Ayodeji Ake
Veteran journalist and former Ogun State governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Olorogun Sam Amuka-Pemu, and former Managing Director of Daily Times, Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi, will lead a national dialogue organised by Daily Times Nigeria (DTN) as part of activities marking the newspaper’s centenary celebration.
The DTN@100 Shaping the Future TownHall and National Conversation is scheduled to hold on November 3, 2026, at Harbour Point, 4 Wilmot Point Road, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Osoba, a former Managing Director of Daily Times, will superintend the event, while Amuka-Pemu, a former editor of The Sunday Times, and Ogunbiyi, Chairman of Tanus Communications, will serve as co-chairs.
The event is designed to deepen discussions on Nigeria’s achievements, recognise individuals who have contributed to the country’s development and promote a more positive perception of Nigeria internationally.
According to a statement issued by the organisers, the conversation will bring together professionals from the technology, entrepreneurship, media and strategic communications sectors to examine Nigeria’s progress and explore opportunities for shaping its future.
Among those expected to provide perspectives on the discussions are Microsoft’s Chief Growth and AI Officer for Africa and the Middle East, Mrs Olatomiwa Williams; co-founder of Flutterwave and Andela and Chief Executive Officer of Future Africa, Mr. Iyin Aboyeji; and media personality and strategic communications expert, Mr Chude Jideonwo, who is also a co-founder of RED Media.
The discussion will be anchored by Mr. Cheta Nwanze, Managing Director of Folio Communications, publishers of Daily Times, and founder of SBM Research.
The TownHall and National Conversation is the second major activity under the multi-layered DTN@100 centenary celebration, which runs from June 1, 2026, to June 1, 2027.
Activities scheduled for the Lagos event include the Honouring the Past Exhibition, which will showcase Nigerians who helped shape the country’s history, as documented in the archives of Daily Times over its 100 years of reporting.
The programme will also feature the DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards, designed to recognise individuals whose leadership, patriotism and service to humanity have contributed to Nigeria’s development and those helping to shape its future.
The centenary celebration builds on the inaugural DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards, held in Abuja on September 3, 2026, under the theme, “Honouring the Past, Shaping the Future.”
As part of the broader initiative, Folio Group, owners of Daily Times, has committed the newspaper’s archives to the development of The Nigerian Grand Book (Magnum Opus), a 700-page national souvenir intended to document Nigeria’s story for a global audience.
The project is positioned by the organisers as a tool for improving Nigeria’s international image through a comprehensive account of the country’s history, achievements and influential personalities.
The initiative also informed the decision to recognise 100 of the most impactful Nigerians, past and present, through the Times Heroes Awards during the centenary year.
In the statement, signed by the Chairman of Folio Africa and Publisher of Daily Times, Mr. Fidelis Anosike, the organisers said the activities were part of efforts to celebrate the newspaper’s legacy while encouraging conversations about Nigeria’s future.
The centenary programme seeks to connect the country’s historical achievements with contemporary leadership, innovation and service, while providing a platform for stakeholders to reflect on Nigeria’s place in the world.