universities, producing generations of reporters, editors, photographers and media executives who later assumed leadership positions across newspapers, television stations and other media organisations.
He noted that beyond reporting events, the newspaper preserved historical records that continue to serve as valuable archives of the nation’s development.
Ogunbiyi expressed concern over what he described as the gradual erosion of institutional memory in Nigeria, warning that the country’s history is increasingly being neglected.
“A nation that does not preserve its history gradually loses its identity,” he said.
He added that countries build confidence by understanding their past, while institutions command respect when their histories are preserved and their contributions recognised.
“When people no longer know where they are coming from, they struggle to determine where they should be going,” he stated.
The former Daily Times boss said this conviction informed his support for the newspaper’s centenary initiatives, including projects aimed at documenting individuals and institutions that have contributed significantly to Nigeria’s development.
On the changing media landscape, Ogunbiyi acknowledged that technological advancement has transformed journalism globally, with digital platforms and social media fundamentally altering how news is produced, distributed and consumed.