A decade of consistency

CAPITAL is a decade old this week. Congratulations to all who have been with us through thick and thin and also to those who are no longer among us but who nevertheless should feel pride in having contributed to this successful journey.
Capital’s tenth anniversary is a milestone that was attained also by the loyalty of our wide readership and the faith of the business community that Capital is a consistent and trusted advertising medium. We would also like to appreciate Federal, regional and ministerial offices and officials for their co-operation in the myriad aspects that journalistic duty requires of us and trust that the newspaper’s excellent relationship with all state entities will continue as we enter our second decade.
Capital first began its foray into the challenging world of journalism with a 12 page content and a very modest circulation. Ever since that inaugural issue, Capital has remained steadfast to its founding primary objective of promoting free enterprise. We are proud to state that our newspaper has established a firm reputation in this regard as it has become the foremost English language business weekly in the country.
Promoting the nation’s proven economic progress over the last decade by thorough and sustained coverage on among others; international development co-operation, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), domestic industry and agricultural development, infrastructure, export development, diversification and substitution and the booming financial sector are among the inherent strengths of Capital.
Needless to say, Capital’s intense focus on economic and business issues ultimately and justifiably, overlaps with the socio-political dimension, to which, we at Capital feel our newspaper has been performing commendably by its equitable coverage and diversity of viewpoints entertained in our pages.
As volume numbers clicked steadily up year after consistent year, Capital has bolstered the newspaper to complement its business news content with various columns and sections devoted to informing and entertaining our ever expanding readership.
The inclusion therefore of numerous columns on the arts, history, science and regular feature articles on a wide variety of subjects has made Capital a paper with something to suit all members of the family circle.
Alexis de Tocqueville, a French aristocrat, in his 1835 work, “Democracy in America,” wrote, “It cannot be repeated too often that nothing is more fertile in prodigies than the art of being free; but there is nothing more arduous than the apprenticeship of liberty.” These words are applicable in very real terms to Capital.
Immediately after a private press was allowed to exist in Ethiopia, there appeared a prodigious number and variety of publications; proving de-Tocqueville’s premise of the fertility of freedom. However, exercising that freedom well has not all been a cakewalk, bringing home the “apprenticeship of liberty.”
The 10 years that we mark this week, were also then a period of apprenticeship for the nation at large as it slowly but steadily began to take its first steps towards democracy and freedom of speech.
It is our firm conviction that the development of such rights will flourish – as indicated by the recently evidenced resurgence in the private press. We at Capital have had the privilege to have been and remain close observers of this important era in our history, not least for having witnessed the nation reach its third millennium. This privilege of course, brings with it huge public responsibilities.
The challenges we have faced have served to shorten our apprenticeship period and have prepared us well for another decade of dedicated public service. We have done our level best to provide factual, timely and socially conscious issues each week without fail and hope that our sustained efforts show clearly in the progress and reputation we have attained. In the final analysis it is positive public feedback and opinion that has always been our source of consistency.
We pledge to continue progressing with the continued support and cooperation of the state, the private sector, individuals and all others who have enabled us to achieve this milestone.