The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) will launch its Living Archives Initiative and a digital platform for preserving Africa’s media history in Lagos on October 22, alongside the unveiling of a book celebrating veteran Nigerian journalist Lade Bonuola.
The book, Ladbone: A Life in Print, is an anthology of essays featuring contributions from more than 80 editors, media managers, academics, political figures and industry experts in honour of Bonuola, widely known as “Ladbone”.
The initiative seeks to address the challenges of preserving Africa’s journalistic history, where newspaper records, personal papers, photographs, broadcast recordings and first-hand accounts are often scattered, deteriorating or difficult to access.
According to CJID, the project will document, preserve and make accessible the lives and legacies of individuals whose work has shaped journalism, advanced knowledge production and promoted public accountability and democratic development across the continent.
CJID Highlights Importance of Media History
CJID Chief Executive Officer, Dapo Olorunyomi, said preserving the experiences of earlier generations of journalists was essential to understanding the profession and its public responsibilities.
“Journalism cannot renew itself if it loses the memory of how earlier generations confronted power, defended standards and made difficult editorial choices,” Olorunyomi said.
“The Living Archives Initiative is an attempt to preserve that evidence as a resource that can help us gain the necessary context and think more clearly about journalism’s public purpose and future.”
The first edition of the initiative focuses on Bonuola, whose career spanned more than five decades and some of the most significant periods in Nigeria’s history, including military rule, democratic transitions and changes in newsroom culture.
Book Documents Lade Bonuola’s Journalism Career
Bonuola began his journalism career at the Daily Times, where he wrote the critically acclaimed “Caught-out by Ladbone” column.
He later became the pioneer editor and managing director of The Guardian and co-founded The Comet in 1999. He subsequently served as supervising chief consultant to Compass Newspapers before returning to The Guardian as chief consultant.
CJID said his career provides valuable insights into editorial independence, professional ethics and standards in Nigerian journalism.
Olorunyomi said the anthology examines the experiences of Nigerian journalists during periods of political repression and the challenges of maintaining professional integrity.
“This book of essays provides a critical view and honest assessment of those formative years, offering readers a nuanced account of how Nigerian journalists navigated the perilous terrain of military repression while sustaining integrity, accountability, leadership and family,” he said.
Digital Platform to Support Journalists, Researchers
The digital archival platform, which will be unveiled alongside the initiative, is expected to serve journalists, newsrooms, fact-checkers, researchers, academics, students, policymakers, media and cultural institutions, and members of the public.
According to CJID, the platform will provide historical evidence to support policy discussions on press freedom, governance and democratic resilience. It is also intended to offer media and cultural institutions a model for developing similar archival projects across Africa.
The organisation said the initiative builds on its work in accountability and information integrity by extending its focus to historical preservation and public access to credible records of Africa’s media history.
Launch to Feature Panel Discussion, Book Review
The Lagos event will feature a panel discussion, a formal review of Ladbone: A Life in Print, the unveiling of the anthology and a reception to mark Bonuola’s 80th birthday.
Participants will also receive an exclusive presentation of the digital archival platform and discuss media memory, professional standards and public trust.
Journalists, colleagues and members of the public are invited to attend the launch virtually.
Registration for the virtual broadcast is available at: Zoom Link
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