Nduka Obaigbena

Nduka Obaigbena CON, Duke of Owa Kingdom is the founding Chairman & Editor-in-Chief of the THISDAY Media Group and ARISE News Channel.[1]

Nduka Obaigbena
Nduka Obaigbena at his 60th Birthday thanksgiving at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos
Born(1959-07-14)14 July 1959
Ibadan, Western Region, Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
Organization(s)Leaders and Company Limited, Delta State
Known forPublisher, ThisDay Newspaper, Chairman, Arise News Channel

Background

He was born in Ibadan, South West, Nigeria on July 14, 1959, into the royal family of Owa Kingdom, Delta State.

Education

Obaigbena attended Edo College,[2] Benin City, and the University of Benin. He attended the Graduate School of Business at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and Advanced Management Programme at the University of Cape Town.[3]

Career

He founded the Nigerian newspaper Thisday in 1995. In 2000 Obaigbena founded the annual Thisday Awards[4] which honour those who made contributions to Nigerian society in the political arena, global business, Women of distinction, and leading figures in the Nigerian education sector.

In 2013 he launched an international TV news channel with an African focus, Arise News,[5][6] signing a contract with Globecast for satellite transmission on Astra 2G for broadcast on the UK Sky platform,[7] and to Hot Bird for cable distribution,[8] with bases in London, New York City, Johannesburg, Abuja, and Lagos.[9]

In 2021, Obaigbena was disqualified from serving as a company director in the UK for seven years; judge Raquel Agnello, ruling in favour of a case brought by the official receiver, found his conduct as sole director of Arise TV to be unfit and that the company had continued to trade despite "complete uncertainty" about its funding.[10]

Politics

Obaigbena was a senate candidate in 1991.[11] He was elected a member of the Constitutional Conference in 1994.[12][13]

International boards and Committees

Obaigbena is a regular attendee and sessions moderator for the World Economic Forum and has served as a member of the Nominating Committee of the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum.[14][15][16] He is Chairman of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria[17] (NPAN) as well as Chairman of the Nigerian Press Organisation - comprising the NPAN, the National Union of Journalists and the Nigerian Guild of Editors where he is a fellow.[18]

ThisDay

Obaigbena began the publication of the Thisday Nigerian newspaper in 1995. In 2000 he founded the annual Thisday Awards which honours those who made contributions to Nigerian society in the political arena, global business, Women of distinction, and leading figures in the Nigerian education sector.[19]

Arise News

In 2013 he launched an international TV news channel with an African focus, Arise News, signing a contract with Globecast for satellite transmission on Astra 2G for broadcast on the UK Sky platform, and to Hot Bird for cable distribution, with bases in London, New York City, Johannesburg, and Lagos.[20]

ARISE Magazine and ARISE Fashion Week

He also founded ARISE Magazine.[21] The publication was launched at the THISDAY Music & Fashion Festival at London's Royal Albert Hall on October 14, 2008[22] and powered The ARISE (AFRICA ) FASHION Week starting in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, and later finding a home in Lagos Nigeria - after shows with the African Fashion Collectives in the Royal Albert Hall, London; Kennedy Centre, Washington DC; Lincoln Centre, New York. The ARISE Fashion Week also featured a few years at The New York and Paris Fashion Weeks.[23]

Cultural Initiatives

Obaigbena started the THISDAY Music and Fashion Festivals in 2006.[24] The event included several musical acts such as Beyonce, Jay Z, Rihanna, John Legend, Lionel Richie, Dianna Ross, Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Busta Rhyme, Black Eyed Peas, Missy Elliott, Usher, Naomi Campbell, Alec Wek, Liya Kedebe, Oluchi, etc.[25] He also created the concept of THISDAY Awards.[26][27]

Controversy

Before the ascent of Arise News, some staff and suppliers complained about Obaigbena's failure to meet payment deadlines.[28] Obaigbena had paid all debts to employees.[29] About three years after the launching of Arise News, Obaigbena was involved in an inquiry being conducted by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which was investigating the spending of a $2.1 billion fund. The ensuing course of investigations affected Obaigbena's operations. About this period, staff complained and took job action because of the delay in payments.[30][29][31]

Awards

In October 2022, Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), a Nigerian national award was conferred on Obaigbena by President Muhammadu Buhari.[32]

References
  1. Osoba, Olusegun. "The one who took the media by storm". Vanguard Newspapers.
  2. "Okowa, Okotie, Oyakhilome, join hands for Edo College at 80".
  3. "This Day".
  4. "Bill Clinton's handshake, awards and cash as ThisDay honours outstanding teachers". Connect Nigeria.
  5. "Nduka Obaigbena Launches 2 International TV Stations", Ventures Africa
  6. "Nigeria: Nduka Obaigbena Shines On the Airwaves With AriseTV", February 10, 2013, Daily Trust, allafrica.com
  7. "GlobeCast elevates Arise News network with managed production solution", March 12, 2013, RapidTVNews
  8. "GlobeCast signs Arise News HD", March 12, 2013, broadbandtvnews
  9. Adegoke, Oyeniyi (12 Feb 2013). "Nduka Obaigbena Launches 2 International TV Stations". Ventures Africa. Retrieved 19 Feb 2015.
  10. "Legal Media News". Private Eye. No. 1546. 30 April 2021. p. 19.
  11. Amuwo, Kunle; Bach, Daniel C.; Lebeau, Yann (2001). NIGERIA DURING THE ABACHA YEARS (1993-1998). Ibadan: IFRA-Nigeria. p. 215. ISBN 9791092312089.
  12. Olukoyun, Ayo (2004). "Media Accountability and Democracy in Nigeria, 1999-2003". African Studies Review. 47 (3): 69–90. doi:10.1017/S0002020600030456. JSTOR 1514943.
  13. "Birthdays". The Guardian.
  14. "Nigeria: Obaigbena Sets Agenda for World Economic Forum".
  15. "Nduka Obaigbena Founder, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, Thisday, Nigeria at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Abuja, Nigeria 2014".
  16. "World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, List of Participants" (PDF). 2013.
  17. "Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria", Wikipedia, 2019-06-08, retrieved 2019-09-13
  18. "NPO, BON reject press council bill".
  19. "Nduka Obaigbena: How He Built ThisDay, Arise TV, His Media Empire". THISDAYLIVE. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  20. "Nduka Obaigbena's ARISE Media Launches Global TV Network | Flagship Channels ARISE NEWS and ARISE". Nduka Obaigbena's ARISE Media Launches Global TV Network | Flagship Channels ARISE NEWS and ARISE. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  21. Rovine, Victoria (2010), "African Fashion Designers", Africa, Berg Publishers, vol. 1, pp. 68–74, doi:10.2752/bewdf/edch1011, ISBN 9781847888495
  22. "ARISE magazine". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  23. Ayesha Durgahee and Teo Kermeliotis. "Arise magazine: Africa's fashion bible". CNN. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  24. "Beyonce Set to Headline Nigeria's First Annual THISDAY Music Festival on October 7 - Sep 26, 2006". Sony News Release Archive. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  25. BellaNaija.com (2006-10-11). "THISDAY MUSIC FESTIVAL – THE RUNDOWN – VIDEOS & PICS ADDED". BellaNaija. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  26. "Nigeria: Annan, Clinton in Abuja for Thisday Awards' Festival of Ideas".
  27. "Clinton lists Nigeria's challenges".
  28. "Newspaper Staffers Strike Against Publisher". Huffington Post. 10 May 2013.
  29. starconnect (2018-03-12). "NDUKA OBAIGBENA CLEARS SALARY ARREARS FOR THISDAY NEWSPAPER STAFF". Starconnect Media. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  30. "TV news channel owner is 'questioned in Nigerian anti-fraud inquiry'". Independent.co.uk. 2016-01-27. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18.
  31. "THISDAY reopened as Obaigbena bounces back, clears all outstanding -". The Eagle Online. 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  32. "Buhari Confers National Honour on Obaigbena, Okonjo Iweala, Amina Mohammed, Others". Arise News. 2022-10-11. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
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