THE TOYIN FALOLA INTERVIEWS: A CONVERSATION WITH LASISI OLAGUNJU
Toyin Falola
A CONVERSATION WITH LASISI OLAGUNJU, PART 1
Photo: Lasisi Olagunju
LASISI OLAGUNJU: THE JOURNALIST AND HIS IMPACT
In this series, I Interviewed Dr. Lasisi Olagunju, a Weekend Editor at the Tribune. I covered his career, his weekly column, and his new book, Cowries of Blood.
PART 1
Who is Lasisi Olagunju?
Dr. Lasisi Olagunju recently launched his new book, Cowries of Blood, a thematic collection of essays from his “Monday Lines” column. The book has received several acclaims, and I believe it has every right to do so, given that I have had the privilege of reading through each essay. Today, many know Dr. Olagunju as the author of a book rapidly gaining popularity within and even outside the country. However, before the publication of Cowries of Blood, who has Dr. Olagunju been?
Lasisi Olagunju is an award-winning columnist and the Editor of Saturday Tribune, one of the most vibrant arms of a foremost Nigerian media house, African Newspapers Limited. According to the Yoruba, a child who would be great shows traits of greatness from early on. This is the case in Olagunju’s life. He has always been designated for leadership and the responsibilities that come with it, as well as its attendant fame and success. Born as the second to the last child of his parents in, Eripa, Osun State, Olagunju started to demonstrate his alignment with excellence early in life. His earliest feats were in Arabic Studies at his Madrasa, where he was easy to identify among the top students in the class. However, his feats had only begun. When the scholar resumed school for western education, he continued to rank among the best in his class throughout primary and secondary school, and even at the university.
Dr. Olagunju is a proud product of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. He was a student there between 1986 and 1990, bagging a First Class Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in English Studies. Fueled by excellence and poised to make a name for himself in a field where he seemed naturally inclined to thrive, He attended the University of Ibadan for his Master’s and doctorate degrees in Communication Arts and Political Communication, respectively, specializing in Social Media and Politics for his Ph.D. Thus, his path was carefully crafted. Another thing that has marked Dr. Olagunju’s life is that he is brilliant academically and humane. Asides from winning various awards at all levels of his academic sojourn, he has also received awards for his integrity. These awards include the 2016 Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) Newspaper Columnist of the Year, and the Diamond Award for Media Excellence (DAME) Award for Informed Commentary Writing in 2019 and 2021.
Since he joined the Nigerian Tribune in 1995, working as a Senior Features Writer and Senior Reporter, Olagunju has enjoyed a successful career as a media man. It is often said that a man’s gifts will make way for him, and Dr. Olagunju’s gift of pen-wielding did stand him out from early on in his career, so much so that he was promoted to editor within four years. He became the News Editor of the Nigerian Tribune in 1999, rose to the position of Assistant Editor that same year, and within two more years, he became Deputy Editor.
As much as he enjoyed a stint in journalism at the Nigerian Tribune, Dr. Olagunju left to take up a political appointment as the Chief Press Secretary to the then Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, from 2003 to 2008. Following his excellent performance in that capacity, the journalist was again appointed as the Special Adviser on Media and the Chief Press Secretary to the governor between 2008 and 2010. In 2011, Olagunju resumed his job as a journalist with the Nigerian Tribune, following his engagement with the Osun State government. He was made the General Editor and a member of the Tribune Newspapers Editorial Board the same year. In 2012, he was promoted to the position of the Editor of Saturday Tribune. Within six years of active service with the Tribune Newspapers, he made it to one of the top positions in the organization — an organization that has hundreds of well-trained and professional journalists.
Dr. Olagunju is a poet to some, an author and literary critic to others, and to many others, he is a columnist who writes the “Monday Lines.” He has consistently written the “Monday Lines” column for about ten years, never missing a week. Therefore, it is safe to say that he has written at least 520 essays, all addressing vital aspects of the Nigerian society. Asides from writing his column and ensuring the Saturday Tribune brings color to the world of journalism in Nigeria, Dr. Olagunju has also authored some books, including Forest Flowers, a collection of poems; Every Inch a King, the biography of Oba Moses Oyinlola (which he co-authored); and Keeping Culture Alive: The Story of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU), Osogbo. Cowries of Blood is the first of a series of thematic books based on the “Monday Lines” column.
