Exactly 10 years ago today, the first copy of The Sun rolled off the press, and took the newspaper market by storm. On January 18, 2003, after many months of strategic planning and meticulous work, the publication hit the newsstands as a weekly, and promptly set all former records tumbling.
The maiden cover story was an interview with former military president, Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, with the headline, My Pact With Abacha. It was as if the market had been starved of quality news for ages. Newspaper readers bought The Sun like hot cake, and it seemed they could not get enough. Nationwide, north, south, east, west, it was the same singsong.
The Sun, The Sun, The Sun. Today, 10 years after, the fire of the romance burns even brighter. In March of 2003, the company added the Sunday edition (Sunday Sun), and by June of the same year, the daily newspaper hit the market. Before that year ended, The Sun had become like wildfire, blazing round the country, just like the cosmic sun, bathing newspaper readers in its glow.
By March 2005, an all-soccer daily, SoccerStar, joined the stable, and also promptly became market leader in its genre. In 10 years, The Sun has brought delight to millions of newspaper readers, who have made us their number one choice. Today, courtesy of these loyal readers, we can look back, and give the glory to God. In our maiden edition in 2003, we had pledged: “We shall fight with the last drop of our blood to defend the cause of national unity, democracy, free enterprise and the clearly cherished values of freedom in all its ramifications, justice, equality, brotherhood, peace, progress and the prosperity of our nation.
To that end, our duty is to hold those in position of public office and trust to the strictest test of probity and accountability, and be the scourge of corruption in whatever sphere of our national and private life. We shall fight to afflict those who afflict our people in whatever arena.” Ten years down the line, we can do a self-appraisal, and return a positive verdict for ourselves. We have kept faith with the pledge we made to the people and to the country, and intend to continue doing so in the decades to come.
The milestone of 10 years is worth celebrating, particularly in a market that has become cemetery for many newspapers, which started before, with us, and after us. Between February 14 and 23, therefore, series of activities have been lined up to commemorate the 10th year anniversary of The Sun, kicking off with a visit of the management team to the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Kabiyesi Rilwan Akiolu. During the courtesy visit, the royal father will invoke enduring blessings on the company and its staffers.
Next day, Friday, February 15, a Jumat Service holds at the Alausa Central Mosque, Ikeja, Lagos. On Saturday, there will be a novelty football match between The Sun Strikers (a star studded team of The Sun staff) and stars of Nollywood/Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, at the practice pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. On Sunday, February 17, a thanksgiving service holds at the Inter-denominational Christian Centre, Alausa, followed on Tuesday February 19 by an Anniversary Lecture at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, by 10 a.m. Guest Speaker is former president of Ghana, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, who will speak on the topic Religion, Strife and the Future of Democracy in Africa.
Special Guest of Honour at the event is former military president, Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd), while the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, is chairman. His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, Sultan of Sokoto is royal father of the day. The celebration will be concluded in grand style on Saturday, February 23, with The Sun Awards, billed for the Expo Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites, from 3 p.m. At the event to be chaired by former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, seven categories of awards are to be bestowed on distinguished Nigerians.
They are; Lifetime Achievement Award, given to Gen Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, former Minister of Defence, Mr Paschal Dozie, former Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Bank Plc, Chief Afe Babalola, Philantropist, legal luminary and promoter of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, and Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, former Minister of Finance and one time Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. The Public Service Award will go to Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina and Chief Osita Chidoka, Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Banker of the Year, Ms Evelyn Oputu, Managing Director, Bank of Industry, while Business Person of the Year, will be bestowed jointly on Oba Otudeko of Honeywell Group, and Chief Emma Bishop Okonkwo, Chairman of Ekulo Group.
Sports Person of the Year goes to Yakubu Adesokan, who broke two World Records at the Paralympics Games in London, while Nigerian Hero of the Year is Inspector Adekoya Jamiu of the Nigerian Police Force. The flagship award, Man of the Year, goes to Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives, for the sterling leadership attribute he displayed in January 2012, convening the House on a Sunday to debate the hike in price of petrol on New Year Day.
That initiative helped in cooling national temper, which may have spelt danger for our democracy. As we turn 10, it is an opportunity for us at The Sun to renew our commitment to the Nigerian people. Our covenant is for better or for worse, no less. We shall always stand by you. Surely, there’s nothing you can do without The Sun.
In 10 years, The Sun has brought delight to millions of newspaper readers, who have made us their number one choice. Today, courtesy of these loyal readers, we can look back and give the glory to God. In our maiden edition in 2003, we had pledged: “We shall fight with the last drop of our blood to defend the cause of national unity, democracy, free enterprise and the clearly cherished values of freedom in all its ramifications, justice, equality, brotherhood, peace, progress and the prosperity of our nation.
To that end, our duty is to hold those in position of public office and trust to the strictest test of probity and accountability, and be the scourge of corruption in whatever sphere of our national and private life. We shall fight to afflict those who afflict our people in whatever arena.” Ten years down the line, we can do a self-appraisal and return a positive verdict for ourselves.
We have kept faith with the pledge we made to the people and to the country and intend to continue doing so in the decades to come. The milestone of 10 years is worth celebrating, particularly in a market that has become cemetery for many newspapers, which started before, with us, and after us. Between February 14 and 23, therefore, series of activities have been lined up to commemorate the 10th year anniversary of The Sun, kicking off with a visit of the management team to the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Kabiyesi Rilwan Akiolu.
During the courtesy visit, the royal father will invoke enduring blessings on the company and its staffers. Next day, Friday, February 15, a Jumat Service holds at the Alausa Central Mosque, Ikeja, Lagos. On Saturday, there will be a novelty football match between The Sun Strikers (a star-studded team of The Sun staff) and stars of Nollywood/Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, at the practice pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. On Sunday, February 17, a thanksgiving service holds at the Inter-denominational Christian Centre, Alausa, followed on Tuesday, February 19, by an Anniversary Lecture at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, by 10 a.m. Guest Speaker is former president of Ghana, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, who will speak on the topic Religion, Strife and the Future of Democracy in Africa.
Special Guest of Honour at the event is former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd.), while the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, is chairman. His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, Sultan of Sokoto, is royal father of the day. The celebration will be concluded in grand style on Saturday, February 23, with The Sun Awards, billed for the Expo Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites, from 3 p.m. At the event to be chaired by former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, seven categories of awards are to be bestowed on distinguished Nigerians.
They are; Lifetime Achievement Award, given to Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, former Minister of Defence, Mr Paschal Dozie, former Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Bank PLC., Chief Afe Babalola, Philantropist, legal luminary and promoter of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, and Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, former Minister of Finance and one time Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The Public Service Award will go to Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina and Chief Osita Chidoka, Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Banker of the Year, Ms Evelyn Oputu, Managing Director, Bank of Industry, while Business Person of the Year, will be bestowed jointly on Oba Otudeko of Honeywell Group, and Chief Emma Bishop Okonkwo, Chairman of Ekulo Group. Sports Person of the Year goes to Yakubu Adesokan, who broke two World Records at the Paralympics Games in London, while Nigerian Hero of the Year is Inspector Adekoya Jamiu of the Nigerian Police Force.
The flagship award, Man of the Year, goes to Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives, for the sterling leadership attribute he displayed in January 2012, convening the House on a Sunday to debate the hike in price of petrol on New Year Day. That initiative helped in cooling national temper, which might have spelt danger for our democracy.
As we turn 10, it is an opportunity for us at The Sun to renew our commitment to the Nigerian people. Our covenant is for better or for worse, no less. We shall always stand by you. Surely, there’s nothing you can do without The Sun.
Why will Danjuma receive award for PLOTTING COUP and killing his commander in chief the man whom he was to be protecting and also his host .
Award for tribalising the Nigerian Army which he destroyed.
Award for ownining ONE oil block in Niger Delta.
Award for being mentally sick . May God save Nigeria
Bad belle!
OBJ urgently need award, the worst human being of the year.
That old fool I hate him
Congratulations! But u have been more towards promoting the Ibo race and everything Biafra. More greese to your elbows.
Tokan, it is a pity if that is ur perception about the sun. Congrats the sun group yes, you are truly the no newspaper in the country today. However one area you are still behind is your inability to post online news update, something vanguard does very well. Pls serve us fresh events as they unfold.
Perhaps, Danjuma deserve’s Orji Uzo Kalu’s achievement awards for murdering hundreds of thousand of igbos, and not paying taxes for his multimillion oil deals. This guy is extremely naive to think the Northerns can single-handed hand the Nigerian presidency to him. He might do well to recollect Abiola and “the Nigeria’s presidency is not for sale” – ala Chiroma.
Glory be to God the SUN have clock 10years today. Congratulations and more grace to your elbows! I am wish u better and many prosperous years ahead.
To God be the glory. CONGRATULATIONS Sun News, I wish you you many years of fruitful journalism.
What about Best Readers Award? All the same hearty congratulation! You’re the best.
@Ayo Awa,lgbos are not crying. Join Nigerians in cerebration of the Sun today!
Indeed, the sun is no one news paper since this noble news paper came to Nigeria market, this paper has so much colonized my taste for the news paper to the extend that my wife, and people around me, work,church, friends family etc, will never mistaken buying another paper for me than SUN. funny enough, it was presented to me as a Birth day gift. keep on the excellent, undilluted,lovely and sincere work in our factory of knowledge.
Remove Danjuma out of this great awards. Some of the journalist that made this wonderful success should have been granted such recognition other than the deadly Danjuma. I hereby suggest that the reporter that handled Osun five saga should be among the awardees.
To be very honest, except that in Nigeria the wicked are highly recognised and respected members who very often are decorated with awards for the wrongs they meted to the nation and its citizens, otherwise poeple like Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma are not in any way to be given any national award or be given award by any private organisation in Nigeria. He was/is still a part/whole of the problem the Nigeria nation passed and still passing through. His actions in the Army and also as a retired Gen contributed in taking Nigeria twenty years back in our political calender.
I betrayed my faith in The Punch to The Sun 8yrs ago and surely she hasn’t let me down! Keep up thriving, keep writing,keep shining! Congratulations!!!
i congratulate d SUN nd wish her more productive years ahead. 4 d nominees u did well, we all hv history, a sinner today cn become a saint 2mrrw what matters change of attitudes 2 d present realities. SUN welldone
Ten hearty cheers to The Sun, ‘Nigeria’s king of the Tabloid’. It is a case of collective heroism and collective glory for all those who made The Sun blaze the trail in the real traditional tabloid reporting in Nigeria.
‘by their “friends” you shall know them’!!! award to theophilus, the trigger-boy from taraba via wukari—eighteen years in the army, penultimate rank, half the country’s wealth in his pocket, and still grasping for more–after all the love of having grows by having; plenty of blood in his hands and you are giving him an award? certainly he has enough money to buy any award in nigeria and so the aphorism is true–those who sell awards to people like that have defined themselves. one day somebody, some nigerians will be ashamed of themselves; that day doesn’t seem to be near.
I hereby recomend dat reporter who followed CYNTHIA & HER FACEBOOK LOVERS stories 4 an award. He’s such a hard working guy, if other journalists shld emulate his kind of reportage, Nigeria will be better off. He could hv compromise if he wanted.
Cythian was a big fool so of what interest to any one.
Hahaha. You people don’t know any thing. You are complaining about the award given to T.Y Danjuma. Nigerian politics is so complex that only smart people like Kalu knows what to do to get what they want. That is the way the cookie crumbles. And there is nothing anyone can do about that. Just like IBB, Danjuma is one of the few unscrupulous Nigerians that can make things happen in your life, and Uzor Kalu knows this. He knows what he wanted right from the days he set up this News paper, not just for the fun. You and me know that Kalu wants to be president of this country. He needs to placate these power merchants to get there. How do you like my theory?
You are absolutely right. Add IBB and Professor Jurbril to the list who Orji Uzo Kalu panders to. He is a northerner in Igbo garbs. Remember his mother crying to him to not have issues with IBB? The heavyweith women of then and still now Nigerian politics. He goes round giving awards to Danjuma who killed his brother, Aguiyi Ironsi. That’s what Kalu wants in the presidency. To sell igbos to the fulanis. He can placate all the Obas and Emirs, and even selected Chiefs in igbo land. It doesn’t change anything. Thank God Almighty. He will never be elected president of Nigeria. By the way, has he settled his case of the dead woman in his Chicago, USA home?
DON’T U KNOW THAT IBB IS A FATHER TO ORJI UZOR? HE DOES NOTHING WITHOUT CONSULTING HIM. HMMM, MARY GOES ROUND.
Hmmm, the Osun five saga remains my reporter of year, that is mr Bamiigbola Gbolangunte, i have remembered his name. There is no report in any media house that appeased my mind other than that of Osun five. He displayed a master piece reporting of all times, SUN media house and Nigeria guides of editors should jointly extend an excellent award to that reporter and delete RTD T.Y Danjuma. The man that makes majority of Nigerians to be at ecstasy other than sorrow must be given due recognition, it,s the dividend of hard labour, he merited it.
Please Mr.President be aware, wicked pilots from this bad eggs
Congratulations the sun for being a breath of fresh and breathing life into Nigerian journalism. The ciuntry is rotten the core, help us use your presence to make those stifling her progress to come to their senses.
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This is the only river that Obj could not swam over during his hurrricane regime of vendetta code named operation destroy Orji Kalu Investments at all cost.The Sun management should ward a befitting honor in this category of a special award for a man determined to destroy the economy for sake of one man.