A Veteran Journalist, Teacher & Rights Advocate, Oyedapo Oyekunle Olorunyomi obtained his post-secondary education in Nigeria and abroad. He holds the Bachelor of Art degree in English Studies, Master’s in Literature, Certificate in Natural Resource Management, and Certificate in Human Rights & Humanitarian Law.
Dapo Olorunyomi worked with a number of media establishments prior to setting up his own outfits. He served as an Editor at Radio Nigeria and The African Guardian magazine as well as Enterprise Editor & Head of the Investigative Reporting Team for Timbuktu Media Limited [Publishers of 234Next.
The Founding Editor of The News, PM News and Tempo Magazine – some of the publications that took on the military juntas head-on; his avowed commitment to Press Freedom had the ultimate goal to ensure accountability and good governance. Over the years, his relentless struggles against agents of misrule and barriers to a Free Press
– on his initiative and with colleagues – have demonstrated that indeed, “The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword”. Like many others, this “Pen Warrior” paid a huge price as a victim of State- sponsored intimidation, harassment, incarceration, threat to life and imposed exile. Even when he managed to escape abroad, his dear wife, Ladi – also a Journalist and women’s right activist — was clamped into the cells of the brutal military dictators for nearly 70 days, and without trial.
On his return from compelled exile in 2004, Dapo Olorunyomi worked as the Project Director of Freedom House; and later, Policy Director and Chief-of-Staff to the then Executive Director of the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; acknowledged as one of the nation’s finest anti-corruption fighters.
As Chief-of-Staff and Policy Director, Dapo Olorunyomi led the Agency’s prevention and education policy development initiatives on corruption. In that influential office, our Celebrant held his head high; shunning the disheartening apparent public allure of silver & gold through mortgaging his conscience and self-worth. It is instructive to note that that era knew no sacred cows. Though he and his boss were removed from office by entrenched corrupt interests, it is also a testimony to the sterling qualities of that tenure that Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is the incumbent National Security Adviser.
It is, however, a sad commentary that the return to civil rule in 1999 ushered in perhaps the biggest threat to democracy and good governance as electoral malpractices and official impunity seem to have become the norm rather than the exception to the rule.
Dapo Olorunyomi is on the Boards of many organisations, including the Norbert Zongo Cell for Investigative Journalism [an initiative of the UN Office on Drugs & Crime]; and CENOZO — the trans-national investigative body for West Africa with headquarters in Burkina Faso.
From 1999 to 2001, he served on the International Jury for the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Award and is the Chief Judge for the Zimeo Award of the African Media Initiative. In 2005, he instituted the Wole Soyinka Investigative Reporting Award, which metamorphosed into Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism. The Centre is engaged in social justice and investigative journalism to expose corruption, regulatory failures and human rights abuses as well as annually recognises journalists involved in investigative journalism.
The West Africa Analyst for the Global Survey of Media Independence in 2004, Dapo Olorunyomi
recorded another mile- stone in 2011 when he founded Premium Times – a celebrated Nigeria- based and globally acknowledged multi-media news platform devoted to Politics, Health, Investigative Reporting and Development Journalism. He serves as the outfit’s Publisher & Editor-in-Chief; and is also the CEO of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development. Widely-recognised for his achievements in media practice, pursuit of good governance and management, our Celebrant is the Recipient of several honours. They include: World Press Review International Editor of the Year Award; PEN Centre (West) Freedom to Write Award; National Association of Black Journalists, New York, USA Press Freedom Award; Human Rights Watch Hellman Hemmett Grant; Diamond Publications Life-Time Achievement Award for Media Excellence; and CPJ International Press Freedom Award.
As an individual, Dapo Olorunyomi’s exposure across Nigeria and abroad have helped shape his world-view; enabling him to shirk the constraints of ethno-geographic and religious sentiments, that have ruined the leadership stature of many bright Nigerian stars.
He is married to Ladi Olorunyomi, with children.
Ladies & Gentlemen, we are very happy to invite Oyedapo Oyekunle Olorunyomi to receive the Hallmarks of Labour- Christopher Kolade Award for Excellence in Leadership and Professionalism in the Media.
Hearty Congratulations, Sir!