A preface by OCHEREOME NNANNA

Today, Wednesday, 3rd July 2024, is the 40th anniversary Vanguard Newspapers went daily. A month earlier, 3rd June 2024, was the 40th annum our first weekly copy rolled off the press. Due to prevailing circumstances and in deference to the atmospheres of the moment, we are not exactly rolling out the drums and pulling all the stops to celebrate. But we are celebrating for cogent reasons.

Life at 40 is a remarkable landmark, even for us mortals. At forty, one has lived long enough to gather the experience and wisdom to embrace the higher stages of life. Vanguard, being the third oldest continuously surviving newspaper after The Tribune (1949) and The Guardian (1983) has chosen to tell its own story.

We have called in our serving, reservist and retired pen warriors to do exactly what the Six Blind Men of Indostan were called upon to do as depicted by John Godrey Saxe (1816-1887) in his poem: The Blind Men and The Elephant. These unsighted men were stationed to feel one part of the mighty elephant or the other and give their opinions about it.

The one who touched the tusk said the elephant felt “very like a spear”, while the one who touched the trunk said it was “very like a snake”.

Also, the one who touched the ear (the elephant has the largest ear of all animals), said it was “very like a fan”, while the one who felt the sides said it was “very like a wall”. To be sure, our writers are no blind men or women! We manned our beats, and we hereby tell our Vanguard story as we saw it.

This is exactly how the Founder, Chairman and Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr Samson Amuka-Pemu (Uncle Sam to everybody) has always wanted this paper: a place for every voice, something for everybody; in other words, user-friendly.

Unfortunately, some of our legends such as Uncle Bisi Lawrence (Bizlaw), Chief Pini Jason, Alhaji Kola Animashaun, Ely Obasi, Tommy Anaduaka and a host of others, have gone the way of all mortals. Fortunately, the rest of the troops are still standing, ready to surf the crest of change, aiming for the next 40 years and beyond.

Here is the Vanguard story!

Vanguard News