Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday added their voices to the horde of tributes that have poured in for THISDAY newspapers as it marks its 30th anniversary on the newsstands.
Buhari described the formation of THISDAY newspaper, now 30 since its debut, as a national monument and one of the most notable landmarks in the growth and development of  the press in Nigeria, while Jonathan characterised the newspaper as a leading voice in the country’s journalism.

Buhari, in a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, noted that what is important about THISDAY is not only because it re-launched the sustainable printing of the Nigerian newspaper in full colour, and then the rest of papers rushed to follow.
Besides, he stressed that it is not only because the newspaper pays the most attention to business, economy and politics, noting that there’s no serious politician in the country that would go to bed without seeing the paper.

Aside from its major objective of promoting free speech, dialogue and a serious preoccupation with nation building, which he said are important, Buhari contended that the most adorable thing about THISDAY is that it doesn’t keep malice against individuals, institutions and governments.

“We may have wronged them as a government. Every government in the country-advertently and inadvertently wrongs the press but with THISDAY, you can never see bitterness in their pages. They report you as well as anyone can, as the professional practice of the media demands that they do. THISDAY is extraordinary,” the former president explained.

According to the former president: “THISDAY is a national monument. It is a national institution whose ownership is beyond its registered shareholders”, stressing that it belongs to all Nigerians and society must protect its existence.”

Also,  Jonathan has felicitated the Publisher, Prince Nduka Obaigbena and the entire Board of Editors of THISDAY Newspapers, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the newspaper, describing THISDAY as a paper that has greatly enriched Nigeria’s media landscape and contributed so much towards strengthening its democracy.

In a goodwill message to the publisher, Jonathan noted that within this period of 30 years, THISDAY has established itself as a credible medium well positioned to shape public opinion and foster informed discourse on national and global issues.
“Over the past three decades, THISDAY has grown to become a leading voice in Nigerian journalism, providing readers with insightful news, analysis, and informed commentary.

“As you celebrate, I commend your courage, innovation, and adaptability in navigating the challenges of the ever-evolving media industry. I wish THISDAY many more decades of impactful journalism,” Jonathan said in a statement by his spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze.

Meanwhile, the much-awaited THISDAY awards in commemoration of the newspaper’s three decades on the stands takes place today, with legendary singer, Diana Ross, arriving in Lagos yesterday.
The red carpet for the awards billed to take place at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, is expected to commence at 5pm.

This is not the first time Ross will be  headlining the THISDAY awards. In 2007, at the Muson Centre, she equally honoured the newspaper’s invitation to headline the 12th edition of the award at the time.
During the awards, THISDAY is expected to honour some of Nigeria’s ‘Tough and Resilient’ individuals and institutions in selected fields of endeavours, after earlier inviting nominations for various categories of nominees.

The ceremony aptly tagged: “When the Going Gets Tough… the Tough Gets Rewarded!” will cover several categories, including: ‘Titans of The Year’; ‘Brand of the Year’; ‘Government Agency of the Year’;  ‘Investor of the Year’; ‘Young Global Leaders of the Year’, among several others.