A Man Of Quintessential Significance - How Babajide Kolade Otitoju Emerged As Nigerian Media King ~ The Press Tv

Boss and Mentor | The Press Tv | In the world of word craft, Babajide

Kolade-Otitoju is a man of quintessential significance. He is a consummate journalist, a retentive historian and an apt analyst who dissects issues without prejudice. It is commonplace that a journalist has a beat, an area of strength, but not with Babajide Kolade-Otitoju! Forget the beats! He is robust in current affairs and any issue that affects the polity to the extent of worthily earning for himself the appellation: the walking encyclopedia. Since his days as the head of Northern Bureau at The News Magazine, he has shown himself to be of immense worth to Nigeria’s journalistic space. With his deep understanding of issues and ability to elucidate any subject in lettering, he rapidly rose to be the editor of PM News and The Tempo.
However, print Journalism is notorious for masking the faces of egg-heads in the industry; many had read his name as the author of tabloids and columns but didn’t know the man behind the name. Babajide Kolade-Otitoju’s emergence on TV burst the obscurantism of print media and many people immediately resonated with his cerebral scrutiny of news and events, hence, his audience grew in geometric progression. Not only is Babajide Kolade-Otitoju a tasty delight of the masses, the nation’s leaders respond to his journalistic sagacity with varying reactions. The malevolent quiver, the just applaud while the lovers of excellence seek to identify with him. His delivery on TVC News’ flagship talk show, Journalists’ Hangout, has made the programme a household name in contemporary Nigerian broadcasting.
Babajide Kolade-Otitoju conveniently speaks on a wide variety of issues accurately, citing important facts and figures with accustomed ease. Babajide is endeared to people in high places; they are attracted by his profundity. During an interaction with Retired General Ibrahim Babangida, Babajide’s profound insight into the military, intelligence, national security, military hardware and warfare dazed the former military president. The man in Minna Hilltop mansion could not but persuade Babajide to start to write actively on national security issues. Many people who reside in various hotbeds of terrorism in the country appreciate his objectivity and truthfulness as he gives the true picture of events. Military officers make live calls to attest to Babajide’s accurate account of the situation as they express surprise at his mastery of geography and demographics.
Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give a standing ovation to this man of honour, discipline and diligence, a media cognoscente, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju.

Babajide Kolade-Otitoju is a 1989 graduate of History from the University of Ilorin. After his youth service at the Kaduna Polytechnic, he started his journalism career in 1991 as a sports writer with the defunct The Democrat newspaper.

In December 1992, he joined The News magazine as foundation staff, covering Kano state. He later became Editor of PMNews, Nigeria’s highest circulating evening newspaper for seven years, between January 15, 1999 and August 1, 2005, and as Editor of The News, Nigeria’s second highest selling news magazine, for 8 years between August 1, 2005 and May 30, 2013.

After 16 years as title editor in the print media, he joined TVC News as Home News Editor on May 30, 2013.

At TVC News, his mandate was to improve news coverage and to ensure that the local channel, TVC Entertainment was first with Nigerian news. Under his leadership, TVC’s 10pm news bulletin was rated best in the country.

On October 1, 2014 TVC News Nigeria was created and Kolade-Otitoju was promoted Head of the channel with responsibility for its day-to-day running.

On November 1 2018 he was again promoted as Group Controller, Current And Public Affairs, TVC News.

Widely travelled and gifted with an eye for bright ideas, Babajide is a fixture on the award-winning Journalists’ Hangout. He is married to Omowunmi and they have three children.