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I am delighted to congratulate you, on behalf of myself, my family and the entire people of Ijebu-Jesa, on yet another milestone: your 70th birthday. Today you celebrate 70 years of a remarkable life full of hopes and dreams, joy and tears. Today, the world is celebrating not just your person but your immeasurable contributions to nation-building through your insightful interventions on national issues and wise counsel to political leaders over the years. Your life has impacted many in this generation as a resourceful individual. I see in you a man with the Midas touch, exceptionally endowed to transform array of ideas into reality. This has been your trademark as demonstrated as Founding Editor of Weekend Concord and later The Sun newspapers. When you look back and wonder where all of the time has gone, remember that you helped shape history and be proud. Happy 70th birthday! You seem so young that I can honestly believe you are turning 35 for the second time. Here is wishing you many more years of happiness ahead. 
–HRM Oba (Engr.) Moses Oluwafemi Agunsoye, Abikehin-EkunAgunsoye II, Elegboro of Ijebu-Jesa.
Mike Awoyinfa has proven that partnership in business still works in Nigeria. Over the years, a lot of friends have come together to do business and they fell out. But Mike has proven that partnership still works. I just wish that my boss Dimgba Igwe had been here today because he is the only person who would have told us things about Mike that we don’t know. But may God continue to bless his soul. Mike is the Vice Chancellor of the Mike Awoyinfa University of Human Angle Journalism. He is the Baba Adini of reporters and Dean of College of Headline Casting.
—Tony Onyima, former MD/Editor-in-chief of The Sun.
I cannot think of any better way of acknowledging the humanism in Uncle Mike Awoyinfa’s journalism than to rate him as a “People’s journalist” as I felicitate him on his 70th birthday. Be it in the choice of stories for his reporters to pursue, the kind of issues to address in his columns, the style of presentation and the audacity and fluidity of his headlines, the takeaway from his editorial odyssey is that the people matter, and should always matter. It is the same approach for the books he has authored and co-authored. As Editor of the Weekend Concord, quintessential gentleman Uncle Mike, was able to bring the best out of a corps of enterprising journalists who exuded the same enthusiasm for the human side of life, irrespective of who they were reporting. There was no discrimination in his newsroom. Twice, my Fela story led the front page of Weekend Concord. —Lanre Arogundade
I recall vividly that in 1984, Mike Awoyinfa visited the Ife University Travelling Theatre and reported on its rehearsals at Oduduwa Hall. The theatre was rehearsing a number of political revues or satirical sketches which Professor Wole Soyinka, its director, was preparing to run on the streets of Ile-Ife. Awoyinfa joined Soyinka’s evening rehearsals and wrote the most captivating review I ever saw. Great events occurred in Ife during the 1984-1985 window. I appointed myself as Mike’s reportorial assistant and accompanied him everywhere. He appeared in a brand new Volkswagen Jetta saloon car which elevated journalism to the very zenith in my estimation. It was my duty to operate the midget, a novel electronic recording device with mini-cassette tapes which took the voice of those he interviewed even as he scribbled in a notebook. I was witness to his interviews with Flora Nwapa and Molara Ogundipe-Leslie, if I remember well, at the sedate and beautiful University Guest House. The year 1984 was also the year of Soyinka’s 50th birthday. Awoyinfa was the star reporter at conferences and parties, some of which held at Soyinka’s official residence on the campus. Soyinka issued a paper containing his famous treatise describing his as the “wasted generation” on this occasion. Awoyinfa would spring surprising questions, like asking Soyinka if he played lawn tennis because of his athletic build. He is the master of human angle stories. He sees the unusual, is able to ask amusing questions. Sunday Concord was the dress rehearsal for the founding of his human interest Saturday newspaper, The Weekend Concord.—Dapo Adeniyi
You deserve to be celebrated with an editorial as the Nation newspaper did. The Guardian wrote editorials to celebrate people like you who contributed so much to society or their chosen fields. I think this should be done while they are still alive rather than a posthumous honour!
—Seth Akintoye
The editorial on you is a well-deserved honour to a living legend of our noble profession—Dare Babarinsa
You deserve the editorial. You are a true creative leader—Ladi Ayodeji
The editorial shouldn’t surprise you because you mentored so many greats in journalism and watched them blossom —Simeon Mpamugoh
The editorial is an honour well deserved Holy Mike
—GboyegaAmoboye
You deserve nothing less than an editorial. You are a Master and yet very humble —Tony Ubani
You are the master, my Oga. Congratulations and happy birthday
—Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo
Sir, you are too humble. Many in other professions with less accomplishment have been celebrated. You deserve it and more. You changed the face and phase of weekend journalism in Nigeria. It’s no mean feat—Olayinka Oyegbile
The Nation editorial is an honour truly and roundly deserved. You represent what can be regarded in modern journalism as a pathfinder, accelerator and conservator. In all these, you remain humble, influential and transformational. Happy 70th birthday sir—Olabode Opeseitan
You are most deserving of the honour and celebration. As a matter of fact, if not you, who? And if not now, when?—Celestine Okafor
Mike, you are a master and I enjoy your writings. Except the ones on football because I dislike football. My best wishes and keep on writing—Tee Mac
