In a retraction published on its website, the online medium apologised to Mr Ogunlesi.


Fresh facts obtained by SIGNAL, after further investigations indicate that popular journalist and writer Tolu Ogunlesi may not have written the article by The Economist, which labeled former President, Goodluck Jonathan an “ineffectual buffoon.”

In a letter to Mr. Ogunlesi on Monday signed by Yemi Adebowale, the newspaper’s Editor, SIGNAL disclosed that new details available to the newspaper had shed more light on the issues raised in the initial report.

Part of the letter reads: “We received your letter dated 3rd February 2016 asking our newspaper to retract and apologise over a report it published which had identified your good self as the alleged writer of an article by The Economist, which described Nigeria’s former President, Goodluck Jonathan as an “ineffectual buffoon.”

“Suffice it to say that fresh facts obtained by SIGNAL, after further investigations have shed more light on the issues raised in the said report.

“You will recall that SIGNAL had stated in the same article that efforts to reach you to get your reactions proved abortive at the time of filing the report.

“It is also on record that after the said article was published, you publicly denied the claims, which was also published in another report by our newspaper in adherence to the principles of our profession as unbiased reporters of facts for the public good.

“While the said report had no defamatory import and was not intended to cause you any embarrassment, we have in adherence to journalistic ethics and standards, and in good faith, retracted the report in its entirety from our platform.”

Meanwhile, SIGNAL notes that while The Economist has an anonymity policy and the news magazine does not identify authors of opinion articles it publishes, its letter to Mr. Ogunlesi acknowledges that new information has been made available to the newspaper on his alleged role in writing the article.

This information comes partly by the intervention of persons close to him who say he vehemently denies being the author of the article. These are men and women of upstanding professional reputation and the newspaper respects their judgment and wise counsel on the matter.

SIGNAL, therefore, defers to wise counsel and has withdrawn the original story from circulation. It has been removed from its website and the newspaper appeals to its media partners to do same or publish this update on the article on their various websites.

SIGNAL also apologizes unequivocally to Mr. Ogunlesi and reiterates, once, again that there was no malicious intent in publishing the story. The newspaper tried as best to stick to facts.

The newspaper hopes that this publication serves as a retraction for his use. SIGNAL wishes him success in all his future endeavours and assures its readers that the newspaper’s commitment towards informing, educating and enlightening society remains unflinching.


http://www.signalng.com/16011-2/

End time writer...


Have you blamed gej today?

El-oh-el

Hmmm. Wet in man no go see for this nation?
But at the same time, somebody should tell President Buhari 1$ is now equal to 317N

The rate at which Wailers are vomiting their words is just laughable to be frank

How can someone who has ever attended the four walls of an university think that the Economist Magazine will outsource their editorial reportage to outsiders

If Tolu Ogunlesi was responsible for calling Jonathan an ineffectual buffoon, the Economist would have referenced him accordingly.

I think this is a good development, I hope websites including NL are learning from this episode.

Really