By Jubal Kanayo
I met Taiwo Obe in 2012 or so, when he came to the newspaper where I worked. Two days prior, we had been told we would have a ‘Journalism Clinic’ and though, the air was not right for that – the medium had internal issues with payment and all of that – we were ready to learn something to get our troubled minds off the issue of unpaid salaries.
True to management’s promise, Taiwo Obe came with his brigade of graphic artists and infographers to show us how to represent facts and figures in ways that they tell their own story and how to make headlines more meaningful.
I remember his lines “pictures tell their own stories; never leave your pictures without cut-lines”.
He made me get serious with cut-lines and, though my infographics’ skills are far from perfect, I appreciate how much of an independent story they tell.
Two years later, I hooked up with him on Twitter and we have remained friends. While he knows me as ‘Quiet Spirit’, the by-line may just give me away – he goes by the handle @araisokun.
His Journalism Clinic has taken him to the newsroom of not a few media houses and it is so refreshing to learn and re-learn many of the things you thought you knew from a practical teacher.
Obe’s Journalism Clinic has seen him perform more than a few ‘surgeries’ on the minds of young journalists, practicing journalists, interns and everyone in a newsroom who cares to brush up their journalistic skills.
What started as a joke in 2012 has gained traction around Nigerian newsrooms who want their reporters and editorial staff to get it right. Little wonder he is being referred to as the ‘Journalism Doctor’. There are not many ideas like his around the place.
The teacher, mentor, author and communications consultant is also the Chief Ideas Officer of TaijoWonuKabe, a brand at the cutting edge of providing solutions in the broad spectrum of communication in Nigeria.
Born in 1960 in Ibadan, Oyo, Obe started off his A-levels at the Institute of Management & Technology Enugu between 1978 and 1982.
Three years later, he was appointed Editor of The Guardian’s Sunday Supplement. He left for ThisWeek a year later and remained there till 1989. He was such a firebrand that, in the three years he was there, being Editor to Associate Editor, Deputy Editor and Managing Editor.
In 1988, he completed his fellowship with the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship, while honing his skills with the Newsweek International, Washington D.C,USA.
Amongst many other accolades, Obe is a Commonwealth Professional Fellow and a Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
Obe’s ability to instruct and guide the young and practising even caught the President’s eye and, on his 60th pardon, he got a Presidential Birthday wish.
“I am pleased with Mr Obe’s current efforts to rekindle the profession through his impartation of the vast knowledge he has gained in journalism, nationally and internationally, over the past 40 years, especially in the digital age.
“It is my prayer that the Almighty will grant him many more years in robust health to continue in his pursuit of excellence in journalism, and reward him bounteously on every of his endeavours.”
It is no surprise that President Muhammadu Buahri reached out to him. He provided technical and editorial support to the Presidential Communication Team in their production of books marking the mid-term and end of first term in office of Buhari.
He didn’t just spend the day receiving good wishes; he had some in store to give away. On his Twitter handle, he broadcasted that he would love to help young journalists by giving them 60 tid-bits to stay relevant and help them chart newer territories in the COVID-19 era.
Some of the fine details he noted were being able to follow the right [eople on Social Media (Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, especially), in order to maximise varying opportunities provided by both contemporary and Social Media; always follow ethic, especially, when covering elections; always milking the creative juices to develop skills which will bring about results that will drive financial returns, help them to be aware of developments in their environment and produce content that would be of immense need by members of the society; be in tune with varying features of Computer Software Applications and the opportunities embedded in Smart Phones for better productivity and efficiency, amongst tens of others.
In addition to giving tips, he also advised young journalists to be ‘masters of one’. “You can specialise in fact-checking, metro reporting, rail reporting, luxury reporting, gender reporting, infographics reporting, data reporting, investigative reporting, news analyses, researching etc.”
Obe has been quite invaluable to the journalism profession in Nigeria and quite ardent at raising its next generation that one young journalist once tweeted “what will happen to us when you are gone?” and he replied “you will be old enough to mentor the ones coming after you”.
Happy birthday, Taiwo ‘Journalism Doctor’ Obe, aka, Araisokun. Here is wishing you more freshness, God’s best and many more fruitful years of rest and raising the next generation in good health and calmness. May your diamond jubilee see you get smoother around the edges and age like fine wine. Amin ase….
