“Every dream fulfilled begins with a simple wish.” Meet two of Nigerian’s adorable journalists who are breaking the bound of mediocrity, proving that no dream is unachievable.
Mogaji Bowale Oluwole Arisekola: Nigerian Businessman and Publisher
Mogaji Bowale Oluwole Arisekola, a businessman from Ibadan and publisher of the Ireland-based Street Journal Magazine is not a newcomer to the media industry. He has committed years to activism and has called on previous governments to be more accountable with his writing. He also owns a radio station and a public relations firm, both of which are succeeding in their undertakings.
In November 2021, Arisekola, who also serves as the president of the Association of Online Media Practitioners of Nigeria (AMPON), in a grand ceremony held at the palace of the Olubadan in Popo Yemoja, Ibadan, Oyo Sate was installed as the Mogaji Ajenigi-Eye of Yemetu-Oje, Ibadan by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1.
Arisekola’s love of people and charitable endeavours are fundamental to who he is. He once gave out a variety of food products to the locals in the Ibadan neighbourhoods of Aje Ni Igi Eiye, Onibata, and Ejitolu while he was in his immediate neighbourhood. Wole returned to his Lekki neighbourhood in Lagos after finishing up to repeat the same cheery act for the area’s underprivileged residents. Arisekola never prepares any publicity before embarking on this voyage of giving. However, a gold fish has no place to hide, therefore all of his efforts to ease the suffering of the public are never hidden from view.
Bayo Olupohunda: Nigerian Journalist & Author
Bayo Olupohunda is a recognised talent in Nigerian digital media. He is also a versatile Journalist, author, and editor. Olupohunda is incredibly knowledgeable in both the print and online media. Significant Nigerian newspapers and internet publications have published his writings. He began his media career as an intern at The Guardian Nigeria. Later, he worked there as a contributing writer.
Prior to joining the Punch newspaper as an Op-Ed columnist in September 2012, he worked as a Metro columnist for NEXT magazine from December 2008 to July 2011. He has an extensive writing skill and understanding in a variety of areas, including sourcing, news reporting, editing, managing a digital newsroom, artificial intelligence, analytics, content labelling, sourcing, research, and monitoring. He has also served as Legit.ng’s (formerly Naij.com) editor-in-chief in the past.
He is the author of the nonfiction book Are You Not A Nigerian? Olupohunda reflects the reality of Nigeria’s sociopolitical context around the turn of the millennium, the demise of dignity in service, and the pervasive “Nigerian factor” that breeds entitlement.
The author read portions from the book during the British Council CORA book trip during the Lagos Art and Book Festival.
He has received and been nominated for a sizable number of prestigious local and international media awards for his writings. He was a finalist for the CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards. He was also a finalist for the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME Awards) and the West Africa Media Awards (WAMECA) in the categories of informed commentary and health reporting, respectively. He was included in YNaija Media’s 2019 list of the 100 Most Influential People in Nigerian Politics. Bayo was named by Ynaija Media as one of Nigeria’s 100 Most Influential Media Personalities in 2020.
He currently works as the editor-in-chief at Opera, Nigeria, where he also excels.
