The West African Pilot was a newspaper founded on November 22, 1937, by Nnamdi Azikiwe (“Zika”) in Nigeria, dedicated to the struggle for independence from British colonial rule. He was known for introducing popular journalism to Nigeria.
The newspaper pioneered entrepreneurial black journalism. The newspaper linked football with social justice. Azikiwe’s Article
used football to reinforce the growing unpopularity of colonization in Nigeria. With a circulation of around 25,000 copies and a significantly larger readership, the newspaper enjoyed great popularity. This article marked the beginning of popular journalism in Nigeria.
West African Pilot spawned a chain of newspapers positioned as city newspapers in places such as Port Harcourt, Warri, Enugu, Ibadan and Kano. At that time, all titles belonged to “Zik’s Press Limited”. Titles included the Eastern Nigerian Guardian launched in Port Harcourt in 1940, the Nigerian Advocate in Onitsha (1943) and the Southern Guardian in Warri, the Sentinel in Enugu.
The West African Pilot ceased operations in 1967 following the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970). At the end of the war there were two attempts to revive the newspaper, both of which failed. The last attempt (1993) was sponsored by a group of Azikiwe’s political and professional allies, including Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, Chief Matthew Tawo Mbu and Chief Duro Onabule, then spokesman for military president Ibrahim Babangida. It was published by Ogbuagu Anikwe but could not survive the skyrocketing printing costs after the country was embroiled in the violent electoral conflict of
, which resulted from MKO leader Abiola’s victory in that year’s presidential election.
Photo credit: Duckworth, E.H., 1894-1972 (photographer)