Spotlight
Osinbajo speaks on what to expect from Buhari’s second term
BY: Justice Godfry
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo gave the 50th convocation lecture at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Monday. The lecture titled ‘Nigeria Rising…The Path to Prosperity’, Osinbajo itemises what has been done to reposition the country and what needs to be done. Excerpts:
I suspect that the choice of the subject of this lecture: ‘Nigeria Rising…The Path to Prosperity’ was informed by the curiosity of the university about what to expect from the Buhari administration in the next four years.
I will speak to this in several parts.
Perhaps I may begin by affirming the belief of the Buhari Administration that Nigeria’s prosperity means a decent existence for all. Second, that prosperity so defined will be attained if we are able to address the issues of extreme poverty, productivity, corruption, the rule of law and the deficiencies in the quality of Human Resources caused by poor education and healthcare ) .
This last point is possibly the most fundamental. How to ensure that we maximise the potential of the abundant Human Resources that we have. This implies that we must have a robust enough healthcare system that ensures that the average person is in good health, an educational system that guarantees education capable of preparing children for the opportunities and challenges of a knowledge economy, a thriving private sector-led economy supported by a business-friendly environment , a system of wealth creation options and safety nets capable of taking millions out of poverty and providing for those who cannot work.
The wealth creation options must include access to cheap credit for smallholder farmers, traders and artisans. The safety nets include government created job schemes for the unemployed and cash transfers for the poorest and most vulnerable.
In planning the path to prosperity we also took into account the age-old weaknesses of the Nigerian economy , and the illusion of prosperity that frequently distorts our understanding of the actual fragility of our economy. First is the focus on GDP growth figures, without a clear understanding of the underlying dynamic. 60% of GDP growth is dependent on oil revenues. How? While the oil sector contributes between 8-12percent, the non-oil sector contributed between 88-92 percent of GDP. However, between 50-53percent of the non-oil sector is also dependent on the fortunes of the oil sector.
This means the economy rested on a tripod where two of the three legs were dependent on highly volatile oil prices and production.
This shaky economic structure enabled Nigeria to keep growing as long as revenue from oil and foreign reserves were high enough and of course we celebrated this fragile growth structure. By the very nature of extractive industries high oil revenues does not mean more jobs or better human development indices. Jobs are only created where there is value added. A thriving petrochemical industry would of course have created jobs directly from the oil and gas industry .
The economy had also been running a consumption growth model which is only advantageous if consumption is been met by domestic production of goods and services. However our structure was based on consumption of large portions of imports. As long as there was plenty of oil based foreign exchange in the reserves to import and fuel consumption our economy kept growing in GDP terms but few jobs were being created and more people were going into poverty.
The majority of the affluent in this economic are the professionals, financial services contractors and others able to plug into the rent seeking opportunities that are created when the biggest business is government owned. The productive sector, the real manufacturers, the value adding businesses are relatively few.
The main source of the income coming to this class of individuals is oil revenue. When oil revenues fall, not only does GDP growth fall but this most affluent but unproductive sector suffers. Also in understanding the problems of the Nigerian economy, the place of corruption, especially grand corruption is crucial . The same oil earnings meant to develop infrastructure, fund education and healthcare end up in private pockets. The feeding frenzy is worse in times of high earnings from oil. A combination of theft of public revenues and the consequent failure to invest in infrastructure as well as a largely rentier or rent seeking business class is what accounts for Nigeria’s economic quagmire. The other problem is that of extreme poverty. A problem that for reasons already adduced increases even where oil earnings are high.
It was clear to us that we needed to devise an economic plan that prioritise:
Building of infrastructure especially rail, roads, power and ports.
Productivity as we diversified the economy from oil and gas,
The fight against public sector corruption,
Developing a new educational curriculum that emphasizes Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths
A new approach to resourcing healthcare
A Social Investment programme that deals with issues of extreme poverty and unemployment. The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan effectively addressed these issues.
So,how far have we gone and what is the next level?
We believe that creating an environment for productivity investment in hard and soft infrastructure is crucial. Soft infrastructure covers the whole gamut of the regulatory environment for business. For hard infrastructure we have focused on economically strategic roads, rail, power and ports accross the country. Roads and rail linking important commercial centres are prioritised.
As of today in two budget cycles despite earning over 60% less than the previous government we have invested 2.7trillion on capital the highest in the country. We have recently commissioned the Lagos Abeokuta Ibadan end of the new standard gauge Lagos Kano Rail. The rail originates from the Apapa port which means that cargo will be moved by rail from the Apapa port, this will significantly ameliorate the congestion of that port.
To expand port facilities generally we are currently dredging the Warri Port. In Lagos work is going on in the private sector led Lekki Port and the Badagry Port has also attracted significant foreign capital and interest. In Abuja after almost fifteen years we have completed and commissioned the Abuja light rail project starting from the airport to the city Centre.
Similarly we completed and commissioned the Abuja Kaduna Railway. The Itakpe Warri Railway has also been completed linking the iron ore deposits to the Warri port. Here in the southwest of Nigeria, work is ongoing on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta Expressway, the Ikorodu-Sagamu Road, and the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Road. The contract for the Lagos-Badagry Expressway has been awarded and work has already begun.
On Power, we have moved generation from 4000 to 8100 MW. But the effect of this increase in generation has not translated significantly to better service to the consumer.
This is mainly due to distribution challenges. Over 2000 MW of power is not taken up by the discos for distribution to consumers largely because of problems they experience in collection of Tarrif , but one of the reasons for this is the fact that the discos have not invested significantly in metering. We have now embarked on a major metering Initiative
The Metering Assets Programme which involves private metering Assets providers.
In addition the Federal government has in the past eighteen months taken on the deficiencies in transmission head on through the TCN and the NDPHC we are completing transmission projects all around the country. But the more important strategy is to decentralize power production. So we have adopted an off grid programme. Which means that we are encouraging private investors to collaborate with government to build IPPs and supply power to willing buyers.
This was made possible by what is called an eligible customer declaration by the Ministry of power works and Housing. By this collaboration we have been providing power, especially Solar Power to economic clusters such as markets across the country including , Ariaria market in Aba, 31993 shops , Sabongari market in Kano 13,598 shops, Sura market in Lagos 1047. Isikan 493, NEPA 256, Gbagi 8778, UMBC 2178, a total of 81691shops servicing 320000 SMEs.In Lagos we recently commissioned the Sura market solar project, the businesses there now have 24 hour power. From printers, commercial tailors to small chop businesses, everyone is employing more and making more profit.
The next level is to ensure completion of the major infrastructure projects. The main drawback is funding. We have established an infrastructure fund.
The Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund
Second Niger Bridge
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
Mambilla Hydro Power Project
Abuja-Kano Expressway
East-West Road
If we stick to our agenda in the next two years we will see the most significant improvements, in our power sector in history. Industrial Infrastructure is a major component of our economic transformation plan. Project MINE Made in Nigeria for Export is the major plank of our industrial policy. The idea is to build Special Economic Zones which accommodate industries for local manufacture of goods for which Nigeria has a comparative advantage. These include cotton, garments, leatherware etc. The Nigerian EZ investment company, a public private partnership company is the delivery vehicle for the project. The objectives are to boost manufacturing share of GDP to 20% and make Nigeria the leading regional manufacturing hub for Sub-Saharan Africa, create 1.5 million new jobs in manufacturing, generate $30bn in non-oil export earnings annually, improve the utilization of Nigeria’s resources and comparative advantage and whilst creating strong domestic value chains and create local models of global best practice in industrial infrastructure and enabling business environment. Already work has begun in three locations.
The Enyimba Economic City in Aba covering over 9500 hectares outside Aba in Abia State. Master planning, feasibility studies and detailed design have been completed for phase 1. Three international anchor tenants have been secured for phase 1. The city will be served by an existing IPP for power and will create 625000 jobs when fully built.
There is also the Lekki Model Industrial Park in partnership with the Lagos State Government. It is set on 1000 hectares in the NE cluster of Lekki Free Zone. It has already attracted world class anchor tenants for textile and garments, agri-processing and light industrial manufacturing including the no 1 Chinese and No 9 global textile and garment group.
The proximity to petrochemical feedstock from the Dangote refinery for,synthetic textile and garment manufacturing makes the park irresistible for investors. The third project in its early stages is the Funtua Cotton Cluster in Katsina State.
Funtua has the largest aggregation of cotton ginneries in Nigeria. “The cluster will aggregate cotton from 800,000 farmers in Northern Nigeria and become the largest integrated cotton ginning, spinning and weaving complex in Sub Saharan Africa. It will re-establish the cotton value chain from seed cotton to finished fabric and provide feedstock for domestic and export oriented garment manufacturing”( Okey Enelamah)
We believe that the future for job creation and efficient and profitable businesses lies in innovation and technology. We have partnered with local and international tech companies and innovators, in the building of tech hubs, and promoting innovation. Our aim is to completely democratise access to innovation and cyber commerce and create jobs.
We have established hubs in collaboration with the WB and LBS..the climate change innovation hub . In Yola, the North East Humanitarian Hub. We have also in collaboration with Cicvic Hub promoted technology and innovation in universities with the Students innovation challenge in the six geopolitical zones, and technology hubs in three.
Our technology agenda is premised on our new educational curriculum which emphasizes STEAM. Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. We are currently developing that curriculum with the support of global players like MIT, Cisco, IBM and Oracle, a nationwide curriculum that incorporates 21st century STEAM thinking: coding, design skills, digital arts, robotics, machine learning, and so on.
The curriculum will cover primary to secondary education. The Arts component of that vision is extremely important to us. Visual arts, dance, music, film and theatre, comedy, literature – these and many more are fields in which Nigeria is has proved to the world that it is full of talent and originality and ambition.
At the highest levels of the government in Abuja, we are creating opportunities to engage with artists to better understand how we can, as a government, support you to succeed.
We believe that like technology entertainment and the arts require active support, especially in the development of policies as we engage uncharted territory in the coming years. Consequently the President directed that we establish a technology and creativity advisory group, to work on and formulate policies in these very dynamic spaces. We have had about three meetings so far.
Assembly Plants
At the top of the mechanisation chain are six assembly plants to be activated and spread across the six geo-political zones. The assembly plants will undertake the assembly of tractors and processing equipment as well as light manufacturing of parts which will be sent out to the Service Centers closer to the farmers across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
The first assembly plant, among a total of six (6) to operate, to assemble tractors and implements, will be located in Bauchi State in an already existing facility owned by a private operator. It is projected that almost 5,000 tractors will be assembled in Nigeria every year.
Service Centres
There will be a total of 780 Service Centers spread across all the Local Government Areas in all the states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Primarily, the Service Centre will offer a technological package consisting of machinery and equipment services (agricultural mechanisation- e.g. rental of tractors), quality inputs (improved seeds varieties, fertilisers and pesticides), technical assistance and training for small holder farmers in order to ensure consistent results of productivity and quality of agriculture produce.
The Service Centre will also perform an important market function of being able to aggregate primary produce for processing and haulage to markets. This establishes a means for monetisation and loan repayment based on a percentage of its own agricultural production.
109 of these Service Centers will be located in the 109 senatorial districts in Nigeria and classified as “ Process Service Center”. Process Service Centers will, in addition to the already mentioned services, have processors which serve as a throughput with which value can be added to agricultural produce brought in by local farmers. Service Centers will be based on the comparative and complementary advantage each location has and also along value chain lines.
The value chain will cover Grains & Cereal, Livestock, Poultry, Fruits, Roots & Tubers, Horticulture and other areas.
Young technicians, from The N-Power Agro Programme will join the technical staff of the Service Centres to provide agricultural extension services and production planning, carried out jointly with small holder producers and geared towards market demand.
Impact
Through the implementation of the Green Imperative, 5 million people will be impacted, 100,000 technical personnel will be trained, and 4,848 tractors will be assembled each year, resulting in the ultimate injection of $12 Billion into the local economy over 10 years.
Additionally, it will increase production and productivity, leading to a reduction in food prices and the cost of living, a drop in food imports, as well as improved food security while boosting exports significantly. The Green Imperative is the next level for Nigerian Agriculture.
The third is the Social investment Programme . The SIP is the largest and most ambitious social protection programme in the history of Nigeria. We provided N500b for it in both 2016 and 2017. But total spend on the programme is closer to 250 billion from both budgets.
The programme has four components. The Npower programme our graduate employment scheme is the largest post-tertiary jobs project in Africa. 500,000 graduates have been recruited as teachers, agricultural extension workers, and as public health officials. Each of these volunteers is provided with an electronic tablet containing relevant training materials including some with which they are trained to provide the required services on an on-going basis. The device also empowers them to participate in the digital economy as data collectors and analysts.
Under the scheme we are giving microcredits to 2 million petty traders across the country. The scheme enables them to draw further credit if they are able to pay back within six months. The credit schemes also achieve major By giving them credit to replenish and increase their inventories, we give them a stronger chance, to earn more, while they also service the value chain that they are a part of. But more importantly, we bring them into the formal sector, where they have access to government and private credit . GEEP has led to one of the most successful financial inclusion outcomes, the opening of 349,000 new bank accounts/wallets for beneficiaries and intending beneficiaries.
Nigeria took the decision to embark on a School Feeding Programme as an important part of our Human Capital development agenda, by tackling the broader issues of eradication of poverty, food and nutrition security, increasing school enrollment. The At a cost of $0.19 per child per day we are able to provide a balanced meal for every one of the children. 9,300,892 million pupils in 49,837 public primary schools in 26 states across Nigeria benefit daily.
The programme employs 95,422 cooks, and over 100,000 small holder farmers linked to the program supplying locally sourced ingredients. This translates to 594 cattle, 138,000 chickens, 6.8 million eggs, 83 metric tons of fish that are procured, prepared, and distributed each week.
As you can imagine, the quantity of starch, and vegetables required for this program on a weekly basis is equally impressive. Dietary energy and nutrients with established links to cognition- carbohydrates, protein, fat, iron and iodine as well as minerals with public health importance–are targeted by the NHGSF.
The program aims to provide 50% of the Recommended Nutrient Intake targets for protein and prioritised micronutrients (iron, iodine, zinc, vitamin A, folate and vitamin C and 30% of energy because of the high burden of undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in Nigeria. There is also a deworming programme attached to the school Feeding programme.
By the end of the year the number of new States joining will increase, the NHGSFP is set to become the largest school feeding programme in Africa.
Conclusion
We restored medium term planning with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan which served as a useful lodestone in improving macroeconomic performance, boosting the real sector of the economy and building infrastructure.
The decline in growth which started at the end of 2014 has been reversed, inflation has stabilised at about 11% over the past six months and our current account was in surplus at about 1.3% of GDP last year. Our foreign reserves can cover at least 9 months of import of goods and services and despite understandable concerns, our debt burden is only about 22% of the size of our economy which is one of the lowest ratios in the world.
We have very clear objectives. Clear plans. As you know the problem of our country is not the planning…or in designing great projects. It is in the actual implementation. We are fortunate that Muhammadu Buhari is not an orator…he is a doer.
In an extraordinary display of excellence, Kingsley Ifeanyi Adonu, a leading MTN Nigeria partner from Enugu, has shattered records to claim the top prize at the 2024 MTN Nigeria Partners Award.
Adonu emerged as the number one partner in airtime and data distribution across Nigeria, a monumental achievement that marks the first time a partner from the Southeast has reached such heights in the history of MTN Nigeria.
This victory is not just a personal milestone for Adonu but a transformative moment for the Southeast region.
His success is a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of resilience, innovation, and determination. In a competitive field of partners nationwide, Adonu’s achievement stands as a bold reminder that greatness knows no boundaries.
“This is more than an award; it is a symbol of what is possible when you believe in yourself and commit fully to your vision,” Adonu said during his acceptance speech. “I dedicate this victory to the Southeast region and to everyone striving to achieve the impossible. Let this inspire us all to break barriers and set new records.”
MTN Nigeria lauded Adonu’s exceptional contribution, describing his win as a historic moment that underscores the importance of dedication and strategic leadership.
“Kingsley Ifeanyi Adonu’s success is proof that dreams backed by action can rewrite history. He has set a new standard for excellence and innovation among all MTN partners,” said a senior MTN executive.
This milestone achievement is a source of pride for the Southeast region and an inspiration for future generations. Adonu’s journey demonstrates that with focus and determination, even the loftiest goals can be achieved.
His groundbreaking success is a rallying cry for others to push boundaries, take bold steps, and transform their aspirations into reality.
Kingsley Ifeanyi Adonu’s victory will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on MTN Nigeria’s history and the telecommunications industry as a whole, igniting a wave of ambition and progress nationwide.
Spotlight
Rachel Weeping for Her Children: Finding Hope for Nigeria this Christmas
By Abidemi Adebamiwa
In the aftermath of the tragic stampede in Nigeria that took the lives of many, including children, the words from the Bible in Jeremiah 31:15 feel so real: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because they are no more.”
This verse paints a vivid picture of a mother’s deep sorrow, symbolizing the collective grief of a nation losing its children.
This sorrow should remind us of the urgent need for unity and compassion in the face of such profound loss. For Nigeria, grappling with hardship and heartbreak, this moment must become a lesson—not an opportunity for political games, but a time for true leadership and healing.
The reference to Ramah is significant. According to biblical commentaries like those in Matthew 2:18, Ramah was a location tied to immense sorrow—a place where Jewish captives were gathered before being taken into exile.
In the New Testament, this verse is echoed to describe the anguish of mothers during King Herod’s massacre of the innocents.
Rachel’s weeping transcends individual grief, symbolizing a communal mourning for lost innocence and life. As Christmas approaches, the resonance of this story deepens. Just as mothers mourned during the events surrounding Jesus’ birth, we too, as Nigerians, must share in the pain of grieving families affected by this tragedy. Their sorrow is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the need for compassion.
This recent stampede mirrors the sorrow captured in Jeremiah’s lament. Rachel’s weeping symbolized the heartbreak of a people torn apart by exile, a grief so profound it reverberates through history.
Today’s tragedy echoes that anguish, as several incidents across Nigeria have claimed dozens of lives.
In one instance, at least 32 people died in a stampede during a rush to collect Christmas gifts. Another report revealed the devastating loss of 10 lives, including children, at a charity event meant to bring relief.
In yet another tragedy, the death toll at a food distribution center exceeded 50, leaving families shattered and communities in mourning.
Festus Adedayo, in his poignant article “Harvest of Human Chickens for Christmas,” recounts the story of a mother who lost her newborn in the chaos, a life so young and innocent, gone in an instant. Separately, I also heard the heartbreaking story of another mother who had taken four children to a food distribution but tragically lost three of them in the chaos. These unimaginable losses expose the harsh reality of life for so many Nigerians, where even moments of goodwill can end in despair.
Leadership is not about projecting invincibility but about showing compassion when things fall apart. Take former President Barack Obama as an example. During a memorial for slain peace officers in Dallas, he openly wept.
This act of vulnerability was not a sign of weakness but a demonstration of deep care, which strengthened the bond between him and the American people. Having worked with an organization connected to Obama’s career, I have seen firsthand how such openness can create trust and a sense of shared purpose, inspiring hope even in the darkest times.
Contrast this with leaders who attempt to appear unshakeable in moments that demand empathy and connection. For example, Donald Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his need for God’s forgiveness alienated many Christians, a key part of his political base.
As someone who attended an evangelical institution deeply tied to Trump’s support during his election, I saw firsthand how such statements created unease within that community. Additionally, his premature departure from the hospital during his COVID-19 treatment—an effort to project strength—ultimately backfired, costing him both sympathy and credibility. Such actions demonstrated a disconnect between his leadership image and the emotional expectations of his followers. People need to see their leaders’ humanity, as it reassures them that their struggles and emotions are understood and shared.
President Tinubu’s reliance on spokespersons to deliver “soft” messages after tragedies creates a sense of detachment. Nigerians need to see their president’s heart. A tear, a heartfelt speech, or an open show of grief could go a long way to heal the nation’s wounds. Leaders who don’t show they care risk appearing indifferent, which can deepen anger and disillusionment.
That said, this is not a time for blame. Even with a free press, lashing out at Tinubu won’t help Nigeria heal. This tragedy demands collective mourning and a shared understanding of the loss and pain. Divisive criticism will only widen the gaps that need bridging.
Beyond emotional leadership, practical solutions are essential. Take Nigeria’s fuel pricing issue: why should Nigerians pay international rates for fuel when they live in an oil-producing country? I’ve argued before that Dangote Refinery should sell fuel domestically at its production cost, not the global benchmark.
Policies like this prioritize people over profits, demonstrating that leaders view citizens as individuals, not just statistics.
Research underscores the importance of combining macroeconomic strategies with microeconomic realities.
Articles like “Microeconomic Foundations of Macroeconomic Policy” highlight how integrating small-scale insights can improve large-scale plans. Leaders who focus solely on broad numbers often miss the lived struggles of real families. For example, “Microeconomic Behavior and Macroeconomic Outcomes” explains that effective policies must address daily challenges. By blending these perspectives, governments can create solutions that are fair and meaningful.
History also teaches us that the greatest leaders—from Abraham Lincoln to Nelson Mandela—embraced vulnerability. Lincoln’s emotional speeches during the Civil War and Mandela’s tireless reconciliation efforts after apartheid united their people.
They understood that true strength comes from compassion and connection.
President Tinubu has a rare and pivotal opportunity to lead Nigeria through this moment of sorrow and despair.
By demonstrating genuine care for the Nigerian people, he can rebuild trust and foster unity in a time of deep division. True leadership lies in vulnerability, which shows authenticity and strength. When a leader connects with the emotions of their people, it creates solidarity and a shared sense of purpose.
This is Tinubu’s chance to demonstrate that genuine empathy and humanity are far more powerful than political posturing.
So, what can President Tinubu do? First, he must address Nigerians directly, speaking not just as a leader but as a fellow human being who shares their grief.
Honesty and vulnerability are powerful tools; they allow people to connect with their leader on a personal level. A heartfelt message, delivered with genuine emotion, can provide solace and restore trust during these painful times.
Second, beyond words, he must take immediate steps to alleviate the everyday struggles that weigh heavily on Nigerians. Policies like reducing fuel prices to reflect the cost of domestic production, rather than international benchmarks, can offer tangible relief. Such actions signal that the government prioritizes the welfare of its citizens over profit margins or bureaucratic inertia.
Finally, President Tinubu must cultivate a culture of empathy within his administration. This means creating a government that listens, understands, and acts on the needs of the people. By embedding compassion into policymaking and governance, he can rebuild faith in leadership and lay the foundation for a more unified and resilient Nigeria.
Jeremiah 31:15 reminds us of the profound sorrow that accompanies loss, but it also shines a light on the promise of hope and renewal.
As we reflect on this tragedy, it mustn’t inspire despair but a collective resolve to create a more compassionate and unified Nigeria. Let us hold the grieving families in our hearts, offering them solace through our empathy and solidarity.
At the same time, we must look forward with determination, committing ourselves as a nation to the path of healing and restoration.
We must ensure that such sorrow does not define our future but instead inspires meaningful change. Let us pray for the strength to rise above these challenges and for the wisdom to address the deep-rooted issues that have led us here.
Unity is key; it is what binds us together as a nation and gives us the resilience to rebuild in the face of adversity.
Together, let us envision a future where peace and compassion triumph over pain and despair, offering hope to the grieving families and to all Nigerians.
The true quality of a leader reflects on the standard they set for themselves and their followers – Ray Kroc
“An Adage from my village says ”Asesile nla bowaba” meaning “good deeds begot favour” and probably that is what we are all enjoying today in the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) family and The Eagle Online, where Mr. Dotun Oladipo is the Publisher; having shown and exhibited quality leadership both in season and out of season.
It will be recalled that Maureen Chigbo, Publisher of Realnews Magazine Online who is the president of GOCOP took over the office from Mr. Oladipupo of the EagleOnline who led the Guild successfully from 2018 till 2021.
I recalled that Dotun took over from Musikilu Mojeed of the Premium Times who is the current President of the International Press Institute (IPI), while Mojeed took the mantle from the pioneer GOCOP President, Dr. Malachi Agbo of The Citizen News who is serving presently as the Honourable Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Eradication under Governor Emeka Mbah of Enugu State.
As at the time of filing-in this report, GOCOP has over 119 online professional publishers who have excelled in their past field as journalists and editors before establishing their own online platforms.
The key purpose of establishing the Guild is to ensure that members uphold the tenets of online journalism.
History has it that the much talked, anticipated, reliable and respected GOCOP of today started directly inside Oladipo office in Ogba Lagos which was situated on 27, Joseph Odunlami Street, off Thomas Salako Street, which eventually became the registered address of GOCOP.
Another great selfless service Oladipo rendered the Guild, include the building of GOCOP official website, among others.
Not only that, Oladipo as a team builder, a successful career counsellor and foremost touch bearer of digital journalism in Nigeria.
For instance, during one of the lecture he delivered at the GOCOP 6th Annual conference in Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, he shared insights with members on how to spread their ‘site wings.’
No doubt, Oladipo is one of the few GOCOP members who have a verified Google adsense website and another 2 Google accredited YouTube Channel, which are EagleOnline TV and Pop News with its trending regular ‘Erotic Monday night with Tiwa.’
Oladipo did not just find himself at the top of affairs of the Guild, he has really paid his dues and that is why many would attest that he also served as the chief scribe of the Guild during Musikilu Mojeed tenure. His excellent performance then made all members of the Guild to vote him in to continued to steer the wheel of the association.
Many will be asking where I came up with the name Dotun (Mr. Magic) Mr. Magic was not fabricated by the writer but was given to him publicly on the GOCOP Loop when Mr. Olumide Iyanda of QEDNG commended him for the great role he played during the successful outcome of the Kogi Conference.
Oladipo, a handsome, ebony, huge, clean shave father of three is no doubt a silent achiever, an orator with clear and loud voice is a leader, with open door policy to his media colleagues and any body that comes his way.
Recently, Oladipo was elected as the President of Innovative Media Partners Cooperative Multipurpose Society (IMPCMS), which beckons on him to bring his wealth of experience to bear on the group.
Permit me to state my personal experience with Oladipo, starting with the popular saying that behind every successful man there must be a woman and the woman beside Oladipo’s success story is Ayanba to those who know him very well .
Some of his close associates who can testify to Ayaaba humility and humanitarian services are Mallam Sakibu Olokojobi of Frontpage Online and our own legal luminary, Ayo Odeyemi of YouNews will quickly grab that name, the woman is truly a woman of substance, a caring and highly supportive wife.
My experience started the day we were asked to converge at Oladipo’s office for the just concluded Kogi conference, I got to the venue as a visitor getting to the area for the first time, the respect and accolades the woman was earning from both young and old on that building and street was what prompted my curiosity to ask the security man who is this beautiful woman? and he quickly told me joyfully, “habaa, walai that naa oga wife oo, her name na Ayabaoo” adding that her humility is second to none, I started given her close marking so as to truly know her very well but she was busy looking after us, her husband’s GOCOP guests because our then Coordinator who was Sakibu Olokojobi of Frontpage Online came late from his Ijoko Ogun State resident due to traffic and the poor stage of roads.
So when Sakibu arrived, he quickly put a call straight to Ayaba and she drove down immediately from Oladipo house and took us home, during the ride home the fun and comic between Sakibu and Ayaba was overwhelmed as the woman inculcated us into the discussion, but that is a story for another day.
On getting home, Immediately, we were served chill table water, she called out all her 3 beauty queen to come and honor the visitors which they all did politely, the air condition was switch on to reduce the stress we had gone through ,she also switched on the plasma TV for our relaxation asking what channel we would like to watch either sport or News due to our profession.
As that was going on, a delicious meal full of chicken and wine was served. in spite of her three grown up girls Ayaba still took it up upon her self to serve us in a proper way of a well culture Yoruba woman setting and manner, asking if we still care for more, after the dinner, she went into the visitors room to bring out mattress to the parlour for us to sleep and some souvenir of her hubby’s 50th birthday stressing it was kept for us since we did not show up during the celebration, she now engage us in a well constructive discussion before we all departed to bed, the most surprising thing was that at around 11:45 pm another GOCOP member, Mr. Felix Douglas of Energy Focus called to be at the gate when Ayaba had Already slept off.
hmmmmm, The ever energetic Ayaaba still stood up with enthusiasm to go down and received her husband guest simply because he is a GOCOP member, at around 5.am the following day as we were set for the trip Ayaaba had woke up and still drove us to the office where the Luxurious bus that would pick us to the kogi conference. (kudos to you Ayaaba).
Oladipo, is just a man full of blessings and unique styles, let us also look at the good character, simplicity, honesty, Love and Respect he Portrait during the mixed up of luggages between his humble self and Our 2006 Award winning CNN Journalist who is the publisher of Crestng.com Mr. Shola Oshunkeye after our return from the kogi conference, Honestly Oladipo worth celebrating.
Dotun Oladipo is an enigma that whenever he talks everybody cares to listen, he is a cynosure of all eyes on every occasion, he is truly a prince of hope many would want to associate with due to his humility and ability to serve humanity.
Even the Writer of the piece Mr. Ajagbe Adeyemi Teslim of August24news.com got the news about GOCOP during Oladipo tenure as president and eventually got inducted thereafter.
Having said all this, kindly join me to celebrate a senior Colleague, a mentor, a a professional media icon, a strategist, as every 19th day of December remains your day sir, Mr. Dotun Oladipo a.k.a Mr. Magic.
Felicitating with Dotun is his predecessor and Editor of Premium Times, Mr. Musikilu Mojeed “I have always known you to be a loving, hardworking and resilient person who is ever focused on achieving desirable results in everything. As you add another year today, I pray that God in his infinite mercy guides and elevates you to a greater height and makes you someone that successful people will always be eager to associate with.
On the heels of celebrating Dotun 55th Birthday, over 200 publishers across the globe both from GOCOP, NUJ, NGE, IMPCMS and beyond sent congratulatory greetings to him on different notes which cannot be published on this edition alone.
First on the list is Dotun’s successor, the incumbent president of GOCOP and publisher of of Realnews magazine Online, Ms Maureen Chigbo, who said Oladipo is just a gift to GOCOP and Nigeria media.
Second is the Publisher of Freedom Online, Mr. Gabriel Akindewon describe Dotun as a phenomenon in the journalism world, an achiever, whose footprints in the digital media space and GOCOP cannot be erased. he is a friend, a brother, an ally you can call at midnight over any issue who will reliably and confidently tell you ‘I will fix it’.
He is also a professional in the media confraternity who is, forever, breaking new grounds due to his creativity and boldness, More decades in the land of the living.
Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, the publisher of ITREALMS said Dotun is a silent achiever, a complete gentleman and one whose open arms have forged friendship across the industry and the nation.
Alhaji Tajudeen Kareem who publishes Credible News, said Dotun is a compassionate fellow who sees GOCOP as a Nigeria Projects that must succeed and its currently succeeding.
Hassan Gimba, the publisher of Neptune online, described Dotun as a cool headed colleague, a great supporter of his platform who helps to publish his Weekly editorial feature since inception.
Speaking from another angle is one of the Oldest Publisher in GOCOP and Publisher of Greenbarge Report, Chief Yussuf Ozi-Usman npri described DOTUN in an acronym, viz “D stands for Dogged, O represents Originality, T for Talent, while U goes for Uplifting and N connotes Navigating.”
Dotun Oladipo showcases a remarkable set of qualities, values, and traits that embody exceptional leadership and character. These are words that align with the qualities of DOTUN says Ozi-Usman
Speaking further, he said Dotun is a Divine Opportunity Topics Under Nigeria and a blessing to any group who have the privilege of his membership.
In his own remarks, Tunde Abatan, the Publisher of Newdawnngr.com described him as a humble, selfless and devoted colleagues always ready to offer his service to all.
Crowning the birthday greetings is the President of the federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through the Presidential spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, in a statement available to August24news.com, said Dotun unwavering contributions to online journalism in the country cannot be forgotten.
On behalf of my self, my loving and dashing wife, my resourceful children and the entire management of August24news.com and it’s sisters YouTube Channel August24news TV, we are all very proud to join other millions of Nigerians to celebrate and to felicitate with your humble personality as you just add another feather to your wing today sir.
hip!
hip!!
hip!!!
hurrayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
kindly, keep the ball rolling sir!!!(Uncle D.O)
Ajagbe is the Publisher of August24news.com, a Senior Special Assistant to Lagos Island East Council Chairman on Media and Digital Communications and a bonafide member of GOCOP writes from Lagos
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