Nigerian Observer Nigerian Observer The Nigerian Observer is a daily newspaper published in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. It has been published since 29 May 1968. The publisher, Bendel Newspapers Company Limited, is owned by the Edo State Government. In 1973, a correspondent for the "Nigerian Observer" wrote an article about an impending teacher's strike in Rivers State, which was published on the Governor Alfred Diete-Spiff's birthday. Taking this as a deliberate insult, Diete-Spiff's aide Ralph Iwowari had the reporter's head publicly shaved and had him beaten with 24 lashes of a cane. At that time the "Nigerian Observer" was owned by
Nigerian Merchant Navy Edema describing the Tribune report as a "baseless tissues of lies meant to mislead the public, incite public hatred and misgiving against the Nigeria Merchant navy who go about their legitimate business within the law". Edema went on to claim the Navy was involved in various illegal activities. He also accused the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency of accepting pay-offs from foreign-owned ships who should have been employing Nigerian seamen. He agreed that the NMA had been engaged in training, but said the training was in seafaring and basic maritime safety and security. In August 2010 "Commodore" Aderemi Olatinwo,