Meet Olusegun Osoba: The Hard-Nosed Journalist Who Shook The Country With Constant Earth-Shattering News
Olusegun Osoba is as hard-nosed as they come. Heralded as one of the finest journalists to ever come out of Nigeria, Olusegun Osoba was a mainstay in the media during the political struggle for power and state control that emanated in the 60s.
Immensely dedicated to his craft, Olusegun was the most curious of journalists, going to great lengths to uncover earth-shattering news. It was his dedication to his work that ensured he was the first to find and photograph the bullet-riddled body of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, who was killed during the 1966 military coup.
“What helped me to succeed in those years was an early investment in acquiring a telephone at home, which was a rarity in those days particularly for a young reporter. And I had a small notebook which I always carried with me. It was filled with addresses and phone numbers of contacts, politicians and newsmakers. I built this extensive database from my years as a young reporter. My private telephone line was one of the tools that helped me to excel as a reporter – a source of easy and regular contact with powerful sources of news. I was the only reporter in Lagos in 1964 that had a telephone in his house,” he later revealed, in an interview.
Not only was he one of the finest of his profession, he also offered great insights when presented with an opportunity to give them. Recalling his encounter with the famed journalist in his new book Encounters – Lessons From My Journalism Career was veteran journalist, Azuh Arinze, who divulged key lessons from the man, some of which were to take risks, keep one’s hands clean, and maintain quality relationships.
While his journalism career was stellar, his transition to politics was equally impressive as he was elected Governor of Ogun State twice in 1992 and 1999.
Olusegun Osoba is featured in Azuh Arinze’s Encounters – Lessons From My Journalism Career, which chronicles the experiences of the author throughout his career. Through this book, Azuh Arinze allows readers to examine 20 years’ worth of journalistic experience in 60 captivating chapters, highlighting some of his encounters with industry heavyweights. Azuh Arinze, who is the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of ‘Yes International!’ served as the Editor of Encomium Weekly from 2003 to 2011.
