…as Speaker reveals long held secret about newspaper
By Mumini AbdulKareem
For its independence and people-oriented legislation, the 8th Kwara State House of Assembly under the leadership of the Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad has been described as the best in Nigeria.
The Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, National Pilot newspaper, Alhaji Billy Adedamola noted this when he led the management of the medium on a courtesy visit to the Speaker on Thursday.
Adedamola who described the visit as the first to the state legislature by the medium stressed that the 8th Assembly and National Pilot have a common paramount interest which has endeared them to the people of the state irrespective of political divide.
He said the visit was to identify with the Kwara Assembly under its present leadership which has made it one of the most independent legislatures in the country adding that that the partnership between the newspaper and the state Assembly will give Kwarans real dividends of democracy.
“We believe if you make use of our wide acceptability, your activities in the House and all the numerous good things you are doing will be better disseminated to the people and better appreciated. I also want to use the opportunity of this visit to seek further area of working with us under you leadership.
“Without mincing words, I want to use this opportunity to commend the 8th Assembly for doing very well in ensuring the independence of this arm of government because it has never been like this and it demands a lot of courage, strong will. In Nigeria today, Kwara State house of Assembly is the best.”
“The independence of the legislature has not been pursued in other parts of the country like Kwara in addition to the bill and laws you have passed which has made enormous impact on the people of Kwara”, he submitted.
Responding, Dr Ali Ahmad disclosed that for some years he has consistently maintained the habit of reading National Pilot before any other newspaper made available to him daily.
The Speaker who noted that it is not surprising that National Pilot emerged the best selling newspaper in the state urged the management to institutionalise the legacy for it not to suffer downward fortunes.
He said the reportage of the medium has really assisted the Assembly in the state adding that he is looking forward to the day when the legislature in the state will declare it as the ‘Pride of Kwara State’ for its professionalism.
He noted that the House will explore further ways of partnership with the medium.
He said: This date of this visit is a very unique one being the first day of 2018 Ramadan and I think God has made it so. We as a House has chosen the people’s path which accounts for the quality representation everybody can attest to just like National Pilot. Maybe that is why we liked each other because we all stand to represent people’s interest.
“Pilot newspaper being what they are gives us some knocks sometimes but we like it because that keeps us on our toes. In fact the reportage of pilot has really assisted us as a legislature.
“If you want to mess around, when you know Pilot is there, you think twice and your representative with us here is one that everybody reckons with and that is why we call Pilot “Ayekoto”, if you do that right thing, it will say it and if otherwise, it will say it.
“I am not surprise that it is the best selling newspaper because people are smart and they are watching. I remember when a news broke in Pilot and I was coming from Lagos, all where we checked for the newspaper we couldn’t find, it has been sold.
“I have a secret I have not told anybody and that is National Pilot is the first I go through when I am going through the newspapers”, he submitted.
He said he is happy that the paper has come of age stressing that the challenge before the current management is to institutional the legacy so that it will not be another Nigerian institution “that will start well and after a year or two, it degenerates.
“Let’s institutionalise what is driving this newspaper house so that no matter who is leaving or coming, the paper will continue to grow. I am sure there will be a time when the legislature in Kwara State whether during my time or after, will declare it the ‘Pride of Kwara State’ because we recognise and encourage critical institutions of the state just like we did for Barr. Toyin Saraki. We look forward to that day and if I am no longer the Speaker and still alive, I will want to be part of that”, he said.
