Whenever the history of the Concord Press Nigeria Limited is written, it would have to take account of its several phases. Founded on March 1, 1980 when MKO was a staunch member of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
The titles in the stables were rabidly anti Obafemi Awolowo, the Leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) who was also using his own paper, Nigeria Tribune, which he founded on Nov 19th, 1949, to fight all his political opponents.
When MKO resigned his membership of the NPN in 1982 because the party on which he has spent huge amount of money betrayed him, and could not nominate him as a presidential candidate. The editorial direction of his press also changed.
Since MKO was no longer in partisan politics, his journalists were able to report with some measure of objectivity. The sales figure rose to an all-time high. This was when the likes of Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu, Yakubu Mohammed, Doyin Abiola, Dairo Onabule, Tom Borha, Sina Adedipe, Lewia Obi, Nosa Igiebor, Dare Babarinsa, Dimgba Igwe, Mike Awoyinfa, Dele Omotunde and several others actually became well known to the public reading.
It was a flowering phas,. journalism was at this point, on its way to achieving great goals, in part because it was free, and in part because it was backed by enormous resources. MKO, a chartered accountant reaped the benefits abundantly.
Nigeria and the world toasted him as a powerful publisher. He earned some political influence, which all his other business ventures, could not have brought him. It was typical of him at that time to exaggerate his influence because of the reach and power of his press.
RPI...........Rethink, Rebirth, Rebuild.
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