From Right: Founder and Chancellor, African American University, Porto Novo, Benin Republic, Prof Ben Ezeohagwu; Chairman, Gaskiya Media Limited and former Executive Director of TELL News Magazine, Mr Dare Babarinsa; former Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum and immediate former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, who represented Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu; General Manager/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers and Provost, Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Mr Gbenga Adefaye, who represented the Chairman of the occasion, a legendary journalist and former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba; the author, Mr Yinka Fabowale; and his wife, Ibilola, all holding copies of the book A Reporter and His Beat, at its formal presentation on Wednesday, December 21, 2022… at Happies Recreation, 40, Ladoke Akintola Street, GRA, Ikeja Lagos
By Banji Ayoola
Hope of a better Nigeria after next year’s general elections was kindled in Lagos on Wednesday as legendary journalist and former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, along with Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and immediate former Ekiti State Governor, also a celebrated journalist, Dr Kayode Fayemi, launched the newest addition to Journalism literature in Nigeria, the book, A Reporter And His Beat.
At the formal presentation of the book at Happies Recreation, Ikeja, Lagos, which turned out to be a celebration of the author, Yinka Fabowale, for his industry, integrity, unusual passion and particularly for writing the book for use by all practising and aspiring journalists, Journalism or Mass Communication training institutions in the country, policy makers, as well as all Nigerians, there was a general call on other experienced journalists to write books about their own experiences too to enrich the profession which is in dire need of relevant home grown literature.
While giving hope of a better Nigeria, the President of the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy, CASLE, the umbrella body for all the surveying professions in the 54 Commonwealth countries, Mr. Olusegun Ajanlekoko, described the occasion as a step in the right direction to redirect this country in an upward manner; and a precursor to next year when hopefully the nation would start climbing up.
His words: “We will get there hopefully in 2023. Things would be up and running for Nigeria. Nigeria is a country that is big, that is great, that cannot be suppressed; and it needs each and everyone of the professionals to do their little bits to ensure that this country can get to where it is supposed to be.”
According to him: “Hopefully next year, we would start climbing up. Some of us who are professionals and outside continuously ask us: what is happening to this country because when you mingle with those outside, you know that Nigeria is somewhere high up. The articulation of our people. We are highly cerebral and we must showcase that in our day to day activities down to the citizenry.”
Ajanlekoko who is also a past President of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, APBN, and Africa Association of Quantity Surveyors, AAQS, commended journalists in the country for their exploits in trying to ensure that everyone stands aright and does everything aright, and thereby helps to create the right environment, even as he urged the pen professionals to continue playing this crucial role.
In his own address, Osoba, the chairman of the occasion, who was represented by the General Manager/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers and Provost Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Mr Gbenga Adefaye, called on journalists to do more than reporting others and write books on themselves, to enrich the existing inadequate literature in the country on their profession.
Particularly, he asked editors and reporters to document their lives and experiences for the benefit of others, as he praised Fabowale for writing A Reporter And His Beat, which, according to him, synthesised his experiences of almost 40 years on the various beats he has covered as a reporter, to provide a guide for the younger ones and as a rich reference material for Newsrooms both print and electronic.
He noted that few books have been written by the practicing journalists in the country for training younger ones while Journalism or Mass Communication training institutions, Newsrooms and journalists in the country still generally refer mainly to outdated American authors who wrote their books centuries ago.
According to him: “We do not have as many books as reflecting of our own context for the practice; so the offering from Yinka should be a very welcome rich addition not just for all of us here to read, but even for training and developing capacity for the practice of Journalism in the future.”
Stressing the need for more books written by Nigerian journalist authors in view of what he described as the dangers increasingly being posed to the profession by social media activists who erroneously parade themselves as journalists, whereas it is not everybody who can circulate information that qualifies to be so called.
Osoba said: “Most of the problems of the profession today is that of image and perception which have come from many people who are not trained journalists, who do not know anything about the ethics or the rules, but who are able to do whatever they can do on the social media and then turn around to say Journalism is the evil, Journalism is the problem.
“With this kind of work from Yinka Fabowale, which I do hope and pray would be of use and would be used by all of us including those who are aspiring journalists on Facebook.
“As many of us as use this kind of book would be better to practice, to dispense information and to stay focused on the development of our society. On that note, I say welcome to this occasion.
“Please the book is not meant to be what essentially the book unveiled. It should not be for you to just keep on the shelf. A book is as good as it is used and as it is read. I beseech all of you, not just to pick copies of this book, but to also read it.
“And since it is in the age of social media where everybody who can put two sentences together claim to be a journalist, to even pass it on to many more people who are involved in information dissemination.”
He said that a journalist remains a reporter for life while all other titles he is permitted to hold are merely stationed along his career, adding: “We have seen editors coming back, even managing editors coming back in the work cycle to return to being reporters, to return to being sub editors and all of that.”
Mr Ajanlekoko
Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman of Governors in the South West and Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, regretted that adequate books are not being written, not only in Journalism, but in every facet in this country.
The governor, who was represented by his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, underscored the need for Nigerians in all fields to write more books, commended Fabowale on his effort to have penned his thoughts and documented his career, and enjoined other reporters in this country to follow suit.
Akeredolu said that for every book written, the author enriches the nation and the world with knowledge, ethics and how to navigate because things have changed a lot. He noted that information has become democratised and could not be reversed as, in his words, the genus is now out of the bottle.
Noting the discipline and exertion required to write books, the governor commended the newest author, saying: “I am proud of you. I wish you well and whoever is in this hall, please follow suit, educate us, inform us and write it down for posterity.”
Ademola-Olateju, an engineer with flair for writing, and a former opinion columnist with Premium Times, who has written for 13 years, spoke of how the rapidly evolving technology has impacted irreversibly on all activities and spheres of living on earth and the need for humanity including trained journalists to adjust, learn and flow with the new development.
She said: “As long as we have mobile telephone which is going to evolve more rapidly now with machine learning and artificial intelligence, things are going to be very different.
“It’s possible with machine learning that very soon, even a reporter’s job would be endangered because machines will create reports, because they will have that negative memory inputed to them; and because they can see for example three miles down the road. No human being can see beyond 200 metres.
“There is a machine that would be able to see like five miles down the road. They would be able to report even more accurately than a human being would. So we are in a different territory as journalists.”
Describing her principal as a friend of the media and journalists, who always stands as a pillar of support whenever it concerns issues about them and their profession, the commissioner said: “I know if my boss were to be here, he would talk about the ethics of Journalism that is our foremost responsibility.”
She said that journalists owe the people the duty to report it as it is, tell the news, inform and let the people know, while being accurate and unbiased in their reporting, which is “what we have been getting in Ondo State”.
Besides, she said that whenever it concerns security in this country, her principal is in the forefront of the struggle to protect lives and property in the state and the entire South West.
Underscoring her principal’s friendship with the media, the commissioner said: “Anything that has to do with the media or security, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON will be there.
“He told me yesterday (Tuesday) around 5pm that I had to proceed to Lagos. I said ‘There is no flight’. He said ‘Go by road’. I said ‘There would be traffic on the Long Bridge’. He said ‘Bamidele, proceed to Lagos’.
“I left Akure 5.30 a.m to be here. It is only the media that can make my principal act that way.”
In his speech, Fayemi, who described Fabowale as ‘a fantastic reporter’, ‘a good friend of mine’ and his A Reporter And His Beat, “an excellent book worthy of recommendation to all and sundry” said: “I have read this book and clearly I will recommend it for the simplicity of the language and for the literary exposition.
“You would think that this is not a book by a newshound but a book by a novelist when you read it, because the way he conveyed his points about values even when he was writing about the ‘acada’ governor who got thrown away by the stomach infrastructure in the book.
“I do not like to comment on that. But the good thing is that I am back as a reporter. For me, I think he has done us a big favour and I really do hope that others who have passed through this experience would also pick up their pens and write in the manner that Yinka has done through his odd years of Journalism and traversing the various beats.
“There are many stories that can be recommended in the book. I would urge you to read the exchange, his coverage of Baba Adedibu in the book which nearly got him into trouble when he reported the local dynamics of Ibadan politics, and how some latter day politicians surrounding Kolapo Isola as governor wanted to take over the state from Baba Adedibu, and how he responded in like manner including almost dealing with Yinka in the appropriate garrison manner that Senator Kola Balogun may not be too familiar with.
Adefaye displaying a copy of the book
“And me too, all of us from Ibadan would know those tactics. But really seriously I think this is an excellent book. I only got it just yesterday (Tuesday); but since I am unemployed, I read it overnight and I found it very engaging.
“So for me, it’s really a pride to be here, to be associated with Yinka Fabowale and to really say that this is a book that should be a recommended text in our Journalism schools, covering some of those time tested lessons of what you need to do when you are a cub reporter”.
Noting that the author spoke truth to power while writing fearlessly and objectively even if it was not always to the delight of people covered by him in his reporting, he said: “So I honestly cannot do anything but recommend this book; and apart from getting an advance copy, I will also try to do a bit of publicity for the book beyond this room.”
He said: “I thank Yinka for doing us this favour of putting pen to paper and sharing his experience in Journalism with us and pray that many other senior journalists who have either left the profession or are leaving the profession would also do the same.”
Fayemi described the impressive editorial work done by the author in the book as credit and testimony to the icons mentioned in the book who brought him up in the profession, and particularly the former Chief Sub Editor of The Guardian, Alhaji Razaq Adedigba.
His words: “Thankfully, Aunty (Agbeke Ogunsanwo) is there to attest to the work that you did and all of you did in the Lagos Horizon and then moving to The Sun, to Newspeak and finding the time to write the book that is this up to date.
“I found it interesting that even your coverage of myself in the book was very up to date. I would have thought the book would be referring to me as governor in office. But you have taken care of that despite the fact that I have been out of office for about a month.
“That’s really a very impressive editorial work that was done in the book. I guess it is credit and testimony to all those people you mentioned, but particularly the Chief Sub Razaq Adedigba in the book and all of the other people you paid tribute to for bringing you up in this profession, and really that you stayed through.”
Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Ademola-Olateju
However, the former chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, regretted that: “Unfortunately, the culture of reading has died significantly in our society and I don’t even know if those of us in politics read at all especially materials from journalists who we consider ‘all these journalists; they just come; they attack us.”
Besides, he said that politicians also do not write, from which the average journalist, according to him, forms the impression that politicians generally are illiterate, having nothing in their heads but only sawdust.
He described the gap between journalists and politicians as mere artificial divide “because if all we are interested in is a better society, and how to improve the condition of our people particularly the larger majority of our people, then we are on the same side if we think the same way, and we want that improvement to happen may be not in a hurry, since Journalism is always in a hurry; but in a speedy enough manner for us to really respond to the yearnings of the populace.”
Fayemi said: “It’s really a pleasure and a delight for me to be here at this book presentation by the reporter on his beat.
“Yinka is a very good friend of mine. He covered Ekiti very well as the Bureau Chief in charge of the Southwest for The Sun in the course of my period as Governor in Ekiti State.
“But before then, our paths crossed. I was a reporter and I still consider myself a reporter. So everything he described about the early days of The Guardian and how he was inducted into The Guardian by venerable Femi Kusa, Eluem Emeka Izeze, of course our oga at the top Ladbone (Mr Lade Bonuola), and several other distinguished personalities who passed through the flagship, are things that everybody can recognise if you pass through that Rutam House experience.
“And Yinka is a fantastic reporter, although in the book, he gave an impression that he wasn’t meant to be on the beat. He was a natural Arts and Entertainment reporter and would have done well, and he did very well as a features reporter under the leadership of the person he described in the book as the impenetrable African American. He was talking about Harriet Lawrence in the book and what he went through in his first month of being a test reporter in The Guardian at the time.”
Prince Fagbemi, SAN
Fayemi advised politicians that going about distributing the “insulting brown envelopes” in order to get good media coverage “would not be enduring unless you do the right thing and you get challenged by professionals in the business”.
He added: “You won’t learn from mistakes and you would not improve on what you are doing. To this end, I like to buy copies for Mass Communication departments.”
While presenting the book, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said he had come to celebrate the author for his industry, honesty and especially integrity.
The eminent lawyer, whose relationship with the author spans about three decades, said: “I have listened to the people who have responsibility who are endowed to tell us about the worth of the book. I don’t want to say that Yinka is good, but if you look at the array of people here, if it is about money, he has no money to give them.
“Those who showed him the way. How much do you want to give them. They are not after money; but they are all here. Each one of us has a choice of where to go; and for one reason or the other you can really avoid … and it would be tenable o Yinka mo ma sorry, bi mo se nbo ni kinni kan siju. Instead of talking about your own situation, you would be lamenting. Se ko si nkankan. Just take it easy. But you are here.
“Yinka Fabowale is a very tedious and dutiful person, very loyal friend and he has integrity; and that is what to me I come to celebrate… We have shared so many things together. He is very straight forward. If you cannot say something in his presence, at least, you would say it behind him, or you would say it in such a way that it would get to him. But he is not a commodity of that nature.
“Yinka, we have come to celebrate you, integrity particularly. If it is about money, you don’t have; but what you have that is stronger than money is what has commanded everybody here to be present. Look to your left and see your boss, TELL magazine editor-in-chief.
“In those days, we would buy TELL magazine and Uncle B, Chief Bola Ige of blessed memory, would say eyin aburo, e digest kinni yen, ki e je k’a mo oun t’o ba kan wa nibe, oun t’a a maa se. That was how the fear of TELL was the beginning of wisdom. We would buy it, buy two copies. He would ask se e ti ka a. we would say we have read it. Se ko si nkankan.
Ex-Governor Fayemi
“And we were warned that three institutions, you must always accord recognition – Judiciary, the Press and the Traditional institutions. He told us that was what Chief Awolowo told them and we have found it so.
“So I am here to celebrate with you and your jewel of inestimable value. My colleagues in chambers would have been here; starting from Chief Akeem Afolabi, SAN. The two of us couldn’t leave the tribunal (Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal). So I took excuse that he would be there.
“To the Glory of God and advancement of knowledge, it gives me pleasure to cut the tape here.
“This is the book. It has been x-rayed from cover to cover, from the first page to the last page, very glossy; its content is state of the print.
“But how do you disseminate information. I think the best way to do it is to get it across to all the nooks and crannies of our institutions starting with the universities. It should get to the universities. My belief is that it is by so doing that you can disseminate information. Each Nigerian universities two copies.”
In his own speech, Senator Kola Balogun, who described senators as endangered species, commended the author and promised to buy copies at a price he would convey to him.
In his speech, Mr Dare Babarinsa, Chairman, Gaskiya Media Limited and former Executive Director of TELL news magazine, described by former Governor Fayemi as “my egbon and the eclectic historian of Journalism”, said: “This is a very great book and it is a challenge to all other journalists to try and write.
“Writings should not be left to politicians alone. We (journalists) live by the word and therefore we should not forget ourselves. We write about others. We should also write about ourselves.
“Mr Oshunkeye has spoken about the plight of some media houses including TELL. In the past, the government allowed government officials from level 8 and above to have a minimum of one newspaper per day and one magazine per week or per month.
Senator Kola Balogun
“That allowed newspapers and magazines enormous returns and therefore by the time I was a reporter for National Concord in Akure, our circulation in Ondo State was about 20,000 every day.
“Those who are in policy positions should think about that. I am happy to be part of this book. I am not a retired person.”
In his speech, a former Editor of The Guardian on Sunday, Mr Fred Ohwahwa, who commended Yinka for writing the book, picked five copies of the work, which he described as a rich addition to Journalism literature in the country.
In his own speech, a former Chief Sub Editor of The Guardian and the former Managing Editor of The Comet, Alhaji Razaq Adedigba, teacher and mentor to the author and many others, said that A Reporter And His Beat speaks of what Journalism is all about and shows that Journalism will always be relevant.
His words: “That much Fabowale has documented in his book, and it is very significant. That is the essence of what I am saying. Even some of the things he said about what the institution and Journalism represent are what some of us the practitioners were doing and are still doing, are things that are known, but are probably not recognised.
“And it is to the glory of Journalism and the good reporters and editors that we have that we are actually establishing the fact that at each point in time, we should always establish the relevance of Journalism, not we the personnel, even though you cannot have a good newspaper if you don’t have good journalists.
“All my senior colleagues, the Babarinsa, my colleague Adefaye and all the editors know that. Some of us too who are mentioned in the book just feel surprised that so you are this really relevant, you are really building your colleagues along building ourselves too.
“It’s a good thing to know that whether you like it or not, just as it has been said about him, industry, perseverance and social consciousness are very important.
“We believe in improving the society, in getting things better done whether by politicians, businessmen or even our traditional rulers, sometimes at a cost, most of the times at a cost because journalists are always seen like pests.
“But those of us who believe in the essence of Journalism do not feel discouraged, and we have persisted, and we are not bought over because that is the problem. Everybody says it is going to the highest bidder.
“I don’t believe in that because whether we like it or not, those who are bad will always go, but Journalism will always remain what it is, because those who are very solid and industrious will continue to be there.
“So I celebrate today, as we have always been celebrating the essence of Journalism. And I feel happy that some of these things that we did that we did not even know would be recorded and are being appreciated by our colleagues, would be put on record.
“For that reason, for my children and colleagues, I will take ten copies at a price I will announce to Fabowale.”
Earlier, the serial international award winning journalist and former CNN Reporter of the Year, Mr Shola Oshunkeye, had reviewed the book as follows:
A Reporter And His Beat is unique in its simplicity and elegance.
Oshunkeye
It contains 40 chapters wrapped in 258 pages and spread over seven parts. From the first part to the last, Fabowale displays the infinitive ability of an alchemist and an illustrious mastery of the English language to deliver a compelling rendition of his Journalism…
He uses powerful descriptive imagery and skillfully synthesised the contents of the book in a manner that entices the reader and showcases the book’s timeless significance in a concise yet expressive manner.
A Reporter And His Beat is enthralling in both content and aesthetics. It is authoritative and factual. It is convincing and credible. It lures the reader as it did me, and locked the reader down till he reads the last word of this beautiful memoir.
In the early pages, Fabowale recounts with nostalgia the major developments that define his art and career as a writer, broadcaster, entertainer and occasional academic because he hops in and out of the academia.
And my suspicion is that at the end of your (author) world round as Chief Ebenezer Babatope used to tell us…may be with times you will go into one of the universities. It’s my suspicion and I don’t think it would disturb your writing enterprise.
Author’s eldest Sister
In the early pages, Fabowale recounts with nostalgia the major developments that define his craft and career as a writer, broadcaster, entertainer and occasional academic in his captivating journalistic journey.
This journey spans over 36 years altogether and still counting. The journey as he reveals in part one started in 1987 when the then military governor of Lagos State Mike Akhigbe rewarded him and 23 other youth corps members with automatic employment for winning the National Youth Service Corps merit awards for the 1986/87 service year.
The moral I try to bring out from here is that of commitment and hard work which pays tremendously. And actually it has paid up for him and I congratulate you my brother.
Fabowale was employed as an information officer with the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Culture. Despite being a purely civil service outfit, the job offered a near perfect ambience for the young journalist to horn his writing skill.
It also exposed him to other critical aspects of Journalism and the newspapering business like proof reading, column writing, feature writing, arts and literary review. In addition to the God factor which he profusely underscores in the book, other success factors that crystallized from the author’s early encounters as captured in the early parts of the book are integrity, thirst for requisite knowledge, constant reading, ability to man the library because research is the oxygen of effective reporting.
Mr Ajanlekoko
You have to have information because before you can do a copy that tells the story in an effective manner. He underscores that. He also underscores adequate preparation for opportunities because if opportunity comes and you are not prepared, it will all flop and end in a failure; and still the resolve to succeed against all odds.
For instance it wasn’t long before the bosses of our author recognised and rewarded his talent and contribution, while one of the bosses became so enamoured with the budding writer that she encouraged him while in the employ of the Lagos State Government to be stringing for a publication in the stable of Daily Times.
Another one struggled very hard to have Fabowale in his department. He was then editing Lagos State Today. While that struggle was going on, Lagos Horizon was born and Fabowale was one of the five journalists that were selected based on excellence to go and midwife the new paper.
The author felt like a rock star at Lagos Horizon. But because of the adulation, the praises by his bosses who kept nudging him that this place might be too small for you, he succumbed to the call and pressure that The Guardian was the place to be. So he obeyed his heart, followed his heart and went to The Guardian.
The Guardian unlike Lagos Horizon was a different ball game. Like any young reporter, my brother went to The Guardian and he was intimidated by the array of superstars that he met there. I mean you are talking of walking into a Newsroom and you are seeing the likes of my oga Chief Babarinsa, oga Gbenga Adefaye; you are seeing Stanley Macebuh, Ambassador Fafowora, Prof Olatunji Dare, Prof Osofisan and others.
With family members
But he felt encouraged that to be treading this same path that these giants and icons tread, it means God has something for me here. So with determination, he made up his mind that The Guardian, Rutam House was the place to be.
And this was a time when you have the legendary Lade Bonuola uncle Ladbone as the Managing Director and our irrepressible Uncle Femi Kusa as the Editor. This was The Guardian that bred superstars like Eziuche Ubani, Osita Chidoka, Othman Shodipe, Harriet Lawrence and many more stars and columnists who no sane president can dare ignore. I am talking of people like Onwuka Jemie and so on.
However my brother surmounted this and made his mark. But how can a budding star walk in the hallowed space of The Guardian in those days without encountering and passing the tyranny of editors who in their perpetual race against time to produce clean copies now ask reporters and afflict them with the fear of deadlines.
How do you deal with editors who in the words of Fabowale “loved to make you bake a pie you could never hope to finish eating and keep you on the millstone until your knees buckle and bled.
But in subsequent chapters, the author revealed how he scaled the hurdles, regained his confidence and began his unassailable flight to the zenith of his career, the career he loves so much and that has brought him fame and honour globally. The trajectory saw him traverse Nigeria’s landscape with super confidence of a colossus wherever he berthed whether at The Comet which later transformed to The Nation.
He as also at TELL and that is why our oga patapata at the top, Chief Dare Babarinsa is here today. I was at TELL too. We all learnt under his (Babarinsa) tutelage; or The Sun or FM 90.1 Ibadan captured in chapter 31 where he anchors the station’s flagship show.
Fabowale has been unstoppable. He has acquitted himself as a well rounded journalist, a veteran very much at home with the digital revolution in modern Journalism. Readers would do well to read chapter 32 where the author dwells on digital Journalism and the amazing performance of veterans.
I don’t want to call you a veteran because you are still very much active. I also don’t like people calling me a veteran because I believe reporting is the oxygen that sustains us as Chief Babarinsa would say we are getting younger on the beat.
The author does not restrict himself to telling his story. He does so in color and with elan. He takes the reader through a pictorial excursion into his activities on the field where he met and interviewed many important Nigerians, movers of events in our country, relieving memorable moments with colleagues in media houses where he worked especially The Sun.
I enjoy the pictorial reportage. The only problem I see here is that some of the pictures were not clear enough. The colours were not clearly separated and well defined. In subsequent prints you can improve on that. Otherwise the journey so far has been excellent.
Writing with panache, Fabowale devotes copious space, actually six chapters from chapter … to 13 for Ibadan, a city that J.P. Clark described as a city of running … of dusts and gold… scattered among seven hills like broken china in the sun. The reason for such generosity and devotion by the author is understandable.
Having been acquainted with the author for some years, I can vouch for his integrity, commitment to the Lord. I can say with all boldness that he is a Christian and that is why here I use the example of Goshen. I likened Ibadan city to Goshen, a city of fertility and prosperity where dream becomes reality. So I call it your own Goshen or Canaanland where your career came to full bloom through divine connections, professional satisfaction, main stories that you did that define you as a great journalist in our country.
Professionally it was in Ibadan that Fabowale met, interacted and had trustworthy relationship with many makers of history in our country. We have some of them here today – Dr Fayemi, Chief Babarinsa, and a whole lot of others here who have contributed to the development of our country. The list is inexhaustible.
After taking the readers to the sky in his top Journalism, devoid of any turbulence, Oyeyinka Oludayisi Fabowale lands his jet smoothly to the roaring applause of readers with the recap of his coverage of the 2014 Ekiti election. This is captured in chapter 10 of part 7.
Babarinsa speaking
Though registered and recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, his mission to Ekiti almost ended tragically with the gestapo style invasion of their hotel in Ado Ekiti the state capital by hooded, overzealous security operatives especially the DSS who arrested them and almost made them to miss covering the votes.
In the estimation of the hooded goons, Fabowale whose only weapon is smart phone, pen and jotter was taken as some political agent or thug and was made to sit on the bare floor for hours while the elections were going on. The recap may scare away rookie reporters but they need not fret, he assures us. Rather they should sink their teeth into the profession and try like Yinka Fabowale did to establish and make a great impression on the sands of time.
They need not to fret, rather they should suck in every detail granted by Fabowale … in the election coverage 101 model has underscored the hell journalists go through in a country where most politicians don’t lose elections because losers will always believe that they were rigged out and the winners will always want a landslide.
The author is saying that the rookie or young reporters should read this book and imbibe those… that gave him the courage to do all that he has done in all his assignments, most of them very dangerous assignments, especially those coverings that he did during the terrible years of Abacha, where journalists became like common criminals and we were chased everywhere like rats.
So A Reporter And His Beat provides a veritable tool not only for political reporters but also for persons in communication business who have chosen reporting as their …
There is another chapter on Ekiti titled ‘Ekiti: Cutting the nose to spite the face’. the author in chapter 17 went into the travails of the former Governor Dr John Kayode Fayemi who is with us this morning.
After being robbed of his victory at the polls, the Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State in 2010 restored his mandate. And in the four years that Governor Fayemi was at the helm, he gave a textbook definition of what good and responsible governance should be. And I think he deserves a round of applause.
Unfortunately the author notes that the four years that the good people of Ekiti enjoyed under Dr Fayemi which remains unparalleled in history was given a sorry bent when in another election by cruel irony, the opposing Peoples Democratic Party introduced a faulty concept into Nigerian politics, stomach infrastructure. And they refer Dr Fayemi as acada governor who does not give sisi like somebody I know.
Former Editor, The Guardian on Sunday, Mr Fred Ohwahwa speaking
I know that my in law is not an acada governor who does not give sisi. He is generous in his heart in the service of Ekiti. Fayose successfully used stomach infrastructure to hoodwink voters. Eventually Dr Fayemi a good leader had to have his second term postponed or delayed.
By the way, for those of us who may not know, stomach infrastructure is euphemism for votes buying and other electoral frauds. After enduring the four years of PDP, the good people of Ekiti however got wiser and voted Fayemi back and his great deeds endure even till now.
The reader will enjoy this brilliant account from page 104. the author did not restrict himself to his odyssey in Journalism. He also went on a spiritual excursion emphasising clearly the God factor in everything that he did, which is why he said he had to follow his heart when he was at a crossroads as to whether he should continue with Lagos Horizon or go to The Guardian. At the end of the day when he decided to go to The Guardian, it was based on his unshakeable faith in God that whatever land his feet touched will be blessed for him and he would prosper and he actually prospered.
There is also Ibadan where he was led to do great stories that define his essential Journalism where he was also led to important people in our country that helped him to get all those great interviews. This is not also mentioning his prowess in literary activities which he exhibited in the literary review of many newspapers especially The Guardian and The Sun. He also did some in TELL.
TELL is a great institution. It is painful that it had to go the way it went. But I still believe it is alive. That is one great institution that should not have experienced any hiccup. Like I recalled somewhere last week, in Abuja where some people were so funny about the state of Nigerian Journalism and the contribution of the Nigerian journalists and the trend became disturbing.
You can imagine fellow journalists going to functions saying that we are lazy, this and that. And I stood up and said in reply to one guy who said that a reporter in TELL walked up to the editor and had the temerity to query the editor why he chose a particular headline. I laughed first and got angry. I said the TELL that I worked in nobody, not even directors, owners of the company would impose headline. It’s a collegiate system…
I said it’s a bloody lie that a reporter in TELL would walk up to the editor and say the headline you cast is wrong and the editor would tell the reporter that we had to cast the headline that way because you know TELL also needed money… What rubbish is that.
Former Chief Sub Editor, The Guardian and former Managing Editor, The Comet, Alhaji Razaq Adedigba speaking
It behoves on all of us to dispel such information immediately anytime it arises and give what is correct because of the danger that people might walk away with wrong impressions.
There is another chapter on Philosophy talking about the values of man and all that.
I will conclude that the riveting memoir by my brother Yinka Fabowale not only comes highly recommended to Mass Communication or Journalism students. It should also be a golden compendium for communication scholars and experts, policy makers, journalistic professionals, associations, media owners, media houses, marketing communications practitioners and concerns even politicians who desperately hide what journalists seek to expose even those who seek to harm us, even security operatives who like playing cat and mouse with journalists.
Above all, I strongly recommend A Reporter And His Beat to all who seek knowledge, and I dare say that no library is complete without a copy or copies of A Reporter And His Beat.
So I advise that journalists in the house should get knowledge. Buy a copy or copies of A Reporter And His Beat and read.
Oshunkeye added: “When a journalist dies without writing a book, a library is gone”.
With Aunty Mrs Agbeke Ogunsanwo
Expressing his appreciation, Fabowale told the gathering: “I thank you very much Sir and pray the Almighty to keep uplifting you, honouring you, blessing you. (Fagbemi).
“To my bosses, I have many of them here. These are the people that taught us all we know, some of them directly, some of them not so directly. But we had been reading them and we were also later privileged to work under them.
“Yinka Fabowale has written A Reporter And His Beat talking about his vulnerability, his own foibles in the attempt to develop those abilities the Lord Almighty deposited in him to use as a spiritual agent to uplift this world of ours.
“Nigeria has been given for us to join it to Paradise. Journalists use words and we are told that it is with the Word that the Lord created everything.
“Everything in Creation has a name which is a word. And that is what imposes the greatest responsibility on journalists. But I tell you, are you a lawyer, an engineer, a builder, an agriculturist, a trader, you also have responsibilities to do it right, develop that area of yours and use it to the benefit of mankind, of your environment.
“That is what this book has just done in my case. If we all do our parts, I can assure you that Nigeria won’t be the hell it somewhat is now. In our case as journalists, we have some weeds and we have some blooms, some oats too that give hope that that things can be better.
“All I tried to do here is to praise those of our colleagues that are doing it right and to say where we are. As a reporter I cannot but be critical but I have not been judgmental. So there is no question of controversy with regard to what this book is all about.
“I want to thank you again, each and everyone. I treasure your love, I treasure your presence, I treasure your identifying with this book because the challenge actually is to make it affordable to many people.
“I have had to print only very few copies because of financial constraint. So I want to thank you very much once again and wish you safe trip anywhere you go.
“Thank you.”
Following is the roll call of dignitaries at the event: Dr Kayode Fayemi, immediate former Ekiti State Governor; Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Ondo State, who represented Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN; Mr Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers and Provost, Nigeria Institute of Journalism,who represented the occasion’s Chairman, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, a legendary journalist and ex-Ogun State Governor; Mr Olusegun Ajanlekoko, President, Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy (CASLE), ex-President respectively of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, APBN, and Africa Association of Quantity Surveyors, AAQS, Mr. Olusegun Ajanlekoko; Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the book’s presenter; Mr Shola Oshunkeye, serial international award-winning journalist, the book’s reviewer; Mr Dare Babarinsa, Chairman, Gaskiya Media Limited and former Executive Director, TELL; Mr Ben Tomoloju, Culture Activist, Music Composer, Actor, Dancer, Total Artist and former Deputy Editor, The Guardian; Alhaji Razaq Adedigba, former Chief Sub Editor, The Guardian and former Managing Editor, The Comet; Mr Fred Ohwahwa, former Editor, The Guardian on Sunday; Mr Aaron Ukodie, an author and former Communications correspondent, The Guardian; Senator Kola Balogun representing Oyo South in the Senate; Alhaji Olayiwola Situ J. P. represented by Brother Ike; Prof Ben Ezeohagwu, Founder and Chancellor, African American University, Porto Novo, Benin Republic; Mrs Rita Okpere, Commander of Narcotics and Director of Media Advocacy, NDLEA, who represented the agency’s Chairman, Brig-Gen Buba Marwa, rtd; Mrs Agbeke Ogunsanwo, retired Permanent Secretary, former Director of Information, Lagos State and former Editor, Headlines; and Mr Philip Nwosu, Asst Secretary, NUJ Lagos Council, who represented Lagos NUJ Chairman.
Mr Babarinsa speaking
There were Barrister Ikechukwu Unegbe, Practising Lawyer; Dr Kayode Olunuga, Fellow, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria; Mr Charles Ayo Dada, Playwright; Mr Kanenechi Emeka, Writer; Mr Tunde Adeniyi, Chairman/Chief Executive, Happies Recreation, GRA. Ikeja, Lagos; Mr David Idoru, Ugandan Investor/Financier, author’s in-law from Uganda and Wife, Joyce; Group Captain John Ojikutu, former Military commandant, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja; Mr Sotayo Kolade, Chairman/Chief Executive, OLAREK, Ibadan; Mr Komolafe Oladusi, Executive Director, Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture; Mr Olusegun K. Ahmadu, President, The Yoruba Leadership and Peace Initiative; Mr Olayiwola Adeyemo, Former Head Newsroom, TELL; Mrs Tolu Baker, retired Matron, Lagos State Health Management Services; Ms Nike Sotade, an Editor with The Guardian and former Editor The Guardian on Saturday; Mr Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director, International Press Council and ex-Lagos NUJ Chairman; Mr Tunji Bakare, former Director, Information Services, Lagos State; Mr Tunde Sofowora, childhood friend of the author; Mr Lekan Otufodunrin; Mrs Adeola Aina-Jones; and Mr Tajudeen Adigun, formerly of The Guardian.
Fabowale, Babarinsa, Prof Ezeohagwu
Also in attendance were Mr Nat Beifoh Osewele, Deputy Editor, The Sun; Mr Raji Adebayo, Chairman NUJ Correspondents chapel, Oyo State; Mr Seyi Ogunbiyi, author’s cousin; Mr Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy Editor, The Nation; Mr Habeeb Haruna, Ex-CPS to former Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode and former Editor, Sunday Independent; Mr Odubanwo, author’s Brother-in-law; Mrs Busola Odubanwo, educationist and former Principal, Onitolu High School, Surulere, author’s sister; Miss Bimbo Odubanwo, author’s niece; Mrs Fabowale, author’s mother; Mrs Ibilola Fabowale, author’s wife; Miss Feyikemi Fabowale, daughter; Mr Kolade Sotayo; Miss Juliana Francis, Wole Soyinka Investigative Reporter of the Year 2022 and an Editor; Mr Tunde Bakare; Mr Jide Jegede; Mrs Iyabo Lawal; Alhaji Adebisi Moshood; Mr Taye Sofowora from USA; Mr Tunde Sofowora; Mr Tony Owoye; Mr Ayo Ogunkeye, Head, Retail Capital Express represented Mr Olabiyi Festus, ED, Capital Express; Mr Bisi Oladele, South West Bureau Chief, The Nation; Mr Kazeem Akuntunde, Publisher The Glitters Online; Mr Olabisi Awogbami; Mr Hafeez Kareem; Mr Raji Adebanjo, Chairman NUJ Correspondents chapel, Oyo State who represented Mr Ademola Babalola, Oyo NUJ Chairman; Mr Dipo Kehinde, former Crimes Editor, The Sun; Mr Feyi Smith, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria; and Mrs Ekundayo Sotade, Chairperson Women Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria, Ikosi chapter.
Others included Mr Wale Ojo of The Guardian; Lawal Sulaimon, Ministry of Information, Lagos; Temitope Aina, The Sun; Sunday Aikulola, The Guardian; Oguntoyinbo Adewale, City People; Muyiwa Hassan, The Nation; Musa Toliat B., NTA; Alexander Idehen, NTA; Sharon Ijasan, TVC News; Joshua Emmanuel, Lagos Information Ministry; Sylvester Okonu, Nigerian Tribune; Ayodele Adeniran, The Guardian; Titilope Oshunlalu, City People; Edile Faith; Juliana Francis; Tony Owoye; Shotayo Kolade; Mr Jide Jegede; Kazeem Akuntunde, publisher The Glitters Online; Segun Kasali, Nigerian Tribune; Abimbola Shotade; Mr Onuoha Ukey, MD, Sun Newspapers; Mr Ayo Akinkuotu, former Editor, TELL; Mr Adebisi Moshood, Senior Information Officer, Lagos State; Chukwuma Ajakar, Vanguard; Mrs Adeola Aina-Jones; Olabisi Awogbami; Mr Sunday Odutola; Amina; Mr Ademola Adegbamigbe; and Mr Kazeem Akuntunde, who represented celebrated journslist Mr Kunle Ajibade.
