This is my Journalism story at 80

By Lade Bonuola

I am short of words to express my gratitude for your presence to celebrate my birthday with me. If I had won, this is what I would have missed.

But for the insistence of my children, I am not someone who pulls crowd, who wants to attract crowd. But they insisted. Where they got me was that it was to launch a book which was the initiative of Dapo Olorunyomi who I love so much. The reason is not only that he is competent, his application to work is unmatched. Don’t let us talk about courage. Dapo Olorunyomi can climb any height, can go under the hole to bring out information. Therefore, I regard his digital publication as incomparable. The digital publication is Premium Times. I don’t miss it. When the children learnt that he was planning to do this book, to compile the impressions of my colleagues about me into a book, they hid it from me. I didn’t know about it until about two weeks ago. It was when Dapo actually brought a formal invitation to me. He flew down all the way from Abuja to hand me a formal invitation to this occasion.

Let me start my story. I dedicate this publication to Alhaji Babatunde Jose whom I usually describe as a newspaper wizard. When he was our chairman, the Daily Times was the biggest newspaper empire in Africa south of the Sahara. We were beating newspapers in South Africa run by the white people. We were the most significant newspaper in the whole of Africa.

Many people are not aware. When the Federal Government took over the Daily Times, I took the Federal Government to court to challenge the takeover. One of my lawyers is here, Dr Tunji Abayomi, SAN. I said the Federal Government had no right to take over private property and I still believe so.

What is the story, my story? As a school boy, I won, along with my classmate Dr Biola Job, the J.F. Kennedy essay contest of those days. From nowhere, I got a message that Alhaji Babatunde Jose would like to see me. Who is that? Why me? So I went to see him. He told me that he learnt that I am a good writer, that I won the Kennedy essay contest. As a matter of fact, when I entered the office, I was shaking. Such a man, to send for me? That was early 1969.

He asked me if I would like to be a journalist. I didn’t know what to say. I said I would consult with my teachers. I had left school quite alright. He said I should write an application. I didn’t know where to begin. He guided me. After that, he took me to the office of the Chief Executive, Newspapers Division of the Daily Times. He introduced me to the man, Mr Adagogo Jaja. From there, he led me to the office of the Editor, Prince Henry Odukomaiya. Prince Henry Odukomaiya took me somewhere, asked me to sit down and he gave me a test. I wrote a rest. Then I was told that I passed. I left. I didn’t care for anything anymore. If I had passed, I would be ready to start work.

I didn’t know that even Alhaji Jose was looking for me all through 1969. He went to the Newsroom. He asked for me. He sent for me again in 1970. Alhaji Jose’s driver brought a letter to my contact address in Surulere and I went. I was given another test supervised by Mr Aremu Alabi of blessed memory. I was told that I passed again, and that I should be expecting a letter of appointment. While waiting for the letter, I went to teach at Arigbajo, Ifo, and then later, I moved to Premier Grammar School.

I didn’t know that Alhaji Jose was again looking for me. What I am today, Alhaji Jose was instrumental. What was it that he was looking for me? I came to understand later that he had been placed along my path to support me, to bring me up. He became my role model in the industry. After I became the MD of The Guardian, I suddenly saw Alhaji Jose. I have his letter here. He came to visit me at The Guardian 25 years after he gave me an appointment. He again put it down in writing.how proud of him I was.

I had to ask Jose Junior whether he was instrumental to Alhaji Jose knowing that I was one of the winners of Kennedy essay contest. He was in the Muslim College, Ijebu Ode. He said no. Ha! Where is it coming from. I can say that it is the Work of our Maker the Lord of all the world’s that these people had been lined up.

Chief Segun Osoba is here. He was so confident about me everywhere. If anybody wanted to start a newspaper, the person who would come to his mind first is Lade Bonuola.

When he was going to Herald, he asked if I would like to come. I said no. Then, Vanguard. Uncle Sam had to say that Ladbone is not ambitious because Alhaji Jose had promised heaven on earth. He (Jose) sent me here and there. I was given all the necessary training here at home and abroad. I was also attached to three newspapers overseas. He had an office in London manned by a white man called Ted Kerry, who looked after me in London.

Chief Osoba mentioned it that he wanted to start a newspaper called The Voice. He had me in mind . I was going to be the Editor.

When The Guardian was to start, even before the formal board was inaugurated, I was already being invited to attend the meeting of the Board of The Guardian. We started. Mr Femi Kusa my pillar stood behind me and by my side. He was totally committed. He was unwavering, and people felt that we were Siamese twins. Whatever you heard from him, you would hear from me. Whatever you heard from me, you would hear from him.

At that time in Lagos, why that paper did not take off was that it didn’t get the machine. There was grumbling in the Iyaniwura family who were printing the Daily Express. Therefore they left that machine severely alone. They decided to go to America to look for machine. America was in recession. So they came back without any machine.

In the meantime, Chief Osoba was appointed the MD of Sketch. He was to be the MD of The Guardian. He was taking me there. He had told the family that Bonuola would be the Editor of The Guardian. I started as Associate Editor. You know what happened? After a year, Chief Michael Ibru attended the meeting of the Board of directors for the first time. He asked to be educated about what Associate Editor meant. He said: “Segun Osoba told us that Bonuola will be the Editor. Why is he not the Editor?” The following day, they led me to the Ikeja Division of the High Court to take an oath of editorship. That was how I became the Editor.

Of course, to Mr Alex Ibru, Bonuola could do no wrong. He never for once interfered in my working. Not at all. When we started, I was sending him what we called News Schedule. As Chairman/Publisher, you have to know what we put in the paper. One day, I just saw a parcel on my table. What is this parcel? All the news schedules I was sending to him. He never opened them. He was putting them in an envelope. I went upstairs to meet him and said “Chairman, what is the matter?” He said “No, no, no. I didn’t touch it. You are the expert.” And I said “But you are the publisher/Chairman. If there is any problem, it is the Publisher they will call first.” He said “If they call me, I will give them your number.” Every time, he would say “You are the expert.” He told me: “I am a businessman. What do I have to do with what you are doing?” He gave me absolute free hand to run The Guardian.

Ladies and gentlemen, in your careful and kind thoughts, thoughts, help me remember Alhaji Babatunde Jose, Chief Segun Osoba, Chief Michael Ibru, and Chief Alex Ibru. I thank them for lining up on my route to bring me up to what I am today.

I thank you all. That is my story.

I am overwhelmed, totally overwhelmed by the array of galaxies that are here in this hall. Thank you so much. I am grateful.

Being the transcribed version of the speech delivered extempore by the former Managing Director of The Guardian (Ladbone) at the celebration of his 80th birthday by his colleagues, family and friends, organised and coordinated by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and his family at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday October 22, 2026. A book LADBONE: A Life In Print was also launched at the event.