Rumbles in Ibori’s newspaper over attempt to sack editors

By our reporter

Unlike the Punch Newspapers where the management successfully sent some workers back into the labour market and Nation Newspapers where many where sent on compulsory leave, such is not happening in Independent Newspapers Limited (INL) .

Out there,  there is peace of the grave yard as a result of the reversal of the decision taken by Mr. Steve Omanufeme, the managing director/editor-in-chief to do away  with some editors. The reversal was done through the directives of  Chief James Ibori, the publisher.

Mr Omanufeme who assumed the leadership position of the company following the sudden exit of Mr Ade Ogidan,  terminated the appointments of Mr. Don Okere as editor, daily and Mr. Sylvester Enoghase as business editor. The notice of the changes were equally pasted on the company’s notice boards for all to see thus leading to wild jubilation in the newsroom.

In their places, Messers Rotimi Durojaiye who is the Sunday editor of the newspaper was made the daily editor while another time tested senior hand on the business desk was allegedly  considered for the position of the business editor.

However, Mr. Okere was alleged to have sought the intervention of the publisher who ordered immediate return to status quo after three days.

Pronto, Mr. Okere was back to his seat while Mr Durojaiye returned to his Sunday desk.

Mr Omanufeme who became the MD of the newspapers in the last quarter of 2019 was visibly disturbed about the publisher’s decision. He muted the idea of resignation but was talked out of it by colleagues.

Meanwhile, at about the same time, a circulation staff in the Abuja office was sacked over his inability to account for sales proceeds. Our impeccable source informed that Mr. Tony Eluemunor,  media aide to the publisher, intervened and the staff is back in the company.

Mr. Omanufeme is of the opinion that the newspapers’ contents need to be improved upon. He wanted a strong newspaper that will drive both copy and advert sales. He has a different view about the happenings in the company; he is of the opinion that the firm is ailing and needs an immediate remedy. Hence he opted for the changes he made in the editorial department by  ‘terminating’ the two editors’ appointments for their failure to do the right thing at the right time.

As the recession bites coupled with the effect of COVID-19, the print run has equally dropped to under 2,000 copies nationally and the pagination is presently 32 pages.

Not minding that the publisher has injected billions of naira into the company since it was  incorporated in 2001, the company is still grappling with serious financial challenges.

Money realized from the awards ceremony that was held few months ago was not enough to defray the outstanding bills. About nine months salary of workers remain unpaid; this is aside non-remittance of deducted taxes, gratuities, suppliers’ debts, payment of severance and backlog of salary to ex staffers who either resigned, asked to go or were out rightly sacked years ago.

However, the staff that came through the publisher are been paid as at when due. The publisher now gets involve in generating revenue; he was said to have brought in N11m printing job that was executed in Asaba press.

Impeccable source informed that efforts are been made to get the assistance of anti-graft agencies to recover various sums of money belonging to the company traced to  some members of staff  that have left the company.      .

As things are now in the company, it is now difficult to know who is managing  it – Omanufeme, Ibori or Eluemunor – as they give conflicting directives at different times.