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His New Ebook, A Peep Into The Previous Reveals Particulars
On Thursday thirtieth November, 2023 Journalism Icon, Sir Folu Olamiti launched his ebook titled “A Peep Into The Previous” on the Worldwide Convention Heart, Ibadan.
The occasion which coincided along with his 72nd birthday had in attendance many forerunners within the Journalism career, dignitaries, political leaders, royalties, spiritual leaders, in addition to Essential personalities amongst which have been Femi Adesina OON, Oba Adedokun Abolarin (Orangun of Oke-Ila), Chief Olusegun Osoba (former governor of Ogun State), Bashorun Dele Momodu (Writer of Ovation Worldwide), Maye Olubadan (Excessive Chief Lekan Alabi), Prof. Bishop Dapo Ashaju (former Vice Chancellor, Ajayi Crowther College) and Mr. Raheem Adedoyin.
Additionally in attendance was Prof. Motunrayo Olumakaiye, Mrs Modupe Olubanjo of Globacom.
Others embody Prof Abiodun Ilesanmi (former CMD of UCH), Pastor Segun Olatunji and Rev. Taiwo Olaoye. Additionally in attendance was Mr Ayo and Mrs Ronke Akinyemi, Dr Anthony Omolola ( president Membership 66 Idanre), Mr Taiwo Obe (founder Journalism Clinic, Lagos), Mr Dare Babarimisa, Mr. Adekanye J. O (Sector Commander Oyo State Command representing Corps Marshal Federal Highway Security Corps), Mrs F. O Alade (Unit Commander Moniya Command representing FRSC) and Comrade Jare Ajayi.
Additionally in attendance was Chief Yinka Fasuyi (Asiwaju of Ijesa land ), Mrs. Yemisi Aluko-Olokun, Mr Edward Dickson (Managing Director Tribune Newspaper), Dr Funso Akindunni, Prof. Biodun Ilesanmi, Dr. Festus Adedayo, Dr Lasisi Olagunju, Alao Adedayo (Writer of Alaroye), Obafemi Oredeyin (former editor Sunday Sketch), Dr. Lawrence Adeyemola Adegoke, Oyinlola Olatunji, Olusegun Olatunji, Prof. Yinka Oyewo (representing Vice Chancellor of College of Ibadan), the celebrant’s spouse and son; Adejoke and Kayode Olamiti amongst others.
A number of the friends talked in regards to the good deeds of Sir Folu Olamiti, as a good particular person and one of many fathers of contemporary Journalism apply in Nigeria. Among the many audio system was Chief Olusegun Osoba, who additionally was the Chairman of the event and in his phrases, “Sir Folu Olamiti is one among very colleagues who I respect so much and I’ve no remorse making such sacrifice to attend his ebook launch cum birthday celebration as I needed to squeeze outing of my busy schedule to be right here.”.
Doing the evaluation of the ebook, Femi Adesina, who was ex-President Mohammed Buhari’s aide, described the content material of the ebook as a set of works accomplished by creator which reveals his innermost character traits as a humanist and thinker” He additionally congratulated him for his 72nd birthday.
One in every of Sir Folu Olamiti’s mentees, Pastor Segun Olatunji, the Director, African Newspaper stated he was introduced into Tribune in 1987 by the celebrant, after his Youth Service, including that he’s the best mentor anyone can work underneath as he groomed him and plenty of different notable journalists.
The occasion was delivered to an finish with the ebook launch and plenty of copies have been bought out. The Vote of thanks was given by Sir Folu Olatimi himself.
Many don’t know so much about his impactful life. Only some know his full names, for example. He revealed all of it in his 303 web page ebook. It’s Lawrence Mofoluwaso Olamiti, popularly generally known as Folu Olamiti. Lets inform you extra about him. He was born on the morning of thirtieth November, 1951 in Idanre city, then within the Western Area of Nigeria, however now in Ondo State. His dad and mom, Pa Daniel Akinseye Olamiti and Mama Juliana Olawemimo Olamiti have been religious Christians who spent their complete lives serving within the winery of the Lord.
Pa Olamiti began life as a Instructor, after finishing the Normal 6 of elementary faculty as a result of he was unable to additional his training for lack of funds and sponsors.
Due to his zeal for the Lord, he determined to serve the Lord and was appointed a Catechist within the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) the place he labored till he finally retired. Pa Olamiti married his spouse in 1939 and so they have been blessed with 6 kids, 4 males and two females. Sir Folu was the third youngster of his dad and mom. Mama Olamiti was a small enterprise girl all through her life, making ready and promoting pap (Ogi) and frying snacks generally known as chin-chin. Folu Olamiti as a baby helped his Mama hawk these things everywhere in the cities and villages the place his father served as Catechist within the Ondo Province of the previous Western Area.
Folu Olamiti had his elementary training in Alade Idanre, Ondo, and 4 different cities in Ondo Province as a result of his father was being moved round by the Anglican Church, and every time his father moved, the household moved with him, necessitating the altering of faculty and setting for the youngsters. Folu Olamiti was enrolled at St. Mary’s Church College, Agbala Maria, Ondo, in 1957. Two years later, he was moved to the church faculty in Ajue, close to Odigbo, when his father was transferred to Saint John’s Church, Ajue. In his 4th 12 months in elementary faculty, the household once more moved to All Saints Church Ogbonkogho and after just one 12 months, his father was but once more moved to Saint Paul’s Church, Odode in Idanre, the place Folu finally accomplished his major faculty.
It was at Odode in Idanre that Sir Folu Olamiti sat for the doorway examination into Olofin Grammar College, Idanre, the place he had his secondary faculty training underneath strenous circumstances as his father’s wage as a Catechist couldn’t adequately cater for his 6 kids who have been all at school. After finishing his faculty certificates in flying colors, Folu moved to Ilesa Grammar College for his Greater College Certificates (HSC).
Sir Folu Olamiti’s dad and mom couldn’t muster the sources for him to proceed to the College after his HSC as a consequence of paucity of earnings, a lot as Folu and his father wished him to have college training. The truth is, Folu utilized and acquired admitted to a college in Canada and likewise the College of Nigeria, Nsukka. However he was unable to take up the affords as a result of he couldn’t safe scholarships and neither might his father elevate the charges.
Sir Folu Olamiti moved to Ibadan, the capital of the Western Area, to turn into the Private Assistant (P A) to his uncle, the influential politician, Chief Akin Deko, who was then the Chairman of the Western Nigeria Growth Company (WNDC). Not discovering the PA job difficult sufficient Sir Folu determined to give up, and like his father, grew to become a Instructor underneath the regional authorities at Molusi Faculty, Ijebu-Ode.
How did he turn into a Journalist? Folu Olamiti by no means set out in life to be a journalist, despite the fact that he had wished to review as much as the college stage and purchase a level, and despite the fact that he was good in English language and literature and led in literary debates in his faculty days; journalism for him was not an preliminary profession alternative. He grew to become a journalist by chance and even in his early days within the career, he had considered quitting due to the stress and strains of the job.
When he acquired to Ibadan to work along with his uncle, Folu Olamiti linked up along with his childhood buddy, faculty mate and townsman, Eric Teniola, who was already working as a journalist with the Tribune newspapers and in his spare time, Folu typically visited Eric within the workplaces of the Tribune and even accompanied him to assignments on events. Folu and Eric grew to become inseparable, like of their faculty days. When Folu took up the instructing place at Molusi Faculty, Ijebu-Igbo, he got here to Ibadan each weekend to hang around with Eric, and it was throughout one such go to that Eric persuaded Folu to strive the journalism vocation. Folu was reluctant at first, however later allowed himself to be satisfied by Eric who launched him to the then Editor of the paper, Mr. Olukayode Bakre.
On January 19, 1972, Eric was at Folu’s home to gather his software to the Tribune during which he requested to be engaged as a Reporter. Eric submitted it and Folu was invited for an interview every week later. On the interview, the Editor merely requested Folu if he might write properly which he affirmed. Then he was requested when he wished to begin work to which he stated, ‘Instantly’. Three days later; Folu assumed obligation as Reporter on a month-to-month wage of 17.50 kilos. Thus started one of the superb and glamorous careers within the anals of Nigerian Journalism.
Folu Olamiti labored for the Tribune from 1972 to 2002, a interval of 30 years. He held varied necessary posts within the African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc., publishers of the Tribune titles, rising from the bottom flooring to the head of the career.
He rose from being a Reporter to turn into the Information Editor 5 years after becoming a member of the newspaper in 1977. He was appointed the Editor of the Sunday Tribune in 1985, Editor of the flagship of the ANN Plc, the Nigerian Tribune, in 1991, the Govt Director (Operations) of the ANN Plc in 1995 and Govt Director (Publications) in 1999, an equal of Editor-in-Chief; the submit he held till he retired from the group in 2002.
Although he joined the ANN Plc with the Greater College Certificates qualification, Folu went again to highschool whereas on the job to amass theoretical information in Journalism having had substantial sensible expertise and directions from his Editor, Mr. Bakre and the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, who late grew to become the primary Civilian Governor of Lagos State.
About one 12 months after becoming a member of the Tribune, Folu Olamiti was despatched to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) at Breadfruit Road, Lagos Island, to do a brief information reporting course. He so impressed the Director of the NU, Mr. John Lahey, that he instantly really helpful Folu to the administration of the ANN Plc to permit him to do the complete two-year diploma course. Alhaji Jakande, the Managing Director, not solely permitted that Folu ought to proceed for the diploma course, he assented for him to be given examine depart with half pay, an unusual apply amongst newspapers at the moment. He accomplished the course in 1976, and in 1978, he was once more amongst 12 journalists chosen from everywhere in the creating world to endure the advance diploma course injournalism by the Thomson Basis, Cardiff, Wales, within the Uk. Shortly after finishing this course, he was once more admitted to the Institute of Journalism within the then Western Germany for 3 months.
In the middle of his profession as a journalist, Folu Olamiti lined many necessary occasions, each native and worldwide. Previous to the return to Civil rule in Nigeria in 1979, the Chairman and Founding father of the ANN Plc and chief of the Unity Occasion of Nigeria (UPN) , Chief Obafemi Awolowo, particularly requested from the administration of the Tribune that Folu be assigned to cowl his campaigns because the presidential candidate of the UPN. Thus, he travelled by means of the size and breadth of Nigeria to cowl the campaigns of Chief Awolowo from 1978-1983 when the elections have been held. He lined a number of conferences of the Group of Petroleum Exporting International locations (OPEC) in Vienna, Austria, attended many conferences of the Worldwide Press Institute (IFI), which is rotated amongst many international locations of the world. He has lined the American presidential election in america of America, along with many necessary native occasions.
In his profession, he additionally labored as a Advisor. Folu Olamiti left the African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc., after an excellent profession spanning over 30 years and some years later, started life as a Media Advisor to the Impartial Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee (ICPC). For Folu, this was a brand new function barely completely different from his function as a journalist. As a journalist, he was a watchdog of public establishments and public officers preserving them on their toes by reporting their actions and by being essential of their actions which generally drew their ire. However as Media Advisor, he was the image-maker of the ICPC and he was to make sure that the group loved goodwill from the general public and that the general public understood the function and capabilities of the establishment.
Being a veteran journalist, he used his extensive contacts within the media to undertaking the picture and actions of the ICPC to the world. Folu, who as a journalist, had at all times abhorred corruption and had used his pen to struggle it, consolidated his struggle in opposition to corruption on the ICPC by serving to the group to kind ant-corruption vanguards everywhere in the nation, particularly among the many youths in varied campuses of upper establishments. This is among the indelible marks he left on the ICPC.
Sir Folu Olamiti is presently Chairman, Board of Administration of Church of Nigeria Anglican Cable Community of Nigeria Tv (ACNN) , a brand new function he assumed after leaving the ICPC.
He’s a staunch Christian and a deeply dedicated household man, values he inherited from his father. He acquired married to his heartthrob, Adejoke, in 1980 and collectively they’ve 2 pretty boys and a daughter. Oluwakayode is now a Pilot, Kolawole, a Software program engineer based mostly in america of America and Omowunmi who has 2 Grasp’s Levels in Pc Safety and Pc forensic from Nice Britain is now married in USA. Adejoke, his spouse of just about 40 years, is a Lecturer in Pc Science on the prestigious College” of Ibadan.
Tailored from Folu: Epitome of Perseverance (1995) by Toye Akinrinlola and Tunde Babalola, printed by Femyink Ventures Restricted, Ibadan.
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