NewsDirect unveils new brand identity, as Partners laud new management
It was an evening filled with celebration and reflection as Nigerian NewsDirect marked her 13th Anniversary at the Civic Centre, Lagos.
The event which was a double celebration also provided a platform for a meet and greet between image makers of reputable organisations and the new management of the news media company.
Welcoming guests and partners to the event, the Managing Editor of NewsDirect, Mr Olawale Ibiyemi said, ”We are gathered here today because once, a little orphaned boy imagined himself worthy of carrying the mandate of excellence. A little boy in a little village in Osun State, dreamed a life away from the harsh sun & daunting dusks, wherein he is a servant of humanity. I congratulate you for being a partaker of this vision to see Nigeria better.
“As an organization, Nigerian NewsDirect is dedicated to that dream of excellence. We steer towards it fearlessly. Our business culture chooses the ethical over the ethnical, a Nigeria wherein all tribes can lay claim to a stake in their joint future without bigotry. We are cabal-less, & stand solely on the foundation of God. Our help & morals are his, even as we are.
“As partners, we value your contribution to the progress of this company. We cherish the symbiosis of service that we have found ourselves. Riding the waves of hyperinflation, struggling forex market, & a weak naira, we find ourselves resilient thanks to collaboration. In our grief, our partners held our hands & paddled alongside us. On behalf of the company, I relay gratitude, on behalf of God, I say, well done.”
Reeling out some of the activities the company has earned upon other than its primary mission of reporting accurate news from source, Olawale noted that the company has been a vocal supporter of the arts, education, & community.
“In the arts, we hosted the Nigerian NewsDirect Poetry Prize amid the pandemic in 2020, which would go on to recognise remarkable prodigies. We began the Nigerian NewsDirect Chapbook Prize in 2022 & published two books by budding poets, Olumide Manuel & Michael Imossan.
“Nigerian NewsDirect was one of the sponsors of the Chukwuemeka Akachi Prize for African Literature in honour of Akachi, a martyr of mental illness. And every week since October 2020, we have published one Nigerian poet, many of whom have gone on to win other remarkable prizes like the Brunel Prize for African Poetry.
“In charity, every year without fail, the company has done palliative care to the roads in the community it inhabits. All this I lay out to point to you that the dream is alive & well. The publisher is asleep but his dream pulses with the energy of a thousand suns. He left a legacy of hard work & determination upon which we insist moving forward. That which terrifies the world does not terrify us, because as the Publisher used to reiterate, YOU, YOU, YOU SHOULD BE A SOLUTION PROVIDER.”
The climax of the dinner was the unveiling of NewsDirect’s new brand identity. This session was anchored by the Executive Director, Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, Ibiyemi Mathew.
Mathew noted that the management decided to embark on changing the brand identity and brand assets in line with its new communication direction.
The ED assured Partners of increased value addition and a relentless position of excellence in news and content delivery.
Mr Ndiana Mathew, passed a vote of confidence on the new management. He praised them for keeping the paper alive and thriving despite the loss of the Founding Publisher in July.
Head of Corporate Communications and Branding at eTranzact, Mr Adeyemi Opene, explained that he never met the Founding Publisher but interacting with the ED at various forays strengthened his resolve to work with the brand and be a partner in progress.
