- * As Management Appoints New Editor
By Chinwendu Agoha (Media & Governance Reporter)
Fresh facts emerged on Wednesday night on the real reasons why the editor of First News newspaper, Mr Segun Olatunji resigned his appointment as editor of the paper on Wednesday.
NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Newspaper gathered from authentic source on Wednesday, that Olatunji actually threw in the towel in apparent protest over an apology tendered on Wednesday by the management of the newspaper to Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over an earlier story published by Olatunji about Gbajabiamila.
According to the dependable.source, the stories on Gbajabiamila and that of the Army allegedly being run like a 'family business' were among the exclusive news stories that rankled powerful persons in government who allegedly masterminded the abduction of Segun Olatunji from his Abule Odo Lagos home in March this year.
NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER furthered gathered that in addition to the reasons of personal safety given by Mr Olatunji in his resignation letter as to why he resigned his job, the chief reason for his exit was that First News newspaper management opted to apologise to the President's Chief of Staff (Hon Femi Gbajabiamila) over a cover story that was allegedly authentic but which was not in the interest of Hon Gbajabiamila.
The source also revealed that the said apology however did not go down well with Mr Olatunji who obviously felt that the managent of the paper betrayed him over a story that they knew was allegedly true but perhaps chose to toe the unprofessional path of "caving in to powerful pressure".
Already, Mr Segun Olatunji, the source said, has put the experience behind him, as he is said to have bravely moved on with his life. He is nevertheless said to be still afraid of his life as he feels compromised by his former employers, the First News newspaper.
Meanwhile the management of First News Media Networ has promptly appointed Mr Ebere Ndukwu as new Acting Editor of the newspaper to replace Mr Segun Olatunji.
Olatunji in a letter dated May 8, 2024 and addressed to the Publisher and Managing Director, said his resignation is as a result of the incessant threat to his life and that of his family which has become worrisome.
He said, "It has become imperative for me to resign my appointment for the safety of my person and my family. I thank the company's management for giving me the opportunity to contribute my quota to its operations in the past four years."
Recall that Olatunji was recently abducted by men of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) over a controversial news report and was released after spending two weeks in their detention facility in Abuja.
His release became inevitable after the overwhelming pressure mounted by the leadership of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Nigeria Union of Journalists, as well as other well-meaning organizations and individuals.
Confirming the development, the management of First Media Network Limited, said it accepted the decision of Olatunji in good fate and wished him well in his future endeavors.
In a statement, the management confirmed that Ndukwu, a seasoned journalist, would step in as the new Acting General Editor to oversee its operations.
Ndukwu, an award winning investigative and multimedia journalist, is a prolific writer, public speaker, researcher, scriptwriter with over a decade of experience in the Newspaper Publishing industry, and a strong editorial skills. (With additional reports). NNL.
