Nigerian Observer
| File:Nigerian Observer logo.jpg | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Bendel Newspapers Company Limited |
| Headquarters | Benin City, Nigeria |
| Website | http://nigerianobservernews.com |
The Nigerian Observer is a daily newspaper published in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. It has been published since 29 May 1968.[1] The publisher, Bendel Newspapers Company Limited, is owned by the Edo State Government.[2]
In 1973, a correspondent for the Nigerian Observer wrote an article about an impending teacher's strike in Rivers State, which was published on the Governor Alfred Diete-Spiff's birthday. Taking this as a deliberate insult, Diete-Spiff's aide Ralph Iwowari had the reporter's head publicly shaved and had him beaten with 24 lashes of a cane.[3] At that time the Nigerian Observer was owned by Bendel State, the predecessor of Edo State. The Rivers State newspaper The Tide did not mention the conflict with the teachers.[4]
During the administration of President Shehu Shagari (1979-83) the newspaper was subject to harassment by the police, with staff being detained and the premises shut, as were other papers belonging to state governments controlled by opposition parties.[5] Early in 1989 worsening economic conditions forced the paper to close for some time.[6] On 22 July 1993 the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida banned the Nigerian Observer, as well as the National Concord, The Punch and the Daily Sketch.[7]
An analysis of the Nigerian Observer and other Nigerian papers published in 1999 noted that it had a relatively small circulation, with only 15% of column inches taken up by advertisements, compared to 50% in a typical North American paper. Many of the ads were government bulletins; low revenue coupled with shortage of newsprint had the effect of limiting coverage of events, and in particular of limiting investigative reporting.[8]
References
- ↑ "Contact Us", Nigerian Observer website.] Retrieved on 19 August 2008.
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