In 2014, Nigeria became 100 years as an entity following the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates by Sir Lord Lugard, the British colonial Governor-General in 1914. This paper therefore examines the role played by the Nigerian media particularly newspaper press in the decolonization of the country from 1881 to 1960. The first newspaper in Nigeria published by Reverend Henry Townsend (Iwe Irohin) was debut in Abeokuta in 1859. But as from 1881, the Lagos Times and Gold Coast Advertiser published by Richard Beale Blaize began to champion the cause for representative government. This noble cause attracted subsequent newspapers such as Weekly Record of the Jacksons, Nigeria Times of James Bright Davies, Lagos Daily News of Herbert Macaulay, West African Pilot of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigerian Tribune of Obafemi Awolowo among others. All the newspapers opposed British colonial administration and agitated for independence. Apart from their pungent writings which were critical of the colonial government, many of the proprietors led protest to England to demand for independence. The agitations finally led to independence on October 1, 1960. While applauding the media for its effort so far, this paper however, laments the low performance of the media in the 2015 General elections when the media descended so low by taking position on the side of the ruling political party which turned out to favour an opposition party.

Nigeria Amalgamation Lord Lugard Decolonization Newspaper Press Independence Better Society