By Banji Ayoola
Former Managing Director of The Guardian, Mr Lade Bonuola (Ladbone) was celebrated on his 80th birthday in a festival by his colleagues in the Nigerian media on Thursday October 22, 3026 in Lagos. The surprise event, organised by the CJID together with his family, drew a large attendance from his constituency, and all the communities he has walked on his earthly path. The followings are what some of the prominent personalities at the occasion said of him. Apart from the former Ogun State Governor, who chaired the occasion, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, and former Director of Publications of The Guardian, Ladbone’s Siamese twin brother and pillar in his career, Mr Femi Kusa, whose comments were picked from their speeches delivered extempore, other eminent personalities reported here spoke with The Radiance at separate interviews at the event.
* Mr Mike Asuquo, former Deputy Features Editor, The Guardian
I have more than professional relationship with Ladbone. I joined The Guardian as a youth corper in October 1985. One evening in February 1986, I was sitting doing my work in the Newsroom. Somebody just came before me and asked: ‘Are you Mike Asuquo?’ I said ‘Yes, Sir.’ He said ‘Are.you a full time staff?’ I said ‘No. I am a youth corper.’ He said ‘I am giving you an automatic employment.’ I said ‘Excuse me Sir. I cannot take it.’ He asked why. I told him I would be contradicting the NYSC rules if I take this job.” He then asked when I would pass out of the NYSC camp and when I would like to start with The Guardian. I said we would pass out of the camp by July 15th or 18th, and that I would like to start on July 15th. He said ‘Consider it done,’ and walked away. Exactly on that date, I was given my employment letter before any other youth corper. Throughout my stay in The Guardian, he was a worthy, fulfilled professional. He was a father figure, and he was very inspirational especially in head hunting.
When you look at the country today and the base sentiments that go into employment and human resources, you will find out that he tried for his time and that he was well above the mediocre. Ladbone was in a class of his own. He was a professional. And he had this human touch to almost everything. He would listen to you, and when he said he was going to do something, consider it done.
* Mr Martins Oloja, former MD/Editor in Chief, The Guardian
You do not have the storage facility to record what I have to say about Ladbone. But what I can tell you in a few sentences is that Ladbone is a role model in the sense that as a journalist, writer, columnist, and leader, he is consistent. I followed him from Daily Times. I followed what he was writing – a critical look at the Nigerian press – Ladbone, for so many years till date. He is still writing in The Guardian at 80.
Anytime you meet him, you won’t see any change in his character. He is a man in whom there is no guile. There is no deceit. There is no uncertainty. You will always see Ladbone. Lade Bonuola that I used to follow, that I met in The Guardian in his second coming is still the Lade Bonuola. He is consistent. He is a good man. He guides his integrity. He is a man you can follow. If you call him, you will know that he will pick your calls. He does not bow to any power.
When people were writing about who built Lagos, he knew how Lagos was built, he witnessed it as a journalist following leaders of the Southwest. He didn’t care about whose ox is gored. He wrote so many pages of articles with statistics, verifiable data about who built Lagos, that it was Lateef Kayode Jakande, LKJ; that nobody should boast or say anything other than that, and he gave reasons. He gave what LKJ did in education, the number of schools he met, the number of schools he started building and the impact; the road network; the housing estates and everything about how they designed this Lagos. He had all those things at his fingertips. He wrote and nobody contradicted him. He knew the powers that be. But even the powers that be who could be using that to peddle all sorts of propaganda could not reply him.
I respect him for his consistency and I bless the Name of the Lord that he is 80 and we are celebrating it. I am not a sycophant. I celebrate him and we celebrate the platform where we met at The Guardian. It is good that we know that. It is good that we celebrate him. He is worth celebrating. He is not like any other person. Mr Lade Bonuola is worth celebrating.
*Mr Fred Ohwahwa former Editor, The Guardian on Sunday
Ladbone is sobering. He is a good man. He is a role model. He is an inspiration to us the younger ones. He is exemplary. He is a good man.
* Dr Femi Adekoya, Editor, The Guardian
Ladbone is a very wonderful person who doesn’t seem to act his age. He is unrelenting, never tired. As of this morning, he had sent his column though he is having his celebration. He is a stickler for time, and we learn from him always. He is never tired of advising us, putting us through whenever necessary. I am praying for him hoping that the Lord gives him the strength for the years ahead.
On how I am coping with The Guardian, and what I am doing to improve on the legacy: When you have a legacy brand, it is a good burden and it means that you have to maintain that legacy and even make it better. That is the responsibility I have right now, and I am praying for the strength to do it better. We are trying to change how stories are being told. We are trying to get new audiences. We are also trying to ensure that what The Guardian is known for is not erased it has a legacy, a profile that the only thing we can do is to ensure that that profile remains the same and even better for generations to come.
* Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, Editor, Premium Times, CJID Coordinator and organiser of the event
On what motivated us to organize this event: First, Ladbone is the most consequential Editor in the late 20th century of Nigerian Press. Secondly, he has been a mentor to all of us all the way. He has been one of the most impressive platforms. This year marks the 50 years of his career, but the man never celebrates anything. He is 80 years old. Today is the 80th anniversary of his life and 50th year of his journalistic journey. We said no, you won’t go away.
It is a festival of journalism to bring together everybody who made The Guardian possible. We are here to celebrate the great mentor, big fighter, a man who created a lot of great professionals which shows that journalism is great. Nobody knew that when he was having production at The Guardian, he was ending up at the DMI, and he won’t tell anybody. He is also a man who has shown the power of conviction that you can make Journalism speak to power. He teaches all excellence.
* Mrs Titi Oba, former Librarian, The Guardian
Ladbone is a very honest man. He is honest to a fault and very principled. He is all over the place. He writes stories. He marks 70 percent and all that. He is a wonderful man. He edits professirs’ write ups. Can you imagine? He is a professor of professors. He would just walk in to all departments. He knew everything about every department. He was a good MD.
* Mr Aaron Ukodie, former Communication Correspondent, The Guardian
Ladbone is phenomenal. He is a legend. He is an icon. He is a media guru. Not many people are like him in Nigeria even in Africa. I celebrate him. When I came into The Guardian, he offered a fatherly role and a mentor. He taught us how to judge news, be bold in presenting and write it the way it is supposed to be written. He taught us to excel and compete with the best – The Times of London, The Times of India. That is what Ladbone did. He led the way to achieving that. I celebrate him.
* Mr Ray Ekpu, a founding Editor of Newswatch Magazine
I worked with Ladbone in the Daily Times in the early 80s. He is a great journalist. He is very meticulous, very very diligent and committed to Journalism. That is why he rose to become the Editor of a famous newspaper like The Guardian and then the CEO. That is the evidence of his commitment to Journalism. He was a fighter for press freedom.
* Mr Kolapo Lawson, a friend
He is a genuine, honest trustworthy individual and a friend through thick and thin. In his profession, he is a leading journalist acknowledged for decades by the whole country. He is a most incisive writer in the Nigerian journalistic history.
* Mr Eric Teniola, former Director at the Presidency
Ladbone is a veteran journalist, a first rate journalist, very honest and diligent. That is why I came to honour him. He is a nice man, and hardworking. I wish him all the best in life. He is such a fantastic writer.
* Mr Dare Babarinsa, a founding Editor of Tell Magazine and Chairman, Gaskia Media Limited
Ladbone is a very special human being, a person who pursues excellence in all ways. I knew him when I was a student at the University of Lagos. Even at that time in 1980, you could see that he is a fantastic and fastidious Editor. He has not changed. I am happy that he is still alive and very active. We are very happy about him.
* Mr Wole Agunbiade, a former News Editor, The Guardian
I could say a lot. Ladbone is a mentor of the finest journalists in this country. He continues to amaze people on his ability to write. He is a blessing to the Journalism profession. He is a blessing to Nigeria as a whole, a celebrated journalist of all time.
* Dr Tunji Abayomi, SAN, Human rights lawyer and Ladbone’s lawyer, Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko
When I was a young lawyer, he was the eye of Journalism. In those days, Ladbone was the epitome of excellence in Journalism. His contributions will remain eternal in the history of Journalism in Nigeria.
* Aremo Olusegun Osoba, a former Ogun State Governor, and former Deputy Editor, Sunday Times and Chairman of the occasion
Ladbone started his career with us in the Daily Times on October 9, 1971 as a Sub-Editor, one of the infantry men who are in the background. I was the Deputy Editor, Sunday Times at that time. Every Saturday it was always war, serious war between him and me. He is so meticulous. He paid attention to the details and I had to ensure that the paper must be out. He later started his column ‘Caught Out’ which reviewed all the newspapers published in the country correcting their errors. He is an intellectual and very serious minded. When Alex Ibru wanted to start The Guardian, he wanted a serious minded newspaper after The Times of London. I told him that if you want a good Editor, who would do a good job, the best Editor would be Lade Bonuola. I then recommended Lade Bonuola to be the first Editor of The Guardian. He did a good job and created the standard that others are following. He did this together with his good friend Femi Kusa. Historically, The Guardian was first published on Sunday February 27, 1983. I was the one that printed the first set of The Guardian in Sketch in Ibadan where I was the MD. At that time there was no cut throat rivalry. They did the celebration of The Guardian in July. That was not the birth date of The Guardian. The Guardian’s birthday was July 27, 1983.
*Mr Femi Kusa, a former Director of Publications and former Editor, The Guardian, who Ladbone described as ‘my pillar’
Ladbone is one of the best journalists. My relationship with him has lasted 55 years. He and I sense that we are not on earth working together for the first time. This may sound strange to many people. But many people who are spiritual, not religious because being religious is not the same thing as being spiritual, will recognise that hardly is anyone on earth who is here for the first time. He first told me about this many years ago. In 1971, I joined the Daily Times and met Mr Bonuola who had been in Daily Times one month ahead of me. That began a relationship that has lasted 55 years. When he began the Caught It column, he asked me to preview it before it went into print. I did not know why he trusted my judgment that I had to see it before publication. But later I began to think that it must have been the sensing that something brought us together. As Chief Osoba said, he was a very meticulous Sub-Editor. He would not take any reporter’s copy on the face of it. He would rear it to pieces. He would rewrite it completely even if he had to go home very late in the night. I think that at that time, he lived at Okokomaiko while I lived Iin Somolu. He would drive me to Somolu however late he worked before he would continue his own journey to Okokomaiko.
Every Thursday, he would ask me to accompany him to Eko Hotel or Federal Palace Hotel to buy a quality newspaper either The Guardian of London where he had a favourite columnist. At that time his mind had been developing into serious newspapering work. Along the line, I went to study at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, but we did not lose touch. When I got to Nsukka, I was fascinated with what was going on because of my life at Lagos Weekend. At the time,vthe students were angry that the University authority did not allow male and female students to visit each other in the hostels and began to make a noise. I wrote a story titled ‘Nsukka students demand sex freedom.’ I sent the copy to Mr Bonuola through the circulation vehicle. He published it and they started looking for Femi Kusa who was reporting. There was to be a student union election and students made a procession to the hostels. I wrote another story titled ‘Nsukka students move nearer sex freedom’. I sent it to Mr Bonuola and it was also published. Finally when the University did not oblige, the students marched into the hostels and enjoyed themselves. I wrote a third story titled ‘Nsukka students grab sex freedom’, and Mr Bonuola also got it published.
So we continued to work together as very good couple. When The Guardian was to start, he asked me to join him. I did not tell anybody at home before I gave him my word. He wanted me to critique all Nigerian newspapers for their writing weaknesses which were legion. For example, they were not monothematic. We now decided that whatever we were going to publish was to be monothematic with a lot of backgrounding. Many people who came to The Guardian would remember that whoever could not background his or her story was not going to be a good reporter. We decided how our stories were going to be. When The Guardian started, only he and I rewrite all the news stories. We did not allow anyone to send stories direct or rewrite in order to maintain quality writing. Mr Nduka Irabor joined us later. We found him a wonderful Newsroom person. He was the best News Editor we had at The Guardian. Mr Eluem Emeka Izeze joined us later and helped us sanitize the quality of news writing at The Guardian.
Mr Bolaji D’almeida, former Corporate Affairs Manager, The Guardian
Mr Bonuola is an elderly brother who gives guidance on how to succeed, though he is a very quiet person. Working closely with him showed you how best to handle things.
* Mr Gbenga Adefaye, Editor, Vanguard
Ladbone was the inspiration that brought many of us into Journalism. He is a super newspaperman, a super craftsman, a great Editor, and more importantly, he was a Sub-Editor like I was.
* Mr Gbenga Ogunleye, former Editor, The Punch and also a product of The Guardian
Ladbone was my boss. He is extremely meticulous, a journalists’ journalist, an Editors’ Editor. Unfortunately, his type are not here anymore. My hope is that those who are coming up will emulate his great qualities.
* Mr Dele Momodu, Publisher, Ovation Magazine
Ladbone is one of the greatest, one of the best and one of the finest journalists who recorded three things — achievements, contentment and eternity.
* Mr Dipo Ajayi, a veteran from the Daily Times family
I was in detention when my second child was to be delivered exactly after Murtala Muhammed’s assassination on February 13, 1976. The child is now here with me representing my wife. Mr Bonuola sent a message to my brother at the University of Lagos, Prof Ade Ajayi, the then Vice Chancellor so that my wife would not go into premature labour. Thank you Lade for that noble deed for that day. God bless you on your 80,the birthday.
* Mr Banji Adisa, former Chief-Sub Editor, The Guardian
Mr Bonuola would come to my table as the Chief Sub and ask for yesterday’s papers to to compare what we and others published, the mistakes we made. By then he would have sent a message to the MD that his Chief Sub was not doing his job. It was always a very difficult time for me around 9 am or 12 noon ‘Mr Chief Sub, where are your papers?’ I have never seen any professional like that. He is so passionate about the job. He wanted the best for The Guardian. Ladbone is a professional to the core. It is not as if he hares you as somebody working with him. But he wants the best out of you. Any time the job is at stake, he doesn’t worry about what it would take for you as long as you get the best out for him. He is so appreciative of whatever you did that was done right. He would come back to commend your activity. He would come to my table where we had a pile of previous day’s publications. He would ask me to bring our my papers and look at them. We would leave the office about 11 pm or 12 midnight and come back about 10 am the following day, and he would be asking why you missed the story the previous day. Whatever Aremo Osoba said and what other people have said about him here about him are exact.
I remember that he gave Debo Adesina an assignment to sit down with Alhaji Babatunde Jose and write about him. When Debo finished the assignment and the story was published, Ladbone got back to Debo. It was as if he had done the best thing in this world. The story was ‘This is your life’. That was Debo referring to Alhaji Jose. Ha! Fantastic! That is Mr Ladbone for you. He would commend you when you do a good job not for him as a person but for the progress of The Guardian. The Guardian meant so much to him. He could not trade it for any other thing. We are all his products, including you. He is a fountain from whom all of us have drawn something one way or the other. He is somebody who should be honoured. Thank God for his long life. I wish that he lives more years in good health. Good enough, the family is around him, the colleagues and the office. I had the opportunity to be with him at the Editorial Board. You need to come and see how he would present his views before the board reached a final conclusion on a particular topic. Mr Ladbone is endowed. He is an intellectual as Aremo Osoba said. The media should be celebrating like him.
* Mr Eluem Emeka Izeze, former MD/Editor in Chief, The Guardian
Mr Ladbone you can describe as a father of Journalism at least for those of us who at one time or the other have been in The Guardian. We learnt from him how to treat stories in a modern way, in a refined way. We imbibe everything that we knew,even his mannerisms from him. The impact he had on those of us who worked with him was tremendous. He himself doesn’t know that. He doesn’t even appreciate that because he thinks that he is not doing anything special. But he did something special in all of us that we still remember till date. We still remember: ‘How would Mr Bonuola have treated this story?’ The moment you have done something, you would know the impact he has had on you. He is a great man. He may be a journalist. They don’t recognise us in society. He is a great man that we are dealing with – Mr Bonuola
* Mr Sina Ogunbambo, former Deputy Political Editor, The Guardian and former CPS to three governors
Ladbone is my big baba. He was the one who gave me the opportunity to serve with The Guardian. I graduated at the University of Ibadan and came to Lagos for my NYSC. I met one friend, Chukwudi Abiandu who was at The Guardian. I told him that I loved the newspaper and I wanted to work with it. He studied Mass Communication while I studied Political Science. He asked me to come to the office and meet his boss as they were recruiting graduates across disciplines. I came to The Guardian and met Ladbone. I told him that as a student at UI, I usually bought and read The Guardian from my pocket money daily. He immediately gave me a letter to the NYSC. That was how I was posted to The Guardian. On evI passed out of the NYSC camp, he gave me an automatic employment at The Guardian. He monitored my progress. He is a fantastic man. He takes his job very seriously. He groomed me for future programmes.
When I left The Guardian, I became the CPS to these governors in Lagos State. It was the training at The Guardian that made me shine. I did the same thing in Ogun State. I worked with Marwa, Oyinlola. They keep on saying: ‘We love you and the quality of your Journalism. There is a difference.’ I wish Ladbone all the best,long life, and robust health. He is a man who has built many journalists. We pray that he will continue to enjoy the fruits of his labour and that God will spare his life for us.
* Mr Gbenga Omotoso, former Deputy Chief-Sub Editor, The Guardian, former Editor The Comet and Lagos State Information Commissioner
Ladbone is a guiding example and father for us in this profession, a great man you will always love to work with. He is our mentor, teacher and guide who taught us to pursue excellence. He has positively impacted the lives of many journalists who have crossed his path.
* Miss Chiamaka Ozurumba, Programme Officer of the CJID Living Archive Initiative, (which organized the event in conjunction with the Bonuola family), and Mr Bonuola’s grand daughter
At CJID, we regard Mr Bonuola as one of the most consequential Editors of Nigerian newspapers because of how impactful his work has been from the Daily Times, and through The Guardian to his founding The Comet and The Compass as the Publisher. He has trained a whole generation of a tive journalists who have contributed to Nation building and advancing democracy in Nigeria. We celebrate Ladbone for all his efforts, work and especially the top-notch standard he brought into the profession.
The book BONUOLA: A Life in Print is an anthology of over 80 contributors who came together to honour Mr Lade Bonuola for everything he brought to the profession. Journalism in Nigeria today has evolved from what it used to be in the past. Icons like Ladbone have been instrumental to that positive change. Hence the purpose of honouring and celebrating him. The purpose of the book is to situate his editorial career with its proper, historical, political and institutional context. The book provides a nuance that reflects the weight, complexity and significance of his journalistic years. The Living Archive Platform is a digital web-based platform that chronologies the works of icons who have contributed to advancing democracy in Nigeria. We would be featuring a lot more of these icons by archiving their works o er the years as a repository for future generations.
* Mrs Biodun Ozurumba, Mr Bonuola’s eldest daughter and organiser of the event
I feel so joyous and fulfilled that one of my dreams came to fruition that Ladbone is celebrated by his colleagues for his years of hard work, integrity and humaneness. We marked his 60th birthday lightly in our parlour as children. We marked his 70th birthday in a larger community of 200 people in the UK as a surprise party. It was my dream that his 80th birthday is celebrated among his colleagues. Mr Dapo Olorunyomi is the Joseph who made that dream come true. This is why again I thank him. Ladbone taught us hard work. He taught us to speak the truth and stand by it, by our conviction no matter what every other person thinks or does. He taught us to be prudent, a recipe for today which in the long run has helped to shape our individual success. We also appreciate the care for the family that he exudes, his dedication to the family amidst his successful career and women. On my mum’s contributions to his success especially in giving him peace at home, my mum is very calm and highly supportive. She holds the home so that the husband as the provider for the family could get to the peak of his career.
I say a big thank you to all who attend this ceremony. About six people came from the US and UK to grace the occasion. People came from Abuja, Ilorin, Kisi, from my father’s village. His classmate from modern school who he had not seen since 1968, came. I thank specially Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, the people’s man who saw the need to recognise the worth of one of the mentors and celebrate him. Specifically, I thank Chief Olusegun Osoba who amid his very important engagements,, some of which I knew, chose to be with the CJID and the Bonuolas to celebrate Ladbone at 80. I thank every single person who came to honour him. I thank all the media and all those who worked to ensure that this event is not just a success but a memorable one.
I would like to thank specially
Alayeluwa Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin Aroyinkeye 1. Orangun of Oke Ila Orangun
Mr and Mrs Sam Unuigbe
Mr Joseph Olusegun Ajanlekoko
Mr Ray Ekpu
Hon Nduka Irabor
Mr Femi Kusa
Dr Tunji Abayomi
Engr Femi Alao
Kishi Progressive Union Worldwide
Egbe Ajosepo fun Itesiwaju Oke-Ogun
Dr Chidi Duru
Prof Ashiru
DG VON representative
Dr. Leonard Aro
Joseph Obari
Brig Buba Marwa
Ms Sola Adeola
Mr and Mrs Kolapo Lawson
Goethe Institute
Ambassador of Netherlands
Kwara State Governor’s representative
MrbRaheem Adedoyin
Mr Gbenga Omotosho
Gormer Auditor General of Oyo Iliasu Adewola
Otunba Olawuni Oni
Hon Wale Oshun
Princess Adanma Diana
Mr Gbemiga Ogunleye
Mr Gbenga Adefaye
Mr Lasisi Olagunju representing Mrs Tokunbo Awolowo- Dosunmu
Mr Joseph Adeyeye
Mr Hakeem Babatunde Bello – Rep. HE Banatunde Fashola
Mrs Funke Egbemode
Hon Ayo Oshunloye and
The chief host, Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi.
* Mrs Esther Bonuola, the wife
He has never raised his hand against me. He is a wonderful husband and father, so caring and loving. He loves his family and give us due attention. He has never refused to eat my food. I am happy seeing the number and quality of personalities who are here today to honour him. I thank all who are here today to honour him. I am grateful
Roll Call
This include:
Aremo Olusegun Osoba, veteran journalist and former Ogun State Governor
Ambassador Akinjide Osuntokun, retired Professor at Unilag and former Ambassador to Germany
Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi, former MD, The Guardian
Mr Frank Keurharst, Neitherland Consul General in Nigeria
Mr Olusegun Ajanlekoko, friend
Mr Kolapo Lawson, friend
Mr Samuel Unuigbe, friend
AVM Emmanuel Afolabi, friend
Major Emmanuel Unuigbe, friend
Mr Tonye Unuigbe, friend
Mrs Lawson
Dr Anago Peters, friend
Mr Lai Mohammed, former Information minister
Mr Ray Ekpu, founding Editor, Newswatch Magazine
Mr Femi Kusa, former Director of Publications, The Guardian
Mr Sully Abu, former Editorial Board member, The Guardian
Mr Ted Iwere
Mr Dipo Ajayi
Dr Femi Sonaike
Mr Dare Babarinsa, founding Editor, TELL Magazine and Chairman Gaskia Media Limited
Mr Eluem Emeka Izeze, former MD/EIC, The Guardian
Mr Martins Oloja, former MD/EIC, The Guardian
Mr Azubuike Ishiekwene, Leadership Newspaper
Mrs Kadria Ahmed
Mr Gbenga Adefaye, Editor, Vanguard
Mr Nduka Irabor, former News Editor, The Guardian
Mr Wole Agunbiade, former News Editor, The Guardian
Mr Eze Anaba
Dr Ademola Azeez
Mr Lanre Idowu
Mr Hakeem Bello
Mrs Ebele Irabor
Mr Dele Momodu, Publisher, Ovation Magazine
Mr Frank Aigbogun
Dr Tunji Abayomi, SAN, Chancellor Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State and Ladbone”s lawyer
Dr Femi Adekoya, Editor, The Guardian
Mr Fred Ohwahwa, former Editor The Guardian on Sunday
Mr Gbenga Omotoso, former Deputy Chief Sub editor, The Guardian, former Editor, The Comet and Lagos State Information commissioner
Mr Kunle Sanyaolu, former Law page Editor, The Guardian
Mr Gbemiga Ogunleye, former Editor, The Punch and product of The Guardian
Mr Lasisi Olagunju
Mr Tunde Thompson, former Diplomatic correspondent The Guardian and Publisher, Public Action Communicators Limited, PAC
Mr Banji Adisa, former Chief Sub, The Guardian
Mr Sina Ogunbambo, former Deputy Political Editor, The Guardian
Mr Kunle Ajibade, The News
Mr Bolaji D’almeida, former Corporate Affairs Manager, The Guardian
Mr Mike Asuquo, former Deputy Features Editor, The Guardian
Mrs Titi Oba, former Librarian, The Guardian
Mr Aaron Ukodie, former Communication Correspondent, The Guardian
Mr Adeleke Adeseri, former Parastatals correspondent, The Guardian
Mr Ifeanyi Mbanefo, former Sub Editor, The Guardian
Mr Yinka Fabowale, former Editorial Representative Ibadan, The Guardian
Mr Eric Teniola, former Director at the Presidency
Chief Akanni Olaitan, representative of BHS, Saki Old Students Association
Barrister Adedapo Adediji, Adedayo Adediji Chambers, Ilorin
Alhaji Oladiran Rahaman, Chairman Kisi Progressive Union, Lagos/Ogun Zone
Mr Sola Bonuola
Prince Gbolahan Laja, CEO Lahan Executive Services
Mr Dele Adetiba
Nze Chidi Duru
Pastor Alebiosu Idowu (Neighbour)
Alhaja Aminat Adetina, Area A, OPI. Estate, Agbara (Neighbour). Pro-democracy activist, Ayo Obe; Nigeria Guild of Editors’ President, Eze Anaba; Managing Director, ThisDay, Eniola Bello; former Commissioner for Information, Lagos State, Steve Ayorinde; Former NGE President, Funke Egbemode; Managing Director of The Sun, Onuoha Ukeh; Director Journalism Clinic, Taiwo Obe; Former Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Information, Hakeem Bello. Secretary CJID, Olumide Adetiba; Former Executive Director, The Guardian, Oyebanji Awosanya; Managing Director of Punch, Adeyeye Joseph; Othman Dosumu-Sodipe; Augustine Isioma Iwelu; Former House of Representative member, Nze Chidi Duru; Editor, Saturday Tribune, Lasisi Olagunju; Tribune newspaper Editorial Member, Festus Adedayo Publisher BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun.
