President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with Publisher of Blueprint Newspapers, Alhaji Mohammed Idris on his 55th birthday.
He joined family members and friends to celebrate with the General Secretary of Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), describing him as “the influential media and communications entrepreneur, whose profile continues to rise.”
The president congratulated Idris, the Kakaki Nupe, who is also Chairman of Bifocal Group and owners of WEFM 106.3, saluting his courage to invest in the vibrant and dynamic Nigerian media industry, and working diligently to always ensure fairness, balance and accuracy.
He extolled the virtues of the media owner for also “expanding frontiers of news reporting in the country by exploring use of local languages, which promotes awareness and inclusiveness, while noting his efforts in setting up a foundation that caters for the underprivileged in the society.”
Apart from investing in media and communications, the president said “the footprints of the media proprietor in other sectors of the economy, which include tourism, construction, logistics and a budding interest in politics, praying that almighty God will expand his coast, grant him longer life and good health.”
Kogi gov
Also, Kogi state Governor Yahaya Bello has congratulated the publisher on his birthday. Describing him as a public relations icon, the governor also celebrated with the management and staff of the newspaper for being on the newsstand, serving as a veritable source of news to the Nigerian populace for a decade.
The governor’s birthday felicitation and 10th year anniversary commemoration were contained in a press statement Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Muhammed Onogwu
Governor Bello lauded the media entrepreneur for his positive role and impact in nation building, through the engagement of youths in several of his ventures and his contributions to the advancement of business and economy through the instrumentality of the media
The celebrant, he said, is a highly honoured individual who “ has continued to distinguish himself in the media industry while the Blueprint Newspaper has set a standard as the first newspaper in the country to bring detailed public attention to insecurity in Nigeria and raised the bar in investigative journalism and public policy discourse through its annual Blueprint Impact Awards and Policy Discourse.”
Governor Bello also commended the CEO’s commitment to humanity through his Foundation, committed to the promotion of philanthropic gestures in education, health, agriculture and general wellbeing urging him to do more.
He urged the news medium to remain committed to the principles of professional journalism which focuses on nation building and development agenda while it continues to be a voice of truth and a mouthpiece of the masses.
Gombe
In a related development, Gombe state Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, described the Kakaaki Nupe as “a consummate media practitioner and thorough bred administrator who has written his name in gold in the annals of history of the journalism profession and the media industry in general.”
He said the NPAN scribe “ has contributed immensely to the development of journalism profession, economy of Nigeria and has as well impacted positively on the lives of many upcoming practitioners as well as in deepening of democracy of the country.”
The governor also congratulated the management and staff of the Blueprint newspaper as the tabloid Sunday marked its 10 year anniversary.
Yahaya said “the Abuja-based Newspaper has since its debut in 2011 continued to grow from strength to strength and has become one of the famous national dailies in Nigeria which is raising the bar in investigative journalism and public policy discourse.”
NUJ
In a similar message, the Niger state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has saluted the Blueprint publisher on his birthday.
In a statement issued in Minna Sunday by its chairman, Mr Abdul Idris and secretary, Abu Nmodu, the council said it is proud of the achievements of the media guru.
They said: “We are proud of Alhaji Idris Malagi, a Nigerlite who navigated excellently through a fulfilling public relation practice to become a publisher of Blueprint newspapers with distinguished records of encouraging developmental and investigative Journalism.”
The union noted with satisfaction that the publisher has been the chief strategist and visioner of many companies for over 30 years; providing communications solutions to clients in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy distinctively, a feat it said, was worthy of commendations.
It said Malagi had remained a dependable mentor to many journalists across Nigeria, and in Niger state council to be specific, adding “we are indeed happy to celebrate him at the age of 55 years.”
Profile in brief
Born May 2nd, 1966 in Katsina, Katsina State, Alhaji Malagi hails from Malagi in Gbako Local Government Area of Niger State.
An English graduate from prestigious Usman Danfodio University Sokoto, the media owner earned his Master’s degree in English Language from Bayero University Kano.
He is an accomplished media entrepreneur, public relations consultant, philanthropist and Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), member of the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), US-based Online News Association, International Press Institute (IPI) and NPAN general secretary among others.
He is committed to the promotion of philanthropic gestures in education, health, agriculture and general wellbeing of Nigerians under the Mohammed Idris Malagi Foundation, among other worthy initiatives through which he has touched the lives of thousands of individuals and families.
