OTHER CONTRIBUTORS TO MEDIA EVOLUTION IN NIGERIA

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The development of the Nigerian press was achieved by missionaries, colonialists and businessmen. Some of them were interested in providing a vehicle for education and literacy. After the publication of Iwe Irohin, Robert Campbell launched the Anglo-African newspaper to continue the media tradition in Nigeria.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:
• write the profile of Campbell and the establishment of Anglo-African newspaper
• discuss the role of Anglo-African newspaper in the developmentof the Nigerian press
• explain the partnership between Blaize and John Payne Jackson and the death of Weekly Times newspaper.

 3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 The Profile of Robert Campbell

Born in Kingston, Jamaica of a mulato mother and a Scottish father, Campbell worked as an apprentice printer for five years. In the United States, he was a victim of racial antagonism and discrimination. In 1855, he served as a compositor and two years later, he joined the institute of color youth at Philadelphia, as a scientific teacher. In 1859-60, in response to the philanthropic idealism, which fired the imagination of many West Indians and Afro- Americans in their Back- to- Africa movement, Campbell joined Dr Martin K. Delany on a tour of Yoruba land with the aim of establishing a Negro colony. A treaty was contracted with the Alake of Abeokuta who subsequently repudiated it before Campbell arrived Lagos in 1862, which he thought, would be his new home. Undaunted, he decided to settle in Lagos for the next 22 years. He distinguished himself as a journalist, intellectual manufacturer, merchant and administrator.

Early in his career in Lagos, Campbell established the Lagos Academy where he gave lectures on human physiology. His “literacy achievements” were to earn him the title of “professor.” This background foreshadows his editorial policy as stated earlier. Given Campbell’s background and outlook, it is not surprising that he decided on a literacy publication as a paying proposition and a 63

/4 x 8 ½ assortment of stories called from a variety of sources, books, novels, magazines and overseas newspapers.

As a weekly journal, it sold for three pence and was printed every Saturday evening at Campbell’s printing school. From the outset, the venture proved a failure and it would seem that what kept it going was Campbell’s determination to reject defeat and perhaps the evidently small proceeds from a few government and other advertisement which were inserted in the journal. The literacy matter interested only a few subscribers and sales did not exceed about 30-50 copies a week. The paper died at the end of 1865.

According to Omu, judging from feeling of utter disappointment with which Campbell continually referred to the apathy of the public, it seems obvious that the enterprise was far from self-supporting.

3.2 The Birth of Anglo-African (1863-1865) ;The Anglo-African was the second newspaper in the country. Strictly speaking, the history of Nigeria’s indigenous press began in 1863 when Robert Campbell founded the Anglo-African, which he abandoned two years later. However, judging by dominant principles upon which it was conducted, it cannot be said to have formed part of newspaper movement, which began in 1880’s by providing cheap and accessible material, which would educate, inform and entertain its readers. (This formed the editorial policy of the paper). The establishment of the Lagos Grammar School in 1859 by the CMS mission was indicative of the future educational growth and Campbell’s rich experiences as a printer and teacher embarked on experimental literacy journalism.

33 Role of Anglo-African in the Development of Nigeria Press

In a large scale, the Anglo-African helped to produce more printers among whom is Richard Blaize. It set a stage for the growth and development of printing industry, especially in Lagos. Most importantly, the newspaper reinforced growing awareness of the significance of newspaper as an instrument of public enlightenment. 

The paper became one of the major signs of growth and consolidation from the 1880s of the Lagos press thereby making Lagos assume the position of the convergent part for Nigerian press. Till today, most newspapers are still concentrated in Lagos city and its environs. 

The Instinct for Nationalism in Africa The real founding of Nigerian press was 15 years late when certain social, political, economic conditions interacted with local and foreign inspirations to create conditions, which favoured popular newspaper. The doctrine of democracy which was practised differently by the European exponents of “divide and rule” culminated in the loss of respect for African rulers. The missionaries who came later applauded the partition and this led to nationalism in the African minds. These developments highlighted the need for an indigenous media for the effective ventilation of social, political and economic grievances and for the inculcation of nationalism sentiment in view of the aforementioned. On November 10, 1880, the Lagos Times/Gold Colony Advertiser was established. The Lagos Times was founded by Richard Blaize. Blaize was a wealthy businessman of Yoruba and Sierra Leonian origin. The paper marked the beginning of indigenous newspaper movement. The name of the newspaper reflected the joint administration of Nigeria and Gold Coast.

The editorial policy of the paper was “The press is a safeguard public right”.

The paper crusaded for the right of the commonly placed people. It lived throughout, defending this motto. The newspaper appeared twice a month and sold for six pence. The paper was a four-page journal and had three columns to a page.

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Briefly discuss the circumstance of the birth of Lagos Times and how the paper faired?

3.4 Partnership between Blaize and John Payne Jackson

The Lagos Weekly Times, which came out on 3rd May, 1890 and sold for three pence was the new version of the defunct Lagos Times and Gold Coast Colony Advertiser revived by John Payne Jackson, a Liberian born businessman, in a special arrangement with Blaize. The agreement between Blaize and Jackson provided that Jackson should revive the Lagos Times under the new name, have a free hand in managing sales advertisements and job-printing business and prepare a statement of account at the end of three months so that Blaize’s share of the revenue could be determined.

The three-month period could also serve to reassure Blaize that Jackson was a different man from what he was eight years ago when his poor bookkeeping and love of drink in the office of the Lagos Times led to his dismissal. Jackson’s editorship of the Weekly Times was excellent but his financial management showed no signs of improvement. At the end of three months, he could not render any account, not even when he was given two more months.

The relationship became strained; although Jackson eventually managed to submit an account, it failed to reassure that he had not made a mistake in yielding to Jackson’s pressure for a new relationship. On 29th November, Blaize discontinued the Weekly Times and arranged to revert to the old name. As from 6th December, Jackson at first acquiesced in Blaize’s decision but soon changed his mind and, in handbills, began to dispute Blaize’s right to discontinue the Weekly Times. A court threat made Jackson to back down, announcing that he would start his own newspaper the following year.

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Discuss the relationship between Blaize and Jackson.

4.0 CONCLUSION

It has been established in this unit that Anglo-African newspaper helped to increase the number of trained printers in the country. This implication fostered the growth of the press.

5.0 SUMMARY

This unit has revealed giant strides taken by Blaize to establish the Anglo-African and the Lagos Weekly Times and the role of the papers in addition to the quarrel between Beale Blaize and John Payne Jackson.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

1.  Who published the Anglo African newspaper?
2.  Why did Blaize and Jackson quarrel? 
3. Who established the Lagos Weekly Times?