The lawmaker representing the Ojomu/Balogun Constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Seun Ogunniyi, has congratulated PUNCH Newspapers on its 50th anniversary.
Ogunniyi, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Energy and Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Education and Human Capital Development, said he was delighted to receive the invitation to the 50th anniversary celebration of PUNCH.
PUNCH, the publisher of the nation’s leading newspaper titles, The PUNCH, Saturday PUNCH, Sunday PUNCH, and PUNCH Online, clocked 50 on March 18, 2023.
However, its board of directors moved the 50th-anniversary celebration to this year because the anniversary month fell within an election month and year.
In a Wednesday letter addressed to the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Punch Nigeria Limited,Adeyeye Joseph, the lawmaker described PUNCH as a “reputable and iconic media organisation that has consistently and courageously delivered balanced, relevant, impactful and ethical journalistic content to Nigerians and the world over the last 50 years.”
Recognising that this auspicious milestone also coincides with the 40th anniversary of the passing of PUNCH’s founding Chairman, Chief James Olu Aboderin, he noted that the late chairman was fondly remembered for his pioneering efforts that set PUNCH on a trajectory of positive impact and growth which successive leadership of the organisation had sustained.
“I commend and acknowledge your success story of dynamic adaptation and transition from a core traditional print media into a hybrid media group which has managed to retain its relevance and core brand identity whilst fully embracing digital technology and the disruptive influence of social media.
“Happy 50th anniversary! That is a half-century of outstanding journalistic dedication, leadership, and remarkable contributions to the unity, growth and development of this country.
“I heartily congratulate the board, management and entire staff of PUNCH Newspaper on reaching this incredible milestone of 50 years! Please accept my best wishes for continued success as this media giant is steered into yet a remarkable future,” Ogunniyi wrote.
The weeklong activities lined up for PUNCH 50th anniversary begin on February 24 with a novelty match between Team PUNCH and the Nigeria Media XI, a team made up of journalists from other newspaper houses in the country.
The novelty match will take place at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena (formerly Onikan Stadium), Onikan, Lagos Island.
Beginning on Wednesday, February 28, PUNCH will hold a three-day photo exhibition at the Alliance Francaise de Lagos/Mike Adenuga Centre, Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, to afford its readers and other Nigerians opportunities to view the best photographs from its extensive pictorial archive of the biggest news events in the nation’s history.
The high point of the anniversary is a distinguished public lecture to be held on Thursday, February 29 at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island, Lagos. The lecture, to be delivered by the Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, will be graced by leaders from the public and private sectors.
The weeklong activities will continue on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos, where PUNCH will host a black-tie dinner to acknowledge the contributions of its stakeholders to the success of our organisation.
