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Pendulum: The Importance of Celebrity Journalism in Africa Today

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By Dele Momodu

Fellow Africans, I’m proud to give you a feedback and update on my Fellowship at The African Studies Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

It all started as a joke, or one of those my brainwaves. I had toyed with the idea of heading back to school for further studies. But I was quite confused about which school, what course and when. I think my greatest enemy is time. I’m so permanently occupied with one activity or the other that I often wonder if I would ever have the chance and time to take time out, or even laze about, once in a while, like regular people. I believe I must have picked the habit of multitasking from two of my mentors and role models like Chief Moshood Abiola and Dr Mike Adenuga Jr. It amazes me how much work those two have packed into one lifetime. But they have fired me up with their drive, determination and ambition, so much that work has become an addiction.

I knew I would definitely go back to academia, either full-time or part time. Nothing else would ever make me happier. That was my dream and passion growing up as a young boy in the University city of Ile-Ife which combined tradition, history and culture with knowledge and innovation. But the risk and fear of hunger in our dear country Nigeria was always the beginning of wisdom. Since I had made up my mind to take the road less travelled in Nigeria, by not wasting my time with government people who see every critic as an enemy, I knew I must double up my hustle and pray for God’s bountiful harvests.

A window of opportunity opened up to me, almost spiritually. I had walked into the great Scholar, the first Black Rhodes Professor of Race Relations and Director, African Studies Centre, Oxford School of Global and Area Studies Fellow, St Anthony’s College, University of Oxford, Wale Adebanwi, by chance. I had not met him since he left his big job an erudite academic at the University of California, Davis. Incidentally, he was already a distinguished journalist before diving headlong into academia which he has also taken by storm. His stint in journalism, where he made a name for himself, has no doubt helped him in his exploits and achievements as a worthy ambassador of Nigeria in the field of journalism and academia.

I told Professor Adebanwi about my burning desire to return to school and he was very candid in his response. He told me it might be difficult for me, at my present level, and status, to find fulltime Studies enjoyable or worthwhile. I have not been back in school since I completed my Master’s degree at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife in 1988. So, I deferred to his superior knowledge and wisdom in this area and agreed with him. He suggested that I could apply for a Fellowship in the UK or America, which would be more flexible and less expensive. He said that I could apply to Oxford University and although he could not promise anything about the success or otherwise of my application to Oxford, he was confident that with my global exposure in journalism, it should be possible for most Universities, including Oxford to accept me and embrace my knowledge readily.

I decided,  at the outset, that I would only limit my application to Oxford University. I felt buoyed by the confidence in my capabilities which Professor Adebanwi had evinced. His belief in my ability and widespread acceptability and connect with the literary world resonated with me. The day I got a positive response from Oxford was one of my happiest days. Who won’t be happy associating with such a powerful brand? I know the impact will live with me forever. And that was how my journey started.

I must say it has been so amazing. The Oxford environment is very conducive for learning. The libraries are certainly some of the largest and most up to date in the world. My God. How have African schools and students coped without books and reading? It is a question I soliloquise about regularly. Those who say education is not important have lost their minds for sure. We are going nowhere until we recognise the values of grounded education. It is the foundation for all things positive that any nation would want to imbue in its citizens. From education you learn about listening, learning, understanding, capacity, diligence, hard work, resourcefulness, innovation and above all integrity.

Anyway, I have made good use of the facilities offered me. That is simply the best I can do in the circumstances. My research work has been on Society Journalism and social media in Africa. I realised shortly after embarking on the project that the work is so vast that I couldn’t conclude it within one academic session. My innate feelings were soon to become real as I discovered that I could not complete the daunting task that I had set for myself in the last academic session. This did not make me happy as I am someone who constantly seeks to achieve perfection in everything that I do. The good news is that Oxford has graciously renewed my Fellowship. I’m extremely grateful for this honour and privilege. I’m now expected to spend the next academic session doing my research, reviewing my work and preparing an exposition of my research and findings and developing my treatise and conclusions to be presented in a seminal paper which I will submit to the Department. I’m also using the opportunity to work on my autobiography in preparation for its launch as part of my 60th birthday celebrations next year May, by the grace of God.

My romance with society journalism could not have been by accident. As we love to say in Africa, it must have been preordained. My trajectory is almost surreal. Working for extremely famous and influential Nigerians has definitely prepared me for the humbling roles I’m currently playing in African media. The most important tools required for this job are confidence, courage and access. It takes a lot of guts and skills to penetrate the rich and famous. You must be able to hold your head high, be self-assured and audacious. You must be brave and convincing, displaying that you a master of your game. The rich, famous and notorious have to know and trust you reasonably well and same goes for you. Trust is therefore another key element, without which you may be kicked around like a football. Respect is another. It is essential that you are able to command the respect of those that you come in contact with. That, sadly, is the bane of many of our society journalists today. They do not respect themselves and therefore do not get the respect which should normally follow from those that they seek to interact with. Essentially, to become a celebrated society journalist you must have integrity. That is the benchmark or quality control which separates you from the best of the rest. Unfortunately, most of our present crop of journalists do not recognise this. It pays to be old school. The rewards can be great not just in financial terms, but also with respect to acceptance, status, contentment and fulfilment.

Though I didn’t set out deliberately to be a society reporter, I just found something I could hardly escape pulling me in that direction, almost helplessly. My foray into journalism was mainly out of joblessness. I would have preferred to be an author and editor of books than being an editor or publisher of newspapers and magazines. But it was not to be. I have no regrets though. I know and I have since proven that the one may be just a steppingstone to the other.

I started reporting hard news at the African Concord magazine when I arrived Lagos in 1988. My transfer to Weekend Concord, a tabloid, changed my life and career. My wide contacts from my personal relationships nurtured in the ancient town of Ile-Ife and extended as I expanded my horizons came in handy. I didn’t have to introduce myself in most places. My contacts and, more and more, as time went by, my exploits and writings meant that I was readily recognised and appreciated. Meeting people and extracting information from them was quite easy and straightforward from then on. I was lucky because people felt drawn to me and felt the need to talk to me and sometimes give me scoops, either wittingly or unwittingly. The result was that I produced covers after covers to the delight of our bosses, patrons and readers.

Society journalism wasn’t this big at the time. Not many society people could even be classified as such. And so, we had to manage and cultivate the ones that were available. And they belonged in different categories. They included royalty, sports men and women, artistes, business titans, and upwardly mobile professionals. Our society was not as open as it is today. We needed to convince them of our noble intentions. We live in a society when jealousy and envy are very common attributes.

There were several publications publishing the lifestyle of the rich and famous. We also had to create celebrities out of wannabes. It was not an easy task. Society journalism was more of hyping the assumed celebs. Some of the stories were sensational. We stepped on toes, some powerful, others not so. The earliest publications were gossipy and thrived on hyperbole. The screaming headlines often bore no correlation to the body of the stories. They fooled and titillated their readers endlessly. That style is being packaged and repackaged now, but oftentimes not with the style and guile of the original progenitors.

We had Lagos Weekend, Prime People, Vintage People, Fame, Climax, Encomium, City People, First Weekly, Global News, amongst others. They looked identical and had the same angles and convictions. And everyone was afraid to be put on those covers except when the stories were positive.

Things changed when Ovation International magazine came on board. The Directors decided they won’t damage reputations, but rather build and promote the best of Africa. Naysayers said it cannot, and will not, work. The quality was another feather to our cap. It was different in style and taste and too beautiful to behold. Many doubters said it is impossible to maintain the standards that we had set for ourselves from the very first edition. This was in 1996. 23 years after, the quality has not gone down. Instead we have over time continually improved on thee quality. We have maintained the same Printers in Enfield, England, in the past 18 years, because we believed that the style and quality could not be compromised. Our Printers have kept faith with us and kept ensuring the improvement of our product and brand.

Many copycats also came from nowhere with each promising to give us a run for our money. There were also foreign franchises like Ok and Hello magazines that were bought and brought to Nigeria as some sort of competition to us. I’m not sure they remain in circulation, not because they were not beautiful and appealing, but due to lack of patronage, especially in the area of advertisements.  We have had our fair share of disappointments in that area, but we have always been proactive in everything that we do. The secret of our survival is as tight as that of Coca Cola…

To be continued…

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Ezekiel Bolarinwa Ajayi: Mentor, Philanthropist Revels at 80

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By Eric Elezuo

The ancient town of Ile-Ife was agog weekend, when Professor Ezekiel Bolarinwa Oladele Ajayi, a renowned educationist, accomplished mentor and elder brother of veteran journalist, Dele Momodu, pulled all the stops to mark a resounding entry into the octogenarian club, celebrating his 80th birthday with fanfare, pomp and class.

The event, which attracted family members, colleagues in the academic world, friends and well wishers, was another testament in the expression of influence, clout and connection.

Held at the Rock Rehoboth Cathedral in the centre of Ile-Ife, the event brought out the best in the Stanford trained PHD holder, as beamed with contagious smiles, absorbing accolades from a crowd of well wishers and dignitaries, most of whom traveled half  way across the world to felicitate with the newest octogenarian.

A lavished reception followed after heartfelt prayers were said for the celebrant flanked by his wife of many years, children and grandchildren. The reception witnessed guests savoring the best of continental and local delicacies as well as dancing happily to the old school tunes.

The highpoint of the event was the cutting of the gigantic cake by the birthday boy around whom were dotting family members.

As guests expressed their profound, hearty and sincere congratulations towards the octogenarian, whose event changed the landscape of Ife, many recalled how they have come a long way from their very humble beginning in Gbongan Olufi.

Fondly called Ladele, Prof Ajayi was born on March 23, 1944 in Gbongan, Osun State, where he had his earliest beginnings.

He statted his education at the Saint Paul’s School Gbongan, before moving on to Saint Judes School, Ebute Metta, and later to Saint Stephens School, Ile-Ife, where he completed his primary education.

After his elementary education, he was admitted into the Government College lbadan, where he was described as having  ‘passed out in exceedingly bright colours’. As many that knows him has confirmed that Prof Ajayi was a walking encyclopedia, and vibrated with intelligence while at school.

It was not therefore, surprising that he later proceeded to the United States of America, after his secondary education, where he attended various prestigious Universities including Stanford University. It is worthy of note that all his appearances for university education were on different scholarships. It was also at Stanford that he bagged his PhD honours.

On the completion of his PhD programme in Stanford, Prof Ajayi was recruited by the University of Ife, as it was then known, before its transmutation to Obafemi Awolowo University, where he later became a Professor of Physics, a position he jealousy guarded until retirement from active classroom duties.

According to a very close family member and confidant, Bola Adeyemo, who spoke glowingly about their fond relationship, Prof Ajayi “also became active in things of God. Like a proverbial gold fish, he has been recognized as a Pastor. Ladele played a mentoring role in the final years of school for my twin daughters who both graduated from the medicine program in the same University.

“The mutual fondness between Ladele and I remains very much intact. Ladele and l share common ancestry. His father who was the Otun Olufi of Gɓongan was a much older cousin to my mother and was fondly referred to as baba mi ile ASORO. They both had the same tribal marks. Ladele can be classified as belonging to the royal class as his father was the OTUN OLUFI while his mother was the daughter of the ÒOSA, first class chief in Gbongan.”

A life of Prof Ajayi without a mention of prolific publisher of the Ovation brands,  Chief Momodu, remains incomplete. It is worthy of note that apart from both sharing the same mum as siblings, the Prof was instrumental in shaping and mentally mentoring Momodu on the path of education. His 80th birthday was a reminder of how it used to be in times past as it marks a form of reunion for the Ajayi extended household.

Among those who attended were his daughter, Kemi Ajayi-Ingram, who flew in all the way from the United States of America, with her entire family; his niece, Yejide Ajayi among a host of others.

We wish the ebullient octogenarian a splendid birthday, and many ore years of splendid celebrations.

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Easter, Ramadan: Adeleke Releases March Salaries, Pension, Palliatives, Approves Promotion for Personnel

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Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has approved the release of salaries, pensions and palliatives for the month of March for all public servants in the state, as well as approved the promotion of service personnel due for promotion from 2023.

Adeleke’s show of love for the entire workforce, is in spite of the fact that the State allocation from the Federation account is yet to be released, according to a statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.

The Head of Service, Mr Samuel Ayanleye Aina confirmed the approval of the March salaries, pension and palliatives, noting that the fast tracked approval covered all categories of state and local government employees including tertiary institutions in the State.

“I can confirm that Mr Governor has approved the March salaries, pension and palliative wage awards, including the usual payment of the outstanding half salary for retirees under the contributory pension scheme yet to obtain their bonds. Mr Governor requested for the file and granted immediate approval.

“Any moment from now, alerts will be landing in our peoples’ accounts. This is a preemptive step on the part of Mr Governor to meet the needs of our people”, the Head of Service explained.

Governor Adeleke who has been hosting inter faith leaders at the Government House said he approved the early payment to ease the burden of the workers ahead of the Easter period.

“As I wish muslim and christian faithfuls blessed fasting season, the early payment is a gesture of support for workers whose welfare remains the number one priority of our administration”, the Governor noted.

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FG Announces Nine Individuals, Six BDCs Financing Terrorism

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The Federal Government says it has uncovered the identity of 15 entities, including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change operators and firms, allegedly involved in terrorism financing.

Details of the development were revealed by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, in an email seen by The Punch on Tuesday night, entitled “Designation of Individuals and Entities for March 18, 2024.”

The document revealed that the Nigeria Sanctions Committee met on March 18, 2024, where specific individuals and entities were recommended for sanction following their involvement in terrorism financing.

“The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, with the approval of the President, has thereupon designated the following individuals and entities to be listed on the Nigeria Sanctions List,” the document read in part.

Among the individuals named in the document was a Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamu, who is currently being tried by the Federal Government for allegedly aiding the terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train in March 2022.

According to the document, Mamu “participated in the financing of terrorism by receiving and delivering ransom payments over the sum of $200,000 US in support of ISWAP terrorists for the release of hostages of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.”

The document said one of the individuals is “the suspected attacker of the St. Francis Catholic Church Owo, Ondo State on June 5, 2022 and the Kuje Correctional Center, Abuja on July 5, 2022.”

Another was described as “a member of the terrorist group Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladissudam, the group is associated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

 “The subject was trained and served under Muktar Belmokhtar, aka One Eyed Out, led Al-Murabtoun Katibat of AQIM in Algeria and Mali.”

The NFIU said the individual “specialises in designing terrorist clandestine communication code and he is also Improvised Explosive Device expert.

“The subject was also a gate keeper to ANSARU leader, Mohammed Usman aka Khalid Al-Bamawi. Equally, he was a courier and travel guide to AQIM Katibat in the desert of Algeria and Mali. He is into carpentry. Subject fled Kuje correctional centre on July 5, 2022. He is currently at large.”

Another was identified as “a senior commander of the Islamic State of West Africa Province Okene.”

The agency said, the individual “came into limelight in 2012 as North Central wing of Boko Haram.

“The group is suspected of the attacks carried out around Federal Capital Territory and the South West Geographical Zone, including the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.”

Another was described as “a financial courier to ISWAP Okene. She is responsible for the disbursement of funds to the widows/wives of the terrorist fighters of the group.”

According to the document, another of the individuals “in 2015, transferred N60m to terrorism convicts.”

He was also said to have “received a sum of N189m  between 2016 and 2018.”

The same person is said to “own entities and business reported in the UAE court judgment as facilitating the transfer of terrorist funds from Dubai to Nigeria.”

Another individual was said to have “received a total of N57m from between 2014 and 2017.”

Another was said to have “had a total inflow of N61.4 bn and a total outflow of N51.7bn from his accounts.”

The document further revealed that, in accordance with Section 54 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, institutions and individuals are required to:

“(a) immediately, identify and freeze, without prior notice, all funds, assets, and any other economic resources belonging to the designated persons and entities in your possession and report same to the Sanctions Committee;

“(b) report to the Sanctions Committee any assets frozen or actions taken in compliance with the prohibition requirements.

“(c) immediately file a Suspicious Transactions Report to the NFIU for further analysis on the financial activities of such an individual or entity; and

“(d) report as a Suspicious Transactions Report to the NFIU, all cases of name matching in financial transactions prior to or after receipt of this List. ”

It said the “The freezing obligation required above shall extend to

“(a) all funds or other assets that are owned or controlled by the designated persons and entities, and not only those that are tied to a particular act, plot, or threat of terrorism or terrorism financing;

“(b) those funds or other assets that are wholly or jointly owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by designated persons or entities;

“(c) the funds or other assets derived or generated from funds or other assets owned or controlled directly or indirectly by designated persons or entities; and

“(d) funds or other assets of persons and entities acting on behalf of, or at the direction of designated persons or entities.”

The Punch

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