Top journalist, Yusuph Olaniyonu, who is presently the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, two weeks ago, played host to the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT. In the brief encounter, the former ThisDay newspaper editor, shared his family experience, including his days as reporter, his sudden invitation into government, how he has been coping till date, and more. Excerpts…
How has the experience been managing the office of the senate president?
It has been challenging. It’s a completely new experience in a new, larger and more diversified with people from all over the country. Unlike before when I worked for a state government and the Governor was my only boss; today, apart from my direct boss, the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, I have 108 other bosses because all senators are my bosses. The politics around the Senate and the National Assembly, particularly, the Eighth National Assembly makes my job unique, even more difficult than normal. My former boss, Governor Ibikunle Amosun once joked that I just jumped into the deep end of the river in Abuja. That is a good description of my present job. No breathing moment as we combine political survival with the determination of my boss to ensure the Senate that he leads works for the people and provides quality service to Nigerians, more than ever before.
Did you foresee your present appointment so soon after your time as a commissioner in Ogun State?
Not at all. I was set to return to THISDAY. My letter of resumption had been given to me with the approval of the Chairman/Editor-in-chief, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena. When the opportunity to serve in this capacity came, I had to seek the permission of the chairman of THISDAY because the Senate President is his friend. I left as Commissioner end of May and by mid-June, I had resumed with the Senate President.
What was your point of connection with the Senate President, how did your relationship begin with him?
I had known the Senate President for about 20 years now when he was still in the bank and I have been very close to him since then. I was close to the old man too, late Oloye (Dr.) Olusola Saraki. Two of them had been good to me in the performance of my job and other areas. If you want to know the extent of my relationship with them, I invite you to read the tribute I wrote when Oloye died in 2012. I think THISDAY published it on December 2012.
Your journalism years, how interesting and challenging would you define them?
Apart from all the internship period in various newsrooms when I was in school, I started practising fully as a journalist after my NYSC in 1989. Since then, the profession had taken me to almost all the states in Nigeria and several countries around the world. I started as a sports reporter, then later on general beat and then the political beat which I started covering since the formation of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC). For me, journalism was very interesting. The challenges that come with the environment are not different with what other professionals confront on their jobs. I only thank God that at the time, my children started growing up, I had become an Editor with some stability on my schedule. In the early period, one could be called upon to travel anytime or handle assignment which could be highly unpleasant and uncomfortable. As a reporter, I was once assigned the job of moving around Lagos to do a report on the damage wreaked around Lagos by the heavy rainfall and that was the second day of the Eid-el-Kabir when I should be at home enjoying the Sallah holiday. As political editor in the late 1990s, I would fly to Abuja, cover an assignment till late evening and there would be another assignment early in the morning, I would quickly fax my story, and jumped into a night bus to get to Lagos early in the morning to prepare for the next early assignment. I also covered and reported some of the most important political events in this country since 1990 and met one on one with some of the most influential political figures in the country. I also covered the Liberian civil war.
Most journalists called into public service do not like returning to the job after their time out; what do you think is the reason for this?
Well, after getting involved in politics and governance and seeing how public policies are formulated, a lot of our colleagues who got political appointments become fascinated about all the events, the power and the calculations. They feel they can equally play the game and I really do not see why they should not feel so. Politics is not meant for one class of people or one set of professionals. If you have the means, the heart and interest, why not offer yourself to be elected into office as well. I just hope that journalists who choose to participate in politics do so because they genuinely want to serve the people and make positive difference in the country and how the game is played. If they want to contest election or join politics because of money and glamour, then that will be unfortunate.
Are you planning to go into full time politics too, because there are examples?
I am not thinking about going into full-time politics now. I do not have the means. I do not have the heart for some of the things that happen in politics. Believe me, I have been involved at the real inner level and I know that it is very complex for my liking. As at today, the recruitment process into politics is so warped and have little chance of giving opportunity to good and genuine people to come in and serve. From my close observation, only in a few states like Kwara, Lagos, Akwa Ibom and, perhaps Cross River States do you have a conscious and deliberate plan to recruit professionals into the leadership corps and they are made to stand for elections without having to rob or break a bank. The process and structure of throwing professionals up and supporting them in these states are already there. And you can see the level of sustained development and quality of representation in these states.
From experience, do you agree with those who say politics is sweeter in Nigeria than any other profession?
I do not know what they mean by ‘sweeter’. Left to me, I enjoy myself, my work, my privacy and public interventions in the newsroom more than in the public office. I left office as Commissioner not as a rich man. What I have found out is that except you are a very greedy man, a miser and wicked, whatever you get in public office are taken away by the people. If you know the demand people make on public officials on a daily basis, you will see why most former political office holders become broke shortly after leaving office. In fact, I will rather be a professional, making money in the private sector than be in public office when you are looked upon as a thief, even when you are suffering in silence.
Frankly, is it very challenging dealing with the cynic public about the senate president’s CCT matter?
Well, the case in the CCT has been a major distraction for us. The time we should have spent on working on good ideas is being spent going to the Tribunal where you see obvious attitude to ensure the Senate President does not settle down to perform his constitutional duties. However, you need to know Senator Saraki. He is a tough, focused and determined man. He is determined to ensure this case does not define his tenure. Every day, he thinks about new ideas that can make the Senate serve the people more. He challenges us his aides to always think out of the box and suggest ideas that can further elevate the legislative institution. We will continue to let people know that the CCT case is not about corruption but about politics. Political battles are shifted from the political circles into the court rooms. Since the trial started, there has been no evidence to suggest fraud or diversion of government money to purchase private property. All I have been hearing is that a bank loan was taken to purchase a property and the bank money was gradually being paid back from the proceeds from rent on the property. I wonder what the noise is all about.
What has been your personal key to success?
Can I say I have succeeded? I am still struggling to make ends meet, as a professional, to contribute my own quota in public service and raise a good family. However, I believe in hard work, honesty, fear of God, ability to be creative and think out of the box as well as some daring sprit as necessary qualities for a person to succeed.
Would you change anything about yourself if you could?
Yes. I would have loved that I am more business minded, have entrepreneurial spirit, identify legitimate business opportunities, even from afar, and explore, exploit and utilize them. If I had this quality, I would probably be a rich man now and be a more comfortable person. How I wish I can change that about myself and be more business conscious.
Should a media aide also have the courage, like lawyers do, to ask his or her boss for the truth of any matter in order to defend the boss well in the public? Has it ever happened in your case?
Yes, I agree with you. A media aide must be like a medical doctor and a lawyer from whom the principal should not hide the facts of any issue. That is why I believe that a media aide must know the principal very well and probably be his close associate before you accept to work for him. The principal must be somebody who respects you and can level with you on most, if not all, issues before you accept to work for him. He must be somebody you have access to at all times. I can say that at any time an issue arises, I can always call or see my boss to ask him about any issue and be sure he will explain to me what the facts are and how we need to present the issues to the public.
What’s your lifestyle like?
I am a simple person. I am satisfied with the little Almighty has provided for me. I strive to wear neat and simple dresses and shoes. They do not need to be expensive but they must be comfortable, fitting and neat. I like beautiful wrist watches and good shoes. I wear perfume too.
Please, share something about your happy family and their supportive roles.
I am married to a very beautiful woman, Odunayo Aishat who was a Christian but now an Alhaja and we have three boys. The most senior is an undergraduate. The second one is getting ready to go into the university while the third is already in senior secondary school. I also have two other children from my late brother, my nephew and niece, who have been with me since their childhood days. Well, from the beginning, my wife and children know I cannot be around as much as they would want. However, we try to get together anytime I have the time. They pray for me a lot and now with GSM, we talk whenever we are in different states. When I was in the newsroom, I try to create time to attend open and visiting days in the schools attended by my children. That is why I ensure they attend the same school. They have all been supportive. We discuss issues and take common positions.
What’s your pastime, and favourite food?
I relax with watching news and football. I am a supporter of Chelsea Football Club and followed the Premiership and other European leagues. I used to support IICC and the Abiola Babes FC when the local football league was good. I also watch the Nat Geo Wild channels to
learn about animals. Once in a while, I watch Nigerian films. My best food is beans and dodo.
What’s your office routine, and how do you spend your weekend?
Since 2005 when I became the Editor of ThisDay on Sunday, I have lost the sense of weekends. Saturday was a working day for me as Editor. Sunday then was just to go for Asalat session in NASFAT at Alausa and return home to rest. When I served as commissioner, I worked seven days a week. So, no weekend. My present routine is that I report first in the residence of the Senate President by 9am. We usually have a briefing session on issues that are in the news for the day. Then we go to the office at the National Assembly. If my principal is going for plenary, I sometimes go to the gallery to watch the proceedings. After that, we return to the office and I continue to handle my assignments for the day including engaging with my colleagues in the newsroom physically and on phone. I still read and write a lot. I usually do not leave the office before 7pm after which I still go to the Senate President’s residence. My boss is a workaholic. I do not even know whether he sleeps at all. So, I am ready to receive calls and instruction from him any time in the night. It was the same thing with Senator Ibikunle Amosun when I was commissioner. I am used to that now. I try to close for the day about 11pm after watching Channels TV prime news. Sometimes, some issues or meetings may warrant my staying out late either in the Senate President’s residence or elsewhere. Now, I still ensure I go to gym on Saturdays to work out for at least two hours.
