An objective review of the life of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe demonstrates his unequaled stature as a scholar and lover of education, a journalist, a nationalist, a statesman, an astute politician, a lover of sports, an athlete and a Pan-Africanist.
Zik the Journalist: Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe was first a charismatic and an astute journalist before going into politics. He started as Editor, African Morning Post, Accra, Gold Coast, now Ghana, in 1934 and left for Nigeria in July 1937. He founded his flagship, West African Pilot, in November 1937. Zik and his Group of Newspapers, seven (7) in all, were established across Nigeria’s four (4) regions: West, East, North and Midwest, with Zik as the Chairman.
The media is the watchdog of the masses and the less privileged and thus must perform honest, truthful and accurate reportorial function. The media must carry out the major functions of communications namely: to inform, to educate, to entertain and to advocate, among others. In the history of media in Nigeria, Zik Group of Newspapers performed these functions to the chagrin of the colonial masters. My Odyssey: An Autobiography by Nnamdi Azikiwe recorded some of their exploits with the British colonial masters during the struggle for Nigeria’s independence.
Between 1937 and 1955 he established the Zik Group of Newspapers namely:
| Newspaper | Location | Year | Motto | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | West African Pilot | Lagos | 1937 | Show the light and the people will find the way. |
| 2. | Eastern Nigeria Guardian | Port Harcourt | 1940 | That universal brotherhood shall become a reality. |
| 3. | Nigeria Spokesman | Onitsha | 1943 | That man shall not be a wolf to man. |
| 4. | Southern Nigeria Defender | Warri | 1943 | That man’s inhumanity to man shall cease. |
| 5. | The Comet | Northern Nigeria | 1944 | That truth, liberty and justice shall flourish. |
| 6. | Eastern Sentinel | Enugu | 1955 | That democracy shall continue to flourish. |
| 7. | Nigeria Monitor | Uyo | 1960 | That Nigerian unity may survive. |
The ZIK Media Award is an annual event in honour of the outstanding “Zik the Journalist” who fought colonialism with his pen, and helped pave the way for independence in Nigeria. The primary goal of ZIK Media Award is to keep alive the legacy of Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik of Africa). One of the foremost Nigerian Nationalist and a Pan-Africanist.
Eligibility: The award is open to freelance and professional journalists across the African continent.