During a chanced meeting with BAMGBALA ADEKOLA, Deji Balogun, the newly appointed general manager of Lagos Weekend Television Ikeja, shares his over thirty-year experience as a professional journalist, including his management style. Excerpt…
Your appointment is a new challenge. What is going to be your focus and management style?
To God be the glory we just see , we need reposting and is to key into his excellency governor akinwunmi ambode to key into the vision of the new government in lagos state and if there is any changes you are noticing we have to weight reorientate ourselves and redefine our goal and to be in constant with governor akinwunmi ambode.
You are a prayerful man. Do you think the spiritual charm crowned your efforts?
Yes, as a seraph, in the run up to the appointment there are hurdles, and differs situation of sorts and as a seraph who have faith in god are i called on the god of saint moses orimolade tunolase and god answered me all glory to god of st moses orimolade son of tunolase and the assurances that the crown is mine has to come pass, halleluyah, note it’s a manifestation that god dwells among the seraphs c&s movement church and i understand and apprecate the joy of the c&s family worldwide on this my elevation
Tell us about your recent NUJ Award.
As at the time the award was confered and note one or two other colleagues were just been elevated. we can i say, there is nothing as good and honourable than your colleagues and association honouring like your town , your friends, your church or close associaes honouring you, so coming from my professional association is a big plus fr me and i rally appreciate the award because i hold the award in high esteem and being one of the ten (10) in nigeria i am honoured to god be the glory
We have noticed new changes in the LTV programmes. Tell us about this.
Let me put it i this way the programmes changes from time to time, if we have maintain some programmes for ten years and we say why cant we change it, but its good people notice the changes that is why people watch our television station and they know our programmes, note the generg of radio lagos/eko f.m and my self sat down / brain storm and we comes up with changes you and others notice .
we decides that we would start stations till one o’ clock and we want to arrest all viewer’s attention to ltv because we went back to back thing, and i don’t think marathon television is not knew to us in ltv
After the office of Permanent Secretary, where else do you have your eyes?
God know all things, i was not expecting to be general manager at first but when the time comes i became easily to god be the glory and if it’s the will of god that i will become a permanent secretary so shall it be
You have many competitors. How do you plan to be ahead in news reportage and other features?
We are not in contest with anyone and we are going to do our own thing and Lagos television was establish to entertain the people of lagos state and the government and that is what we shall do meeting up our targets, audience and its founder scope, are we are going to promote lagos through commerce, industry, environment, tourism, informative shows and we are not limiting ourselves to anything and we are ready to promoted the prosperity of lagos.
Are you aware of the speculation that only Lagos indigenes are allowed to head the State’s parastatals?
I’m not aware of such. Well, in my case and instance we had an interview, the position was advertise and i guess i came first, i knew, we are eleven in the race, i applied did the interviewand i thought all recommendations favours that i may not know the full procedures and tactics used belt after all i was given the appointment but i knew lagos state government don’t do sentiments on merit, employment, appointment and promotions and that is in the public domain already.
You have a passion for anchoring events, how did you develop the talent?
It’s one thing i develop from my secondary days and even up to my university days, i was doing it for fun and free of charge without any fee, but per half if i have been collecting fees, i would have been rich and famous like Ali Baba and others but it’s just a thing i love doing always.
What’s the secret of your good relationship with staff and colleagues?
If you love all and you are cheerful all around, you will love you, respect would always want to be with you, and when the glory of god shine on you, what can you do?, because it’s not my power, candor might, grace but its just a shared grace of god.
What would you like to be remembered for?
Unless i think very deep but some people would say this or that built for me i have to think very deep, but i may say i am principle and straight-jacketed and all-time it is where i am going that i am going. I am a no-nonsense person and I believe that being disciplined is success on its own.
