•By Qasim Akinreti Ph. D
I am a member of the old school club, always listening to traditional music of Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade, Yusuf Olatunji, and Baba Gani Eto- Haruna Ishola Evergreen songs.
However my university room mate, belong the new generation music lover. And so I was forced to listen to a lyric “…..on midas touch, everything I touch turns to Gold…..”. Please kindly help me with the name of the musician.
My uncle from Ogbonoya compound in Ile Ife , Senior Colleague and former Editor Vanguard Newspapers, President Nigerian Guild of Editors and currently , Provost Nigerian Institute of Journalism , NIJ,Lagos,Mr. Gbenga Adefaye must have listened to the new generation music always.
Egbon Gbenga Adefaye chose to live among journalists at the famous Journalists Estate Arepo, Phase Two, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway. His modest house is called “The Amazing Grace.” He became the chairman of the estate residence association and contributed immensely to change the entire landscape of the estate. Journalists’ estate phase 2 is an exclusive preserve of elite journalists and the novel- riche. A drive to this estate will tell the full story.
Gbenga, as fondly called among his peers , rose to the pinnacle of Journalism as Editor -in- Chief, Vanguard Newspapers and made multimedia Journalism, the niche of Vanguard Newspapers.
When he became the president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, he established a journalism leadership fellowship endowment at the Pan Atlantic University, School of Media and Communication, Lagos. The centre produced two scholarly books on media leadership personalities with the active support of Elder Richard Ikiebe. The publications are references on journalism practice and practitioners. Ever since, no publication of its standard has been published in the Nigerian media.
The Elders group of our great profession – Journalism, led by Chief Segun Osoba and Sam Amuka send Mr Gbenga Adefaye to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism,NIJ Lagos to do a turn around of the school in all ramifications.
I was a postgraduate student at NIJ in 1992- 1993, and became adjunct faculty in 2008 through the efforts of the former Provost , Dr Elizabeth Njem and Mr Okey Nwachukwu, former Executive Director News,Voice of Nigeria , VON. Till 2023, the NIJ edifice remained a U-shaped , bungalow, two storey building, and a library.
Within the first year of Adefaye in office, the institution community radio became a reality. Students broadcast news and programmes live.
The computer and graphics rooms were given a face-lift.
Then, a special convocation was held for Sir Kessington Adebutu at the impressive MUSON Centre. As a journalist and academic, i was jolted with the concept of a special convocation for a monotechnic , not a university. Adefaye, with the assistance of school management, made it happen .
The multi billionaire and philanthropist, popularly known as “Baba Ijebu,” promised to build a multipurpose media centre at NIJ in Ogba,Lagos.
Thankfully, I returned to Lagos from VON headquarters Abuja and was invited for the groundbreaking ceremony as an alumnus and former adjunct faculty.
The architectural details of the media centre were master piece. And then, the surprise…. the completion date was announced : September 2024. Whao!!!!
At intervals, I visited NIJ and Co-host Journalism Truama Education Research Group programmes with NIJ.This gave me the opportunity to see the progress of Baba Ijebu’s gift to Nigerian Journalists.
Last week, I received an invitation letter to a luncheon as an alumnus towards the inauguration of the Kessington Adebutu Multipurpose Media Centre.
What a remarkable feat!!.
Indeed, everything my Uncle, Senior Colleague, former Editor Vanguard Newspapers,President Nigerian Guild of Editors, and current Provost Nigerian Institute of Journalism touched has turned to Gold.
In our local ife palance; BABA RE AGBE o!!!!!.
Next assignment, Mr Gbenga Adefaye is the total transformation of Ile Ife Development Board 👌 👏🙌. Almighty God will continue to strengthen you in wisdom and good health 🙏.
-Qasim Akinreti,Ph.D Deputy Director Digital Media Voice of Nigeria. Former Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Lagos State Council 2017-2020.
