Obaigbena launches platform to challenge global social media dominance

A prominent media entrepreneur and the creator of ARISE News Channel along with THISDAY Newspapers, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, announced on Wed...

A prominent media entrepreneur and the creator of ARISE News Channel along with THISDAY Newspapers, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, announced on Wednesday his intention to introduce Lekeleke, a fresh social media service owned by Africans, designed to transform online interaction.

He made this declaration at the 2025 All Nigeria Editors Conference in Abuja, commemorating 30 years since the execution of environmental campaigner Ken Saro-Wiwa.

It was an occurrence Obaigbena remembered as a pivotal point in Nigeria's democratic development.

He stated, "Three decades ago, we lived under a military regime. Three decades later, we are now here, celebrating an open dialogue with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

So, I believed we needed to comprehend the importance of democracy, why we should participate, and why we should maintain it for the benefit of our country.

Obaigbena's comments linked Nigeria's political development with its media history.

He highlighted similarities between previous leaders who navigated both areas, such as Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and current President Bola Tinubu, all of whom started as media personalities before entering politics.

He stated, "There were three leaders who also owned the media, and they had influenced the direction of Nigeria in some way. The first was Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who served as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and was the Head of State without being the Head of Government."

The second individual is Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who served as Leader of the Opposition and subsequently as Deputy Chairman of the Federal Executive Council under Gowon. The third is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who holds the roles of Leader of Government and Head of State. Thus, we have been fortunate to have a media proprietor as Head of State. Consequently, hosting us today represents a continuation of that trend.

Thus, it implies that we must participate, have discussions, and gain self-understanding.

The founder of ARISE News called on editors to take an active part in maintaining national stability during continuous economic changes.

He cautioned against becoming too confident, particularly as Nigeria approaches stability following years of strict financial reforms.

We find ourselves at a critical juncture of reforms, which have been challenging and hard-earned. Now, we are positioned at the threshold of stability. We need to safeguard this economic stability with all our strength. For if we lose the present stability, we will also lose the efforts of the past two years.

"This implies that together, we cannot tolerate a US sanction, as it would destabilize the economy and revert us to the conditions prior to the reforms. What does this signify? It means we must take action. It means we must form a coalition of those willing to combat terrorism and instability, as well as poverty. As editors, this is our primary responsibility in maintaining stability," he said.

Obaigbena highlighted that Africa should not continue to be a passive participant in the worldwide digital economy.

Having mentioned that, where do editors stand in the present day? We are living in the era of Artificial Intelligence. This implies that your entire financial model, which relies on Google's algorithms directing searches for everyone, potentially leading to content monetization, is undergoing a transformation. AI is reshaping the structure of Google and the search engine itself. It will also influence how journalism operates. Consequently, as Africans, we find ourselves in a world where one or two countries hold control over distribution.

In other words, the spread of content via social media is mainly controlled by the US and partially by China. This is the future of the information era we are entering. What are we doing about it? How are we addressing it? We have introduced our own social media platform, set to launch in January, named LekeLeke, which aims to influence the future and contest the leadership of the US and China.

But each one of us, every single one of us, has a duty to monitor the AI-driven future and develop technology and algorithms that will influence how media is shared and how content is created,

Obaigbena ended his address by issuing a powerful appeal for national solidarity and the protection of free expression.

So, as we come together today, I believe we ought to honor democracy. And we should recognize Nigeria. And we must collaborate for the benefit of Nigeria.

"So, while we honor freedom of expression and Nigeria, I urge everyone to give a heartfelt round of applause to Nigeria," he further remarked.

Obaigbena has left a notable mark on Nigeria's media scene.

Born on July 14, 1959, in Ibadan, Nigeria, he established THISDAY Media Group and ARISE News Channel.

His career in the media industry started in 1995 with the introduction of THISDAY, a newspaper that rapidly became popular and established itself as a well-known publication in Nigeria.

ARISE News, which began in 2013, provides a distinct African viewpoint, airing from London, New York, Johannesburg, and Lagos.

Obaigbena's media network features ARISE Magazine, highlighting African fashion and traditions. Serving as Chairman of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian Press Organisation, he advocates for press freedom and ethical journalism.

He received the title of Commander of the Order of the Niger, presented by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022, in recognition of his work in the media sector. Obaigbena's creative methods in journalism have brought African stories to the international spotlight, motivating upcoming media professionals.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.Syndigate.info).