By Kola Adepoju
I was reporting to three (3) bosses on Politics and Grassroots pages of Third Eye Newspapers in the late 90's.
They are Messrs Idowu Samuel of (blessed memory) of Tribune Newspapers fame who was the Political Editor and his able Assistant, a prolific feature writer, Olawale Rasheed who is also of Tribune Newspapers.
They came to Third Eye Newspapers like their counterparts from other frontline newspapers following military gulag clampdown .
Mr.Olawale Rasheed is presently the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.As a Journalist he is a great political analyst and highly inclined creative writer.
I used to read his features over and over repeatedly in those days at Oke Ibadan, Ibadan office of Third Eye Newspapers which was behind my prestigious school, Loyola College, Ibadan, and almost facing the 'troublesome' Oke Ibadan High School;a school feared by other students for all manners of vices, especially hooliganism in those days but yet produced many egg heads including the renowned erudite scholar and the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), the exceptionally brilliant Country Manager of Cassava:Adding Value for Africa (C:ava) and Founder, Sliden Africa, Prof Kola Adebayo a.k.a Amsterdam.
My other boss,the Editor of Grassroot page is the amiable, native intelligent, beneath the surface writer and a man with deep sense of humor, Mr.Adeola Oloko, who was the Chief Press Secretary to the then Governor Rasheed Ladoja and also the Spokesman of one of the very recent but late Olubadan of Ibadan,and who Insha Allah is most likely to be the Spokesman of Olubadan Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja.
The News Editor then was the late Mr.Paul Ogundipe,assisted by Mr. Akin Salvage and Mr. Richard Adegbesan.We also enjoyed the professionalism of ace Photographers like Tommy Adegbite in the newspapers published by the Ilesha born business magnate,Chief Akanni Aluko (of blessed memory).
I recalled that my late Editor, (Political Desk),Mr.Samuel was impressed with the story I did on Elder Wole Oyelese (who later became a Minister) and the crisis in Egbeda Local Government,his immediate constituency where he served as Chairman,as well as my report on the then political gladiators of Ogbomoso, namely; Chief Ayantayo Ayandele, Chief Adebayo Alao Akala who later became Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government and subsequently Deputy Governor and Governor of Oyo State.
Others are Chief Remi Odetomi who recently served as Commissioner in Oyo State,Chief Robert Koleoso, and Chief Omilabu a.k.a Omi Yaa.
The more reason I looked forward to my 'second missionary journey' so to say to Ogbomoso,not as Journalist like my first experience in the late 90's but as a University Administrator on one year sabbatical leave appointment(2023/2024) as Deputy Registrar at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH),Ogbomoso.
Unfortunately,apart from Chief Remi Odetomi who on my second coming was alive and still active in politics but was not in his element with the loss of his dear wife,others are either late or no longer active in politics.
Without sounding immodest ,Mr.Samuel was impressed by the coverage of the two assignments aforementioned, moreso being my first employment,having graduated from Nigerian Institute of Journalism(NIJ), Ogba, Ikeja in 1996, after which i had a brief spell with Television Service of Oyo State (TSOS) as a freelance reporter for few days with my Loyola College mate,Femi Olanibi and thereafter worked with the late Mr.Okiki Abiola of NTA Ibadan reportorial fame at his Oke Ogun CommunityNews.
Yours truly was covering Oke-Ogun( my ancestral homestead) for the Weekly Newspapers.
Third Eye was the first national newspapers that officially employed me,courtesy of an exclusive story I did as a freelance on a father and his son who were found guilty of armed robbery and were sentenced to death by firing squard.
I recall vividly that when I brought the story to the ever burstlng newsroom ,the duo of Messrs Ogundipe and Savage didn't believe the story because they were not aware of the case,nonetheless assigned it to me for coverage, moreso that they rated me as 'eaglet journalist', unknown to them that NIJ taught me to have good sources and also "to always nose for news".While ' nosing for news' as a roving reporter I ran into my informant at Iyaganku Police Headquarters who even paved the way for me to get (I guess) the charge sheet which I presented to my doubting bosses.
The report earned me commendation for a job well done even at the age of 26.As a result of the feat(exclusive story) which I learnt earned some other media outfits crime reporters queries for missing the big news, I was automatically employed by Third Eye Newspapers.
Recently,I laughed repeatedly when I saw the paltry sum of money I was earning as salary then in my appointment letter which I neatly kept in my archive.
Ironically,despite the huge gap between what I was earning then as a Reporter and today as a Senior Deputy Director in a Federal University it cannot meet a quarter of the demands that my meagre salary was taken care of comfortably then due to the prevailing economic crunch which has since dawned on our famished and pauperised nation.
It was at Third Eye that I met Segun Ogungbile who later changed his surname to Olugbile in Punch Newspapers where he served as News Editor,so also Dele Fanimo who was a year my senior at NIJ and also became the News Editor of Guardian Newspapers and Managing Director of Leadership Newspapers.Dele who came from Guardian Newspapers was our Oyo State Governor's Office Correspondent.
He was very probing of the then Col Usman when he was the Military Administrator.
In what appears like the saying of my former Vice-Chancellor, Prof.Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, the quintessential Administrator who God used to transform FUNAAB and he's as such revered as "The Architect of Modern FUNAAB", "commendation begets more responsibilities"; my boss assigned me to interview the then Senator Rasheed Ladoja at his No 10,Ondo Street,Bodija,Ibadan private residence.
Chief Ladoja who till date is a Reporter's delight gave me appointment for 7p.m because according him he would be coming straight from Abuja but somehow he was held up such that as at 9.pm he was still on his way.
But one thing that surprised me was that Chief Ladoja who by the grace of God was crowned earlier today as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadan Land demonstrated high level of humility and respect for this 'small boy' such that he was calling his personal aide at home every now and then apologizing for his lateness,pleading with me to kindly wait for him.
He also instructed his aides to give me any food and drink of my choice and better still,to book a prestigious hotel within the vicinity(GRA) provided I dont feel like going back home chauffeur driven in one of his cars.
At a point,the political heavyweight spoke to me in person with deep sense of concern on the phone of his aide informing me of an unforseen circumstances that prompted his lateness.
When Chief Ladoja arrived in the company of his political 'son' ,the handsome and robust Barrister Sharafadeen Alli now representing one of Ibadan Senatorials in the National Assembly, he was #deeply concerned, compassionate, caring and apologetic.
He did not attend to anybody right from the moment he alighted from his vehicle, apologizing profusely all the way with his native cap pressed forward and as such looking as if it is fixated at the middle of his head and threatening to fall off as he led me to a set of state- of- the art chairs where the interview took place
By the grace of God I conducted the interview there at his residence that same midnight and it turned out as a catchy,concise,revealing and post topical after it was published in the centre spread of Third Eye Newspapers.
Till date,the kingmaker of Ibadan Politics has never seized to amaze me going by my sweet and infectious memory of his humility and compassion.
That is the enviable man of pedigree that Ibadan Land at home and in diaspora is blessed today to have as the Olubadan of Ibadan Land.
Kabiyesi Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja is arguably the most successful Olubadan in modern history giving his antecedent as a Senator, Governor and Kabiyesi before ascending the throne of his forebears.
Kabiyesi Igba Odun Lori ite iseju kan ni.o.
I rest my pen....
....Kola Adepoju FICA,JP, is presently a Deputy Director and immediate.past Head of Public Relations at Federal University of Agriculture,Abeokuta (FUNAAB),as well as former Chairman of Correspondents' Chapel,NUJ Ogun State Council and Ambassador of Journalists,Ogun State
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