…Says: ‘They are not trained or guided by the ethics of the profession nor know anything about the profession, media standard continues to drop precariously’
*Resigned as editor of Prime People after six months to float weekly society publication, for over 35 years with a little over N2million established a well circulated national magazine
*Evergreen media moments: Broke the story of President Ibrahim Babangida not handing over power in 1992 that troubled the military as to the source, then editor, late Hakeem Ikandu was picked up for the story and detained for less than 24 hours, exposed Abacha’s phantom coup story that the execution grounds for the alleged coupists were already prepared, MKO Abiola’s road to victory in 1993; broke the scoop of late Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu confirmation he married Bianca Onoh, led the story of Ezego’s death in an auto accident on his way to the village, revealed ill-fated romance between Alhaji Kollington Ayinla, the Fuji musician and heartthrob, Alhaja Salawa Abeni
*Lament: ‘The advent of social media, otherwise known as citizen journalism, has further complicated the growth of the industry, urges urgent intervention of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nigeria Guild of Editors, and Newspaper Proprietor Association of Nigeria’
*PLUS, how he retired from active journalism, went into media consultancy, public relations, medium scale farming and politics, his editorship memories in the DRUM, TRUST, SPEAR- a colourful entertainment magazine pull out in Daily Times of Nigeria
*BY DR. GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU, Executive Editor & Group Managing Director, NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER INC USA
He’s highly revered and respected in the Nigerian media industry. He singlehandedly established Today’s Choice Magazine, one of the oldest well circulated national celebrity journals in the country. Before then, he worked as editor of Drum, Spear, Drum-a colourful pullout pages inside Daily Times of Nigeria. He edited Prime People Magazine. COKER ONITA, a media veteran was honoured for his 70th birthday by the Committee of Nigerian Journalists.
Despite his daily busy schedule, ONITA granted an audience to the Editorial Board Members of NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER INC USA in this rare interactive session:
*NAIJA STANDARD: What inspired you into establishing TODAY’S Choice Magazine, Nigeria’s oldest, most leading weekly celebrity journal?
*COKER: Thank you for the question. Let me start by saying that Today’s Choice Magazine cannot be described as the oldest. But you will be right to say it’s one of the oldest in its segment. There were DRUM, TRUST, SPEAR, an entertainment magazine on Daily Times of Nigeria stable which l had the privilege to edit. They all came before Today’s Choice Magazine.
The motivation to establish Today’s Choice Magazine came from what we dubbed: “professional insult” received from the board of directors of Prime Publications Limited, publishers of Prime People Magazine. Six or so months into my employment as Editor of the magazine, l was suddenly redeployed for no justifiable reason.
The board had had a disagreement with Mr. Muyiwa Adetiba, its founding managing director and editor-in-chief. The differences became irreconcilable; hence he moved on to establish Vintage People Magazine. He moved with the bulk of staffers from Prime People to Vintage People. This created a big vacuum and loss of market share and editorial leadership for Prime People Magazine. I was then approached by Dr. (now Professor) Idowu Sobowale, Mass Communication lecturer at the University of Lagos who had resumed duty as managing director of the magazine. l did an interview with a group of other prospective candidates for the position of editor of the magazine, and I emerged tops. That was how I resigned my appointment with Daily Times and was hired as editor, Prime People Magazine in December 1989.
Within six months of my assumption of editorship, the circulation rose by over 100 per cent. Just then, the board decided to redeploy me, as l said, for no justifiable reason. A few weeks later, I resigned my appointment. And with all sense of humility, my resignation sounded the death knell of the magazine because it was the beginning of it fall from grace to grass!!
Within three months after my exit, we founded Today’s Choice Magazine because 80 per cent of staffers in Prime Publication Limited came along. You can wait for the rest of the story till when l release my memoirs.
*NAIJA STANDARD: What were the challenges you encountered and had to overcome to successfully midwife the publication?
*COKER: The challenges were not legion because the good Lord took absolute control. Most of my friends approached with financial support, bought into the idea of establishing a magazine. They readily showed interest. And it must be added that Nigeria was not as hostile as it is today for small investors to thrive.
In 1990, the foreign exchange rate was still friendly, and the newsprint was not too costly. We could still get it for N8,000 per ton. Costs of production, printing, circulation and marketing were still affordable.
*NAIJA STANDARD: How much did it cost you to establish such a well circulated national news medium?
*COKER: If my memory of over 35 years serves me right, it was a little over N2million. All our vehicles, computers, and lithographic equipment were leased, and we paid back to our Lessor in installments. In about 24 months the assets became ours.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Can you take us through some of the evergreen memories in TODAY’S Choice Magazine?
*COKER: There were quite in number, but the ones l readily remembered including the one written about the likelihood of President Ibrahim Babangida not handing over power in 1992. The military wanted to know the source of the story. My editor, late Mr. Hakeem Ikandu, was picked up for the story. He was detained for less than 24 hours.
- Abacha’s phantom coup story that the execution grounds for the alleged coupists were already prepared in Jos, that also earned us a red flag from the military authorities.
- MKO Abiola’s road to victory in 1993
- The story of late Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu confirming that he had married Bianca Onoh was broken by us.
- Today’s Choice also broke the story of Ezego’s death in an auto accident on his way to his village.
- The ill-fated romance between Alhaji Kollington Ayinla, the Fuji musician and his heartthrob, Alhaja Salawa Abeni.
*NAIJA STANDARD: If you have not been a publisher. What other career will you have embraced from your childhood?
*COKER: I would probably have been a varsity teacher because of my love for scholarship.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Can you take us on the other projects you are currently engaged in now?
*COKER: Since I retired from active journalism, I went into Media Consultancy, public relations and medium scale farming. I’m also into politics
*NAIJA STANDARD: How will you describe the Nigerian Media Industry right now? How will you describe the Nigerian Media Industry right now?
*COKER: The print media is now an endangered species. The advent of social media, otherwise known as citizen journalism, has further complicated the growth of the industry. Most people who now parade themselves as journalists never saw the four walls of any university or school of journalism. They are therefore not trained and not guided by the ethics of the profession. Most are charlatans and professional interlopers who know nothing about the profession. No wonder, the standard continues to drop precariously. The media industry is faced with a lot of challenges and would need the intervention of professional bodies including Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) and Newspaper Proprietor Association of Nigeria (NPAN). The same applies to the broadcast media.
Above all, the media industry continues to play its role as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, providing information, education and entertainment to its various publics. It continues to stand in the vanguard of liberty, freedom, equity justice and fairness for the citizens of Nigeria. Kudos to Nigerian media!
*NAIJA STANDARD: What lessons has life taught you?
*COKER: It has taught me to be patient, focused and be prayerful in all my endeavors.
*NAIJA STANDARD: What message do you have for younger entrepreneurs on how to genuinely create businesses from scratch and succeed?
*COKER: They should look deeply at every opportunity and think outside the box. That means they should be creative and purposeful in everything they do. They also should seek mentorship and appreciate that Rome is not built in a day. ln brevity, therefore, they should always stoop to conquer, they should not cut corners.
God bless them!!!
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