A Gathering of Dreams: Inside the Concord Vision of the Early 1980s

In the early 1980s, at a quiet but determined moment in Lagos, a small group of visionaries gathered around a simple table.

At the heart of the meeting sat Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO), the wealthy businessman and patriot whose ambition was not just to build a business empire, but to reshape the Nigerian media landscape forever.

Wearing his trademark agbada and a thoughtful expression, MKO listened intently as discussions floated around ideas, strategies, and possibilities.

Beside him, with his sleeves rolled up, White cap and passion in his voice at the extreme right was Dele Giwa, a rising star in Nigerian journalism, sharp, fearless, and brilliant.

Giwa was not just another employee; he was a believer in MKO’s dream for Concord Newspapers, a newspaper that would be independent, bold, and distinctly Nigerian in voice and spirit.

This gathering was not a mere formality; it was a historic laying of foundations.

By 1980, MKO Abiola had already launched the National Concord and the Sunday Concord, determined to challenge the dominance of foreign-owned media houses in Nigeria. He wanted a press that could speak truth to power, and Dele Giwa, as one of the founding editors, was perfectly suited for the task.

Together with other pioneering editors and writers (some seated in the photograph), they charted the editorial direction that would define Nigerian journalism for years.

The early Concord years were a time of great hope and innovation.
The paper was fresh, patriotic, and unafraid. It became a beacon of excellence in reporting, not just covering politics, but business, culture, and social affairs with an unapologetic Nigerian voice.

Yet, beneath the hopeful surface, the pressures of journalism in a young and politically sensitive nation were growing.

Dele Giwa, restless and bold, would eventually leave Concord by 1984 to co-found Newswatch Magazine, alongside Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese, and Yakubu Mohammed, taking the spirit of fearless journalism even further.