Nigeria’s leading investigative news platform, PREMIUM TIMES, today announced a 17-member editorial board comprising leading academics, lawyers, journalists and policy makers.

“This represents an added step in our desire to provide quality content to millions of our readers through incisive and impactful analyses as well as helping them make the most profound and informed choices with respect to their economic, political and social decisions,” says Editor-in-Chief, Dapo Olorunyomi.

The editorial board members consist of the most ethical, patriotic and public spirited Nigerians, remarks Mr. Olorunyomi who adds that the members have agreed to come together in our nation’s first cross continental network of ‘egg-heads’ who would regularly meet remotely and occasionally at PREMIUM TIMES headquarters in Abuja.

”Our esteemed editorial board members will be involved in shaping editorial direction through their debates, and are committed to contributing to regular columns in the form of articles and opinion pieces for the paper,” Mr. Olorunyomi announced to the paper’s top editors at a meeting in Abuja, Wednesday.

The board, which will be headed by Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim, is by far the most resourced Editorial board in Nigeria’s media history. Mr. Ibrahim, who studied in Nigeria and France, is widely considered one of Africa’s leading experts on Electoral culture and Political parties.

“I am excited by this assignment as I am very honoured to be leading such an esteemed crop of experts in helping shape and mediate Nigeria’s democracy,” Mr. Ibrahim said of his new assignment.

Joining him on the board are Des Wilson, a globally respected professor of Communication Arts at the University of Uyo and one of the world’s leading experts in trado-modern communication; Dr. Ike Okonta, an author, poet, development consultant, and Oxford-trained political sociologist; Dr. Doyin Salami, Head of Economics department at the prestigious Pan-African University, Lagos and a former member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Others are Dr. Raufu Mustapha, a Professor of Government at Oxford University; Ifeanyi Uddin, economic historian and finance expert who is head of Business Intelligence at First Bank Plc; Elor Nkereuwem, a media and security specialist and currently a doctorate candidate at the John Hopkins University; Aminu Gamawa, civil rights attorney, public affairs commentator, and doctoral candidate at Harvard University Law School, who will also be joined by Femi Taiwo, a professor of philosophy and African Studies at Cornell University in the United States as well as Chido Onumah, experienced civil society leader and newspaperman who has worked across four continents. Mr. Onumah is completing a doctoral thesis on the digital transition of the African newspaper press at the University of Barcelona in Spain.

The team also comprises Zainab Usman, a doctorate candidate at the University of Oxford; Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, writer, information systems specialist and farmer as well as seasoned journalist, Paul Ibe, a veteran newspaperman who currently works as a political strategist. Mr. Ibe was editor of ThisDay on Saturday.

Soji Apampa, co-founder of the Clean Business in Nigeria Today, and CEO of Integrity Group will bring years of development experience as a leading anti-graft scholar and programme expert to the board along with Hussaina Ishaya Audu, a lawyer, educator, and prolific writer.

Adeolu Ademoyo, a moral philosopher and African Studies scholar at Cornell University, and Pius Adesanmi, an author and professor of Literature at Canada’s Carleton University make up the final team on the board.

The legal adviser to the board is Mr. Jiti Ogunye, a legal scholar and author, while Habiba Bello-Giwa, a communication specialist and PREMIUM TIMES’ partnership editor will be secretary to the board.

Managing Editor, Musikilu Mojeed, described the unveiling of the editorial board as “the opening of a new frontier, the beginning of a new phase for this public institution.”

“We are all excited to have this excellent group of people on board to help shape the tone and direction of this newspaper,” Mr. Mojeed said. “It is definitely a new dawn, a new chapter for this paper and our readers can rightly look forward to a new deal.”