Olori Janet Afolabi, award-winning journalist and Queen of Apomu Kingdom is the author of a book on journalism mentorship titled THE MASTERS WHO TRAINED ME.  Among the six mentors featured is Ray Ekpu, the celebrated editor of editors and co-founder of Newswatch magazine.  In this book excerpt, I bring you an inspirational piece on Ray Ekpu adapted for this column:

***

When Ray Ekpu was Editor of the Sunday Times, Africa’s highest-selling newspaper in 1980, I was in secondary school.  He was Chief Executive Officer of Newswatch when I began my journalism career.  I met Ekpu for the first time in Newswatch newsroom.  I was sitting alone on that Monday morning at 10 o’clock when Ekpu walked in.  He had no idea who I was.  He looked at me with surprise because, unknown to me, I was sitting on the General Editor’s seat. 

 

 

Olori Janet Afolabi and the book she wrote

“Do we have a new staff?” he asked.  I stood up and introduced myself as an intern.  I had barely finished when Ekpu said: “Then what are you doing in the newsroom?  You are supposed to be on the field.” 

I didn’t like the encounter. I didn’t want to go to any field in the hot sun to look for stories.  I deliberately avoided editorial meetings where stories were suggested and assigned.  I also avoided Ekpu because I thought he would ask me what story I was working on.  But I could not avoid him at a bank’s cocktail event I was assigned to cover; I saw him but pretended I didn’t see him. Later on, I looked in his direction.  He saw me and beckoned me to come.  As I walked towards him, I was nervous.  Apparently, he sensed it.  He said to me: “You must be confident and bold.  Feel free to interview the important personalities here, including Rilwan Lukman (the Minister of Petroleum at that time.)”  After Ekpu spoke to me, I was no longer shaking.  I walked straight to Lukman and introduced myself.  He gave me attention throughout the event. 

Since then, I began to report and write stories regularly.  I felt bad when my stories were not published, especially after working so hard on them.  One day I cried to Ekpu and complained that my story was not published for three consecutive weeks.  He told me to wipe my tears.  I was surprised when Ekpu followed me to the newsroom to find out why my story was not published.  He was told it was because of lack of space.  The following week, my story was published.  I was very happy.  I began to see Ekpu as a good master that should no longer be avoided.  Each time he saw me, he smiled and called “Mma mma,” a pet name that women from Akwa Ibom and Cross River are called.  He motivated me to work hard by commending me each time I wrote a good story.  He described me as one of the “more enterprising reporters.”   In the editorial suite, he wrote on a story I did on female prisoners.  He said: “Janet entered Benin Prison in a manner that only she can tell.” 

He also commended me on a drug story I did on pemoline—a drug which looks like paracetamol but is worse than cocaine.  I actually broke the story.  I went to Onitsha market and other shops where the drug was sold to investigate. I disguised as a buyer and got all the information I needed.  The story was a Special Report.  When Ekpu read the story, he said it should have been a cover. 

Related News

Ekpu is a humble man. Sometimes, he came to the newsroom to discuss stories with writers.  For instance, I was in the newsroom trying to put the materials for a cover story on Salisu Buhari together.  Unexpectedly, Ekpu walked in.  He pulled a chair beside me and sat down. 

“So, what is the focus of your story?” 

I explained it to him.  Satisfied, he said: “Alright, go ahead.” 

My morale to write the story was boosted.  Everything Ekpu has taught me about focus came to mind.  Focus is the process of narrowing and shaping a story.  Bringing a story into focus means fixing one’s attention on a clear, well-defined point.  The writer’s task is to convert a loose set of ideas into a meaningful script for the reader.  The focusing process is the means by which the writer sorts out the facts, defines and conveys them to support the writer’s intention.  A misplaced or irrelevant fact can interrupt the flow of a story and confuse the reader.  Failure to keep a focus in view can lead to wandering away from the subject.  Focus is therefore a set of facts that draws logically to a conclusion. 

Ekpu does not like clichés.  He told me that clichés make writing ineffective.  He said clichés are worn-out expressions that have lost their meaning, or effect.  Clichés are poor subtitles for clear thinking and creative expression. 

Ekpu likes stories that are supported with documents.  Many times during the editorial meetings, he asked us to go the extra mile to get documents to support our stories.  I did a story on “Robbers in Uniform.”  It was a cover flash.  When Ekpu read the story after it was published in the magazine, he sent for me.  He then requested that he would like to see them.  I brought the document.  He went through them, nodding intermittently.  When he was done, he smiled and said to me: “Mma mma, this is very good.” 

Ekpu is a good man and very supportive.  He never turned down staff request for support whenever he was in a position to do so.  My husband and I needed a letter to an Embassy.  But Ekpu was not in the office throughout that week. Because of the urgency of the letter, my husband and I went to his Ikeja GRA residence on a Sunday.  Contrary to my husband’s fears that he might be hostile to us, Ekpu received us very warmly.  He wrote a pleasant letter of introduction for us to the embassy.  We were very glad.  When we took the letter to the embassy, we were granted visa.  My husband and I were very grateful.          

Ekpu’s journalism journey has been filled with both triumphs and travails.  He was detained six times in various prisons by four governments.  He was tried for murder for writing or publishing articles that did not go well with some governments.  Ekpu also had moments of joy and triumph.  In 1987, he became the first black man to win the prestigious International Editor of The Year award which is given for “courage”.    

Ekpu writes with grace and courage in a style that sparkles.  Many tertiary institutions, including Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, University of Uyo and University of Ibadan have studied Ekpu’s writing style.