Mr Bode Oyewole, the Chairman, Spark Communications Limited, the firm engaged to revive the moribund Sketch Newspaper, says the publication will soon return to the newsstands.

Oyewole, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Tuesday, said much progress had been made in the move to revive the newspaper.

“The project is in progress and would hit the newsstands soonest. People should remain hopeful and expectant that the idea would not be an abandoned project,’’ he said.

NAN reports that Sketch, which published daily, weekend and Sunday editions as well as a Yoruba edition, Gbohungbohun, was owned by Odu’a Investment Company Limited before it became moribund.

The Odu’a Investment Company Limited is a conglomerate co-owned by Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states

Oyewole recalled that Mr Adewale Raji, the Group Managing Director of Odu’a Investment Company Ltd, had assured that the newspaper would be revamped soon.

“We have been working assiduously to ensure that we don’t derail and all the available signals have been positive.

“We are sure of what we are doing and where we are going, and I want to assure all and sundry that there is no looking back,’’ he said.

He appealed to stakeholders to remain committed in their resolve to be part of the new project, saying the publication would satisfy the yearnings of its admirers.

“I equally appeal to all and sundry to remember the project in our prayers for a successful take-off and to surmount the teething problems hindering us presently,’’ Oyewole added.