Salute to Oga Dipo Onabanjo, my career role model- Lekan Otufodunrin

 By Emmanuel Udom

Lekan Otufodunrin, a veteran journalist, mentor and executive director of Media Career Development Network, has poured encomiums on Dipo Onabanjo, a colleague in the pen profession.

Otufodunrin described Kehinde as his mentor in journalism.  

 Below is a post on Facebook by the MCDN boss

One of my earliest aspirations in journalism was to become a News Editor based on my experience during my internship at the defunct National Concord Newspaper.

My desire for this position was reinforced by working with the former Group News Editor of Punch Newspaper, Mr Dipo Onabanjo as a reporter and correspondent.

My former boss who clocks 60 today is a professional to the core who gave his all to the job back in those days in 1987 when The Punch was battling to recover from some economic and management challenges.

In the plank supported building, there were only few reporters who were not sure of regular salaries and weekly transport allowances to work with.

Onabanjo distinguished himself in the way he went about his job and mobilised the reporters to get various assignments done.

Gentle spoken but firm, Oga Dipo gave me all the tutelage and support I needed to succeed as a rookie reporter who got assigned to covering a whole state.

I will ever be greateful to him, Chris Mammah and the then Editor and incumbent Managing Director of The Punch, Mr Ademola Osinubi for their vote of confidence in my performance that resulted in being recalled to the headquarters and setting me on the course of whatever accomplishments I have recorded in the profession.

When I was in my village celebrating my father's birthday and missed the announcement of the death of the former Ogun State governor, Late Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, Oga Dipo was the one who took the call from my friend, Tunde Abatan who dictated the story on my behalf.

That I eventually became the Group News Editor of The Punch is a credit to the inspiration Oga Dipo gave me when I started out in the company.

Happy birthday Oga Dipo. Thanks for being the role model I wanted to be and for helping me to achieve my dream.