HISTORY OF MASS MEDIA IN NIGERIA

The period between 1891 and 1930 was a period full of confrontation, petition and agitation against the colonial government. The period featured newspaper like Weekly Record, The Standard, The Nigeria Chronicle, The Spectator, Lagos daily News of Herbert Macaulay and The Comet. The weekly Record gave new impetus to Nigeria Journalism through the anti-colonial posture of Jackson’s newspaper who believed in the dignity of the black race. This he expressed through his news paper. The newspaper also served as training ground for the future journalist like Ernest Sessei Ikoli who later joined the paper in 1919 as the assistant Editor.

The era also witnessed the arrival of Lord Lugard the Governor General of Nigeria between 1914 and 1919. Lord Lugard did not hide his hatred for the press men of the time, as a result, he sought many means to stop the newspaper men. In response to the agitation, Sir Hugh Clifford the successor of Lord Lugard introduced a constitution which made provision for the representation in the Legislative Council first of its kind in Nigeria, the constitution also made provision for the formation of political party which led to the formation of Nigeria National Democratic Party (NNDP) in 1923. During this period some nationalist movement were formed such as National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA) led by Casley Hayford.

Subsequently, in 1934, NYM was formed by Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe and containing some youth militant such as Ernest Sessei Ikoli, H.O Davies, Samuel Akinsaya and Dr. J.C Vanghan as members of the party. As a result of the defeat of NNDP by the NYM, NNDP fizzle out with the victory of NYM in the 1938 election due to intra party wrangle. In 1944 National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon was formed as Herbert Macaulay the publisher of Lagos Daily News as the president and Nnamdi Azikwe the publisher of West African Pilot as the General Secretary. Herbert Macaulay died in 1946 and Nnamdi Azikwe assumed the leadership of NCNC. In 1943 Arthur Richard created three regions in Nigeria namely, The Western, Eastern and Northern Region. The constitution of the Arthur Richard made provision for the formation of some cultural group such as Egbe Omo Oduduwa (West) and Janiyya Mutane Arewa (North). In 1951, Egbe Omo Oduduwa later became political party with a new name– Action Group and Janiyya Mutane Arewa also became a political party with a new name – Northern People Congress. The three political parties that struggle for the reform of independence of Nigeria were NCNC, AG and NPC.
In 1960, the alliance of NCNC and NPC made Tafawa Balewa as the Prime Minister and Nnamdi Azikwe as the Governor General who in 1963 later became the first president of Nigeria.