By Chukwuma Ajakah

The Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi has commended the brilliant contributions of renowned journalist, Yinka Fabowale to the development of journalism practice in Nigeria.

Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the formal public presentation of a book titled, “A Reporter and His Beat” written by Yinka Fabowale, Fayemi described the author as a courageous, dogged and incorruptible journalist   who has taken another bold step in the right direction to enrich the media space by packaging his invaluable experiences in a book that will be of immense benefits to many in the journalism and public service spheres.

Citing the instance of Late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, a former Governor of Lagos State and veteran journalist, whom he described as “a walking library of journalism”, Fayemi decried the dearth of books, embodying the experiences of such legends.

While imploring other seasoned journalists to emulate Fabowale’s exemplary act he observed that the book is good enough for all and sundry and admonished those copies be made available for students in tertiary instructions, libraries, government agencies and media spaces “You know I’m very fond of the author. I have read the book. I have no hesitation to recommend it. I will not just recommend it; I’m also going to do my bit by publicizing it and taking copies to the Governors’ Forum. Although I’m no longer there as Chairman, I know how many the governors are,” he said, eliciting laughter from the jubilant audience.

The auspicious event held at Happies Recreation Center, Ikeja on Wednesday, December 21, 2022,

attracted eminent personalities from the electronic and print media space, politics, law academics, entertainment and literary criticism.

The dignitaries that graced the occasion include Former Governor of Ondo State and doyen of Journalism in Nigeria, Aremo Segun Osoba, who was ably represented by the GM/Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard Newspaper and Provost, Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Gbenga Adefaye, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola Olateju, the Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Senator Kola Balogun, MD, The Sun Newspaper, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, Chairman, Gaskia Media Ltd. Co-founder of TELL weekly newsmagazine, Dare Babarinsa, Former President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Olusegun Joseph Ajanlekoko, Former President,  Nigerian Union of Journalists, Lanre Arogundade and legal luminary Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

Collaborating Fayemi’s views on the need for journalists to write books, Shola Osunkeye remarked that journalists have enormous power to change the world by the power of the written and spoken word: “When a journalist dies without writing a book a library burns. To leave this universe without writing is a crime.” He further compared a journalist that dies without writing a book to a stupendously rich man who dies without a testament, bequeathing the benefits to his family.

Osunkeye, MultiChoice/CNN African Reporter of the Year, 2006 gave insightful tips into the rich content and aesthetics of the reporting compendium thus: “A Reporter and His Beat is unique in its simplicity and elegance. It contains 40 chapters wrapped in 258 pages and spread over 7 parts. From the first part to the last, Mr. Fabowale displayed a mastery of English language to deliver a compelling rendition of the Journalism model. He uses powerful descriptive imagery and skillfully synthesize the content of the book in a manner that entices the reader and showcases the books timeless significance in a concise, yet expressive manner.”

Former President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Mr. Olusegun Ajanlekoko observed that the veteran journalist’s book will not only be useful to reporters and other media practitioners, but also to persons in other professions. According to him, “I’m in the midst of people that the general public fear, not so much for negativity, but because of their exploits in making sure that everyone aright and do the things that they are supposed to do aright. I got to know of Yinka Fabowale who to me represents the ideal reporter in this part of the world.

It is because of him that I decided that I must come and mix with the reporters, journalists and others to be able to give him that necessary support he needs as he continues to climb the leadership in this profession. I have read a bit of some of the things he put there. I’m not surprised that we have all the dignitaries in the profession, including His Excellency, the Former Governor of Ekiti State. Some of get to do things in the right way because of what we read from these people. They have been ahead in trying to create the right environment this country. Hopefully in the creative industry things will be up and running for Nigeria.”

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of Gaskia Media Ltd., Dare Babarinsa used occasion to decry the plight of media business owners and journalism education in Nigeria, saying: “In the past, government allowed government officials from level 8 and above to have a minimum of one newspaper per day and one magazine for a week or a month. That allowed a wide circulation of the papers then.”

Fabowale’s A Reporter and His Beat is already attracting rave reviews from icons in the communication industry. 

The Former MD and Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Ltd, Mike Awoyinfa described it thus: “A Reporter and His Beat is the story of Yinka Fabowale’s nearly four-decade journalism practice in Nigeria. This book defies strict compartmentalization into any of the literary genres with its multiple features of a memoir, a novel and a study text…More than a tapestry of captivating stories, it is laced with moral persuasions and the pedagogy that colleagues (including media executives) will find invaluable in their pursuit of the watchdog role of the press.”

Describing the book as “reporting in its excellent form”, the Executive Editor/Director of The NEWS/PMNEWS, Kunle Ajibade said: ” At a time when good journalism is hard to come by, A Reporter and His Beat is reporting in its excellent form. In this revelatory and candid memoir, Yinka Fabowale writes lucidly about his eventful years as a journalist in Lagos Horizon, The Guardian, The Comet, The Sun, TELL and Space FM. He gives detailed accounts of his rigorous, but very rewarding practical apprenticeship under some hardcore, no-nonsense professionals, the lessons he learnt all the way from his highly and lowly placed sources and the events he covered. He shows that what makes a great journalist is not just the theory, but the liquid and solid experiences in the field.”

Ajibade also aligns the author’s exemplary lifestyle with his work, saying: “Yinka Fabowale’s passion, his daring, relentless diligence, integrity, modesty, empathy, maturity and remarkable sense of higher purpose are on full display in this book.”

Celebrating the author’s achievement in a crisp blurb that heralds the narrative, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari and Former MD/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Newspapers, Femi Adesina x-rays the admirable professional attributes of the author, stressing: “Yinka Fabowale uncannily combines the nose for news of a natural reporter, with the aplomb of a creative writer. The alchemy gives you a rounded journalist who delivers the best kind of scripts you can think of.  I’m glad he has written this book, about a career in which I’m an experiential participant.”

Professor of Communication at the Baze University, Abuja, Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi appraises the likely combinatorial factors, accounting for the author’s voyage into a new sphere of writing, saying: “The professional needs some detouring to decumbent travails, travels, tests and triumphs, not just for the younger practitioners, students, researchers, neutral readers and much else, but also to relieve the self of the inner burden to give back, by sharing life’s lessons from a personal prism.

The book at hand is in the above direction, detouring from the beat, from the daily strive to beat deadlines and earn a byline, from the short, precise narrative weaved around patterns and peculiarity of news reporting to the much more expressive writing, writing, revealing hitherto hidden qualities expensive enough to educate, inform and entertain in what intertwines with the mission of journalism.”