I share some similarities with Comrade Jola Ogunlusi. Before 1996, we were both from the old Ondo State. I am from Idanre in Idanre local government of Ondo State, while he is from Esun Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State. Longevity runs in his family. His father died at the age of 131, while his grandmother died at the age of 122. His mother died at the age of 110. He is just 90. 

He grew up with his grandmother Princess Oguntuka also from a royal family but married to Oba Adumure, Elesun of Esun-Ekiti. 

At that time only two of his mother’s children survived, himself and Mrs Idowu Aruleba, mother of Gbenga Aruleba of African Independent Television, AIT. He was given many Abiku names which he jettisoned later and adopted Emmanuel Ajibola-Iya. 

He attended different schools in Odo-Oke, Aiyedun and Esun-Ekiti and finally completed his standard six in 1953. There was no job for a year. He was going to the farm with his father. 

But from 1955 to 1958, he was a teacher. His first salary was 48 pounds per annum. It was later increased to 56 pounds a year with arrears. From his salary, he bought a bicycle which he rode to school. It was a fine, well-decorated bicycle. 

His preference was to study medicine at the university. An incident motivated him. In 1955 when he was a teacher, they sent him to his only sister, Idowu, who was ill.

He returned home late in the day. They had already presumed she was dead. He went into the room, took her hand and noticed she was warm. He used his knowledge of first aid to remove the mucus that blocked her nostrils. Then she started breathing. 

Comrade Ogunlusi worked in Iroyin Yoruba, Daily Sketch, Gbohun Gbohun Nigerian Tribune and New Nigerian. He worked with Lamp magazine and also wrote for the African Arik published by the University of California. 

In 1977, he rose to be the National secretary of the NUJ. 

In 1972, I joined the Nigerian Tribune as a reporter. We worked under our then Managing Director, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande (July 23, 1929- February 11, 2021), who was later elected governor of Lagos State in 1979.

 Those of us in the Tribune then were Mr. Osugbohun, Alfred Ilere, Soji Alakuro, Mufu Akinloye, Tope Orimoloye, Toye Akiyode (Agosco), Dan Ikuniaye, Bode Oyewole, Bayo Osiyemi, Folu Olamiti, Kayode Osifeso and others, while our news editor was Fola Oredoyin. Our Editor then was Ikhan Yakubu and our Editor-in-Chief was Mr. Kayode Bakare. 

 Incidentally in 1975, I was elected the Western State secretary of the NUJ. A plaque is at the press centre in Ibadan today to remind us all. I was the last person to hold that post till Oyo, Ogun and Ondo states were created on February 13, 1976 by General Murtala Mohammed (November 8, 1938 –  February 13, 1976). 

After the creation of states, there was pressure on us to sell the assets of the Western State NUJ, including the present press club in Ibadan. We resisted the pressure. That is why the press centre still belongs to journalists today. 

During that time, there were newspapers and there were newspapers. That was before ThisDay, Daily Trust, The Nation, THE National Concord, Vanguard, The Punch, The Sun, Daily Telegraph, Daily Independent, Pilot, The Matrix, Business Day, The Point, Leadership and other reigning newspapers of today, were established.

At that time, we had The Nigerian Standard in Jos, The Chronicle in Calabar, The Nigerian Tide in Port Harcourt, The Nigerian Observer in Benin city, The Daily Sketch in Ibadan, The Nigerian Herald later in Ilorin, The New Nigerian in Kaduna and the powerful Daily Times in Lagos. 

During this period, the Daily Times was the most circulated. There was a column in The New Nigerian then called CANDIDO. It was during this period that Comrade Jola Ogunlusi worked in the New Nigerian. CANDIDO was a must read for decision makers in Nigeria. 

To its credit, The New Nigerian has produced outstanding journalists in this country. Among whom were Alhaji Mamma Daura, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, the present monarch of Badagry, Oba Babatunde Akran, Aholu Menu Toyi 1; Mr Mike Pearce, Alhaji Mohammed Haruna, Owolabi Ilori; Nat Balogun, Alaja Browne, Yakubu Mohammed, Nkem Agetua, Yinka Guedon, Clement Eluaka, Mr Tayo Kehinde, Alhaji Adamu Adamu, Chief Olugbayo Ogunleye, Mr. Gboyega Amoboye alias THE GOVERNOR, who is today the Chairman of Lagos wing of Veteran Journalists; Alhaji Turi Mohammed, Mr. Nvendaga Jibo, Mr. Stephen Bamigbele, Mr. Ndanusa Alao, Clem Baiye, Dan Agbese, Abba Dabo, James Jukwe, Moses Olorode, Alaye Gbenoba, Clement Agba, Buka Zarma, Buki Wilson, Adebola Idowu, Yinka Dagunduro, Sehinde Dagunduroro, Biola Ajoni, Victor Awogu, Otunba Segun Runsewe, Dayo Onibile, Fola Asiru and so many of them.

To count on positive things that newspapers have done for this country is like counting on the number of times the rain has fallen in a year. I will refer to one that still affects  us  today. 

To be concluded 

•Teniola, a former director at the Presidency, wrote from Lagos.