Nigeria has had a vibrant print media tradition and history dating from the pre-colonial days. In the last six odd decades, the print media in the country has vigorously performed its responsibilities as the Fourth Estate of the Realm. In pre-colonial Nigeria, newspapers played a major role in creating awareness and agitating for self-government. After independence, newspapers also bore the responsibility of educating the people through incisive news reporting and objective analysis, thus putting the government on its toes through critical insights in the fledging Republic. From the First Republic till date, newspapers have also played a remarkable role in nation building through consistent reportage and dissemination of information across the country. Indeed, the history of Nigeria cannot be complete without the roles played by the print media in galvanizing opinions against irreverent leaders in power.
A new and fresh voice has been added to the vibrant newspaper tradition in Nigeria – The Trumpet Newspaper. Established in 2021 and scheduled to hit the streets in 2022, the newspaper has set a high ethical and professional bar for itself in consonance with the dream of its sponsors in order to fill a vacuum that has been created by the shenanigans of the tumultuous political, social, cultural, and economic times that we live in. It is a huge self-elected mandate which we have boldly and relentlessly taken on. With God and truth on our side, we shall overcome all mountainous challenges and get to the pinnacle of the ladder.
It is true that while a section of the print media has consistently stood against bad governance, identifying deteriorating aspects of society and showing empathy for the people, some others have gone into an unholy romance with the rulers, with the powers-that-be and wielders of political power essentially for influence peddling and putrescent benefits. Often, the people have been guided and educated with correct information, unbiased and authentic while occasionally, objectivism and factual reporting have suffered in news reportage leading to misinformation of the people.
The history of print media in Nigeria therefore is a chequered one. Some of the newspaper companies became victims of the country’s epileptic economic conditions. Unable to cope with high cost of printing, they folded up. Some other newspapers compromised standards by abandoning the ideals for which they were set up and in their bid to remain in business, they ate the poisoned chalice. However, some newspapers have weathered the storm. Through thick and thin, they have remained in business while upholding the ideals of the profession. The success story of the country cannot be complete without a mention of these newspapers. The success of Nigeria’s current democracy can be partially attributed to these successful newspapers. But gradually, ethnic and diverse sectional biases have crept into news reportage. In some cases, fiction has replaced facts and the people are worse for it. Social media has inadvertently created an avenue for disinformation and misinformation. Given the above scenario, there are gaps, yawning gaps begging to be filled in news reporting and news commentary. It is the desire to fill this gap that motivated Elomaz Communications Limited with headquarters in Abuja and regional offices in Lagos and Delta States to establish The Trumpet Newspaper.
The Trumpet Newspaper is founded on the egalitarian principles of truth and honesty, fair play, objective reporting, factual presentation of issues, and incisive analysis of developments covering a wide range of subjects in Politics, Culture, Entertainment, Sports, Education, Religion, Technology, Climate Change, Agriculture, Business and many other aspects of national and international developments. The underpinning philosophies of The Trumpet Newspaper are honesty, objectivity, patriotism, nation-building and the pursuance of equity, fair play and justice. The newspaper is primarily poised to lend a hand in rescuing Nigeria from the stranglehold of deceptive and misleading news reporting.
Even to the blind, it is obvious that our country has suffered near fatal dislocations, serious security breaches, and experienced avoidable upheavals due to rumour peddling, propaganda, and inciting news reporting. Having lost faith in many news channels in the country, the people have, unfortunately, resorted to harvesting information and news items from the ubiquitous social media with all the attendant negative consequences. This slide into the fake news reporting must be halted. The hope of the people in the print media must be restored too. This is the role The Trumpet Newspaper seeks to play in nation-building.
We are poised to reach millions of Nigerians no matter where they may live. Through a vibrant distribution mechanism, the newspaper will reach the young, the old, policy makers and implementers, the urban elite, and the rural poor. Also, The Trumpet Newspaper can be accessed online for the soft copy editions from any part of the world through its website www.thetrumpet.ng. In addition to the website, it has an active Facebook Account which currently has about 18,000 followers. People recognize quality when they see it. The Trumpet is quality and that accounts for the large number of followers on Facebook within such a short time. The newspaper has taken it as a primary responsibility to only report the truth. It promises to be objective and demonstrate love for the country which will further sustain our patriotic zeal. In this regard, the slogan of the newspaper is ‘a patriotic voice, speaking truth to the nation’.
The Trumpet Newspaper will ensure that truth is upheld and only thoroughly investigated information will be fed to the public. The newspaper has assembled a world-class Editorial Board, drawn from academia, business, and journalism. Our editorial opinions shall focus on the immediate issues in Nigeria targeted towards policy-makers to help them in making decisions that would uplift the country. We have also engaged and secured the services of excellent opinion essay writers who have a profound understanding of the complexities of the Nigerian state and how the overwhelming challenges can be overcome. Our outings shall be a delight to all lovers of excellent writing in the best tradition of journalism. We therefore say: Welcome, The Trumpet Newspaper.
