Asorogbayi, the media oracle’s triple celebrations!
Introduction
Today,
October 12, 2022 marks the 32nd anniversary of my inadvertent voyage
into media advocacy and also a decade of my being a columnist with the highly
influential The PUNCH newspaper. Not only that, it’s the 30th
anniversary of my advocacy via electronic media. Thus, it’s triple celebrations!
As I said severally, Prof. OBC Nwolise formerly of the Department of Political
Science, University of Ibadan nudged me into media advocacy way back in 1988.
Then, I was a student of Extra Mural Studies organised by the Adult Education
Department of the premier university. It however took me two years to summon
courage to start writing for newspapers. My first “Letter to the Editor” titled
“Complete Iwopin Paper Mill” was a mere one paragraph reproduced below:
Complete Iwopin Paper Mill
Daily Sketch, Friday, 12 October, 1990.
(Page 2)
When I got to know that the Iwopin Paper
Mill had gulped about N300 million naira and yet remained in its embryonic
stage, producing nothing, I felt very bitter and depressed. Why should the
federal government embark on such a project without making adequate budgetary
provisions for its completion? Paper mills are important in any nation’s life.
Without paper, there can be no education. The reduction of duty on imported
newsprint underscores the importance of paper to a nation’s educational growth.
We need books to grow. The government should complete the Iwopin Paper Mill.
From
being a one paragraph contributor to newspaper, I have today grown to become a
newspaper columnist to a number of print media. First was The PUNCH which
incidentally also chose to engage me as a weekly contributor in October 2012.
This month therefore marks the 10th anniversary of my being a
columnist with the numero uno news
medium. I also had a stint contributing weekly to The Authority newspaper on Sunday
between 2015 and 2016. From time to time I also contribute to The LAWYER
pullout of THISDAY newspaper on Tuesday.
As at
now, I have contributed over two thousand articles and other commentaries to
many newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. Among the leadership positions I
have held in the course of my literary sojourn include being appointed as the
Editor-in-Chief of Corper Courier which was a magazine pioneered by National
Youth Service Corps of Delta State in 1997. I was also the Editor of Political
Finance Newsletter of International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
while I was a staff at their Nigerian office. I resigned from IFES-Nigeria in
June 2014.
Though
my media advocacy for better society started with the print media, it has
however expanded to include Public Affairs Analysis across many electronic
media platforms be it television, radio and newspaper podcast. This is what has
earned me the sobriquet of Asorogbayi, the media oracle! I commenced my engagement
with electronic media 30 years ago, precisely on August 19, 1992 when I started
writing letters to be read on a popular current affairs programme titled “OGBC
FM Mailbag 2084” on Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation. It was aired from 6 –
7pm every Friday evening. My first letter aired on the aforementioned date was
titled “Beggars Strike”.
From
January 2021, I also became a television show host when the management of
Independent Television (ITV) under the immediate past General Manager, Mrs.
Amber Olague invited me to be part of their TMI show hosts. Since then, I have
been anchoring Development Focus with Jide Ojo on ITV every Wednesday. We have
thus far had 83 editions of the show. I was also an in-house News Analyst with
ARISE News TV for two and a half years, October 2017 – March 2020. Though
I have lost count of the number of my TV and Radio appearances, my record
however shows that I have been on 46 Television and 51 Radio Stations. Note that
in some media organisations I have been on more than one programme.
Accomplishments
Print media
My database
shows that my commentaries (letters, articles and interviews) have been
published in 45 newspapers, magazines and newsletters namely: 1. The PUNCH 2.
ThisDay, 3. The Guardian 4. Daily Trust 5. Nigerian Tribune 6. The Nation 7.
Blueprint 8. Leadership 9. The Sun 10. Authority 11. Vanguard 12. Daily
Independent 13. Abuja Enquirer 14.
Newsdiary Online 15. Nigerian Pilot 16. Premium Times 17. The Cable 18.
Order Paper 19. Peoples Gazette 20. Legit.ng 21. HumAngle 22. Africa Check 23. Daily Sketch 24. National Concord 25. Post Express 26. Third Eye 27.
Nigerian Compass 28. Daily Champion (29.) 234 NEXT 30. The Pointer 31. A M News
32. Weekend Classique 33. Sharp Edge News 34. 365Daily 35. Law and Society
Magazine 36. The Exquisite Magazine, Mass Com. Dept. MAP, Abeokuta, Ogun State
37. The Independite Magazine of Independence Hall, University of Ibadan 38.
Corper Courier Magazine of NYSC Delta State. 39. The Statesman 40. Image 41.
The Ethics 42. Women’s Advocate 43. Voters News 44. Money and Politics (MAP)
later changed to IFES Political Finance Newsletter 45. Electoral Reform News
published by Alliance for Credible Elections
Television
I have
been on 46 television stations anlysing topical national issues. They are as
follows: 1. Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) International 2. NTA News 24
(3.) NTA Parliament 4. NTA Language (Yoruba) 5. NTA Lagos Channel 10 (6.) NTA
Abuja Channel 5 (7.) NTA Ibadan Network Centre 8. African Independent
Television (AIT) 9. Channels Television 10.TV Continental (TVC) 11. Nigeria
Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN) 12. Arise News TV 13. Silverbird TV Lagos 14. Peoples TV 15.
Independent Television (ITV) 16. Galaxy Television, Ibadan, Oyo State 17. Kaftan
TV 18. TV 360 (19.) Signature TV
20. Clearview TV 21. Roots TV
22. Silverbird TV Abuja 23. NCTV/ TSTV
24. South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) 25. Galaxy Television
Lagos 26. Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS). 27. Thunderbirds TV 28. AD4TVRadio 29. Plus TV Africa 30.
Superscreen TV 31. Aso TV 32. Viewer TV 33. Core TV 34. News Central TV 35.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) TV 36. Independent Corruption
and Other related offences Commission (ICPC) TV (37.) 24 News TV 38. Atlantic
Television Network, Port Harcourt, Rivers State 39. Turkish Radio and
Television Corporation (TRT) 40. China Central Television (CCTV) 41. BBC
News 42. Trust TV 43. Africa News 44.
WAZOBIA Max TV 45. Leadership TV podcast 46. Spectrum TV, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The
above Pie Chart illustrates the fact that only 4 out 36 states and FCT in Nigeria
have interviewed me on television stations located in their states while I have
also been interviewed by five foreign media. 24 out of the 46 stations are
based in Abuja, FCT followed by Lagos with 11. Next is Ibadan, Oyo State with 3
while Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Uyo, Akwa Ibom State has 1 each. Majority
of the TV stations are privately owned.
Radio
The
list of the 51 radio stations that have so far interviewed me are: 1.
Independent Radio 89.7 FM, Abuja 2. Naija 102.7 FM Ibadan, Oyo State 3. Nigeria
Info 92.3 FM, Port Harcourt, Rivers State 4. Women Radio 91.7 FM Lagos 5. Bond
FM 92.9 Lagos 6. Oluyole 98.5 FM Ibadan, Oyo State 7. Pensioners FM 106.7
Ibadan, Oyo State 8. Hit 95.9 FM Calabar, Cross River State 9. Faaji FM 106.5
Lagos 10. Rhythm 94. 7 FM Abuja 11. OGBC 2 FM Abeokuta, Ogun State 12. Rhythm
93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Rivers State 13.
Amuludun FM 99.1 Ibadan, Oyo State 14. Vision 92.1 FM Abuja 15. Love 104.5 FM
(Crowther Radio) Abuja 16. Ray Power
100.5 FM Abuja 17. Hot 98.3 FM Abuja 18. Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria
(FRCN) Network 19. Kapital 92.9 FM Abuja
20. Voice of Nigeria 21. Kiss
99.9 FM Abuja 22. WE 106.3 FM Abuja 23. Greetings 107.5 FM Abuja 24. WAZOBIA 99.5 FM Abuja 25. Cool 96.9 FM Abuja
26. Armed Forces Radio 107.7 FM Abuja
27. Human Rights Radio 101. 1 FM Abuja 28. Nigeria Info 95.1 FM Abuja
29. Invicta 98.9 FM Kaduna 30. Premier
93.5 FM Ibadan, Oyo State 31. Rockcity
101.9 FM Abeokuta, Ogun State 32. Boss 95.5 FM Abuja 33. Liberty Radio 103.3 FM
Abuja 34. Family Love 103.9 FM Umuahia, Abia State 35. Eagles 102.3 FM
Abuja 36. JAMZ 100.1 FM Ibadan, Oyo
State 37. West Africa Democracy Radio 94.9 FM, Dakar, Senegal 38. PRIMOG Radio
39. Bright 98.7 FM, Abuja 40. Grace
95.5 FM, Lokoja, Kogi State 41. Daily Trust Newspaper Podcast 42. Radio Now
95.3 FM, Lagos 43. Nigeria Police Radio 99.1 FM 44. Maloney 95.9 FM, Keffi,
Nasarawa State 45. Today 95,1 FM Port Harcourt, Rivers State 46. Citizens 93.7
FM Abuja 47. Classic 94.3 FM, Abuja 48. Seven 103.9 FM, Onitsha, Anambra State.
49. Correct 102.9 FM Enugu 50.
NCBN 106.7 FM, Abuja 51. Voice FM 89.9, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.
From
the above chart, only radio stations sited in 12 states and FCT out of the 36
interviewed me. Out of the 51 Radio Stations, Abuja, FCT has the highest number
with 27 while Ibadan, Oyo State came distant second with 6. Lagos, Rivers and
Ogun are tied at third position with 3 apiece.
Ekiti, Cross River, Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Kogi, Nasarawa and Kaduna are
joint fourth with 1 radio station apiece. A foreign radio station based in
Dakar, Senegal is the only one that has thus far interviewed me. As with the TV
stations, most of the radio stations are privately owned.
Published books
I have
authored three books with focus on leadership, governance and anti-corruption:
1. Nigeria: Corruption and Opacity in Governance
(2019),
2. A Nation in Tow: Essays on Governance and
Leadership in Nigeria (2016) and
3. Nigeria,
My Nigeria: Perspectives from 1990 – 2010 (2010).
In
addition, I have contributed chapters in 11 other books.
Capacity building for media practitioners
I have
been privileged to be selected as a resource person at several media trainings organised
by groups like International Press Centre and Media Rights Agenda, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung,
Inclusive Friends Association, Centre for Information Technology and
Development as well as IFES-Nigeria.
Awards
As a
way of recognising my contribution to better society, a number of media
organisations have honoured me with different awards. They include:
1. Chartered
Institute of Leadership and Governance (USA) Fellowship Award, 28th
November 2019.
2. “Most
Regular Resource Person” on the occasion of NTA Language 10th
Anniversary on 9th December, 2021.
3. Award
of Excellence by Independent Television and Radio Abuja for Dedication and
Commitment to Public Enlightenment in December 2021.
4. Women
of Inestimable Values “Impact Makers Award” as the Most Outstanding TV
Presenter (Male) in recognition of selfless service to humanity on 28th
May, 2022.
5. Love
104.5 FM Abuja “Media Icon of the Year” 2022 on Sunday, 5th June
2022
6. Yoruba
Kingdom Legendary Golden Award of Excellence by Yoruba General Assembly on
Saturday, 30th July 2022.
7. The
Redeemed Christian Church of God Region 10 YAYA appreciation plague for
contribution towards the success of Ignite Youth Summit, August 2022.
Impact
I strongly
believe that my effort through media advocacy is contributing to improved
service delivery and better governance. I am gladdened by the positive reviews,
feedback and recommendations to other colleagues that I get from many Nigerian
broadcasters and journalists. Even, readers, listeners and viewers are daily
showering encomiums on me via my various social media platforms namely
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp. For instance, during one of my
interviews on People’s Assembly on Hot 98.3 FM in 2021, one of the callers on
the programme referred to me as a ‘Media Oracle’. Several other people have
also told me they leave whatever they are doing when they see me on TV or heard
me on radio. This is very inspiring!
A
Human Rights lawyer, Frank Tietie Esq referred to me as the most interviewed
Nigerian during the Annual Human Rights fiesta his NGO, CASER organised in
collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission on December 10, 2020 at
NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja. On Thursday, October 6, 2022 after my debut
appearance on JIGSAW with veteran broadcaster, Gbenga Aruleba on Africa
Independent Television (AIT), he remarked on a picture we took after the
programme which was posted on my Facebook wall thus “Always a delight having a
resourceful resource person like my brother, Jide Ojo, as guest on a
programme.” On Friday, October 7. 2022, a renowned Communication Specialist and
Analyst, Aro Leonard opined in a WhatsApp chat that “If there was a poll for
most loved broadcast media analyst, you will be number 1 😀”. This is a
heartwarming appraisal. Some people who
appreciates what I am doing and wished to be like me have also approached me
for mentorship which I willingly oblige, free of charge.
Conclusion
I use
this auspicious occasion to thank those who have encouraged me on this long
adventurous journey. They include Joel Nwokeoma, Online Editor with The PUNCH
who was instrumental in enlisting me as a columnist in 2012 when he was the
Features Editor with the media conglomerate, Chesa Ransome Chesa who engaged me
to be a columnist with The Authority on Sunday, Jude Igbanoi Esq. editor with
THISDAY, Mrs. Amber Olague former GM of ITV Abuja, Asiwaju Bode Gbadebo, Online
Editor with Leadership newspaper, late Nosa Osaigbovo of Daily Sketch and later
Nigerian Tribune and a host of others too numerous to mention.
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