The Journal of Nigerian Affairs (JNA) started life in July 1992 as the first UK magazine aimed at British citizens of Nigerians descent. Before it, there was one other UK-Nigerian publication we are aware of: an 8-page broadsheet called HomeNews. JNA was published once every two months. We had a small core staff and relied on a good stable of freelance contributors.
After three years, it became necessary - due primarily to economic reasons - for us to broaden our readership base. In January 1995 JNA morphed into Black Perspective Magazine. Black Perspective continued in a similar vein as JNA but covered issues relevant to people of African and Caribbean descent in the UK.
When we started JNA, social media and the Internet did not exist - at least not in the form that we know it today. While publishing Black Perspective, we embraced the Internet and created a web site for the publication. The broadened readership and subscription base as a result of this made it immediately apparent to us that the Internet would play a big part in publishing. But although the internet was initially a big boost to us, sadly the rise of social media was one of the reasons why we could no longer compete commercially. The last issue of Black perspective was published at the end of 1999.
19 years on, we have decided to leverage the Internet once again, to resurrect our publication. With JNAonline, we are digitising back issues of JNA and Black Perspective and making them available online. We will also be adding new stories and features. The borderlessness of the internet means theta we are no longer restricted to the the UK but, like the original JNA, we will continue to strive to be both a voice and a conscience for Nigerians all over the world.