THISDAY MD tasks media personnel on professionalism
By Isaac Lewu
The Managing Director of THISDAY Newspapers, Mr Eniola Bello, has called on media practitioners and students of journalism to uphold the fundamental principles of accuracy, objectivity, fairness and balanced reporting in the discharge of their professional responsibilities.
Mr Bello made the call last Thursday, (September 17, 2026), while donating copies of his two-volume book, ‘SHADOWS’ to the Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Ilorin. The veteran journalist is an alumnus of the Department.
The renowned media executive stressed the need for young people currently undergoing training in media practices to return to the basic principles of journalism.
He decried the growing influence of what he called “street journalism”, noting that the development has contributed to the spread of fake news, particularly where reports are published without efforts to verify facts or obtain the sides of those involved.
According to him, journalists must make deliberate attempts to confirm information before publication, as failure to do so could cause unnecessary crises and damage to individuals and society.
Mr Bello said that his career had taken him through various media organisations, including Vanguard and the defunct Concord, before joining THISDAY, where he rose through different editorial positions and contributed columns to the development of public discourse.
He said his books, which contain a selection of articles written between 1999 and 2023, were compiled to provide a historical account of Nigeria’s democratic journey and help young people understand the country’s past.
The THISDAY helmsman, who is one of the 50 UNILORIN Ambassadors unveiled last year, disclosed that the collection initially ran into more than 1,000 pages before it was eventually divided into two volumes, adding that the decision was informed by the desire to preserve the works while making them useful to students and researchers.
Mr Bello expressed hope that students would gain from both the historical contents and writing styles of the works, as he stressed that “style is as important as the message.”
Receiving the books, the Head of the Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdullahi Kadri Ayinde, commended Mr Bello for remembering his alma mater and contributing to the enrichment of the Department’s academic resources.
Prof. Ayinde expressed delight at the alumnus’ return to the Department, recalling that Mr Bello was a student when the Department was known as Modern European Languages before its evolution into the present Department of English and Literary Studies.
The don said that the Department would continue to be proud of Mr Bello’s achievements and grateful for his continued connection with his alma mater, noting that the donated books would further enrich its collections and benefit students and staff. He assured the donor that the materials, as well as the wealth of experience and knowledge associated with him, would be put to positive use for the advancement of teaching, learning and scholarship in the University.
Pesent at the event were Prof. Sola T. Babatunde, Prof. Olufemi Dunmade, Prof. Oyinkan C. Medubi, Prof. Taofiq A. Alabi, the Director Corporate Affairs, University of Ilorin, Mr Kunle Akogun and other staff members of the Department.
