Former governor of Ogun State and doyen of the journalism profession in Nigeria, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, will on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, lead journalists and an array of dignitaries across all walks of life to unveil A Reporter and His Beat, a new book, written by a veteran journalist, Yinka Fabowale.
Osoba will chair the public presentation of the book, billed for 11:a.m. at Happies Recreation, an exclusive resort in Ikeja GRA, while former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi will be the special guest of honour.
Foremost lawyers, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN and Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, CFR, are billed as chief presenter and distinguished presenter at the event.
They will be joined by other prominent Nigerians including former governors, top government functionaries, political and religious leaders, traditional rulers, captains of industry and media chief executives who have indicated their intention to grace the occasion.
Among them are: former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja; former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Yemi Farounbi; the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Mahood Lekan Balogun; former President of the Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Mr. Olusegun Joseph Ajanlekoko; former Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Senator Kola Balogun, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN; ex-Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adebayo Ojo; and Chairman, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), Mr. Abiola Olagunju.
Also expected at the event are: Chairman, Nigeria Communication Commission, Prof Adeolu Akande; former Chairman, National Broadcasting Commission, Engr. Yomi Bolarinwa; media mogul and Chairman, Space FM 90.1, Otunba Deji Osibogun; former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lanre Ogundipe;, the Chairman, Oyo State Council of the NUJ; Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, his Nigerian Tribune counterpart, Mr. Edward Dickson, and the Executive Chairman, Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), Prince Dotun Oyelade; former Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Dr. Akin Onigbinde, former Military Commandant, Murtala Mohammed Airport, Group Captain John Ojikutu (retd).
Newspaper editors, journalists, and scholars, including former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Fountain University, Prof Goke Lalude and Prof Oyeyinka Oyewo and Dr. Yinka Egbokhare of the Communication and Language Arts Department, University of lbadan.
Former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Newspapers in Ghana, and President, The Crest Publishing Limited, Mr. Shola Oshunkeye, will review the book at the event which will be anchored by ace broadcaster and Nollywood actor, Tunji Aborisade.
A Reporter and His Beat, a memoir of the author’s journalism career, details the typical experiences and challenges of an African journalist rising from the level of a cub reporter to veteran. Besides surveying trends and changes in media settings, professional practice, ethos, traditions and scholarship, it also runs a commentary on the sociology of the Nigerian press.
It has generated positive reviews among literary experts and icons of the profession, who described it as a worthy contribution to journalism literature, as well as offering useful lessons for journalists, journalism teachers, students, policy makers as well as the average reader.
In a preliminary comment, the reviewer, Oshunkeye, a serial international award-winning journalist and the Multichoice/CNN African Journalist of the Year 2006, described the work as a “riveting memoir of an extraordinary journalist… worth its weight in diamond…” adding that it makes a compelling reading.
Fabowale has worked with Lagos Horizon, The Guardian, TELL weekly news magazine and The Sun Newspapers where he rose to Assistant Editor/Bureau Chief, South West.
He has also had stints as talkshow host with Space FM, and Radio Nigeria, both in Ibadan.