What you don’t know about Ojudu, Buhari’s Special Adviser on Political Matters

Babafemi Ojudu

Babafemi Ojudu

By Ademola Adegbamigbe

Babafemi Ojudu
Babafemi Ojudu

Senator Babafemi Ojudu, President Muhammadu Buhari’s new Special Adviser on Political Matters, is seen by many as a politician. However, there are other aspects to him. His activism as a journalist and human rights crusader are as massive as his hefty physiognomy.

Ojudu was born on 27 March, 1961 in Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State to the late Alhaji Afolabi Ojudu and Madam Raliat Boluwade Ojudu. Ojudu was, according the information he provides on his ojudubabafemi.com, educated at Emmanuel Primary School Ado-Ekiti. In 1973, he was admitted into Ado Grammar School also in Ado-Ekiti for his secondary school education. After acquiring his West Africa School Certificate in 1977, he worked briefly as a Clerical Officer in the then Ondo State Ministry of Education. From there, he proceeded to work as a Personnel Clerk at the Federal Mortgage Bank in Lagos.

In 1980, Ojudu was admitted to read English Studies at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, where he graduated in 1984. He did his Youth Service at the Publication Unit of the Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Ibadan in 1985. At the completion of his National Youth Service Corps Scheme, he was employed as a staff reporter in the Guardian. This was the formal beginning of his career as a journalist.

Ojudu after his release from detention in 1998
Ojudu after his release from detention in 1998

His interest in Journalism could actually be traced back to his days as a secondary school student. Noticing that he was fond of drawing caricatures of his school mates on the classroom board with some critical prose by it, the school principal, Chief Adejuwon, decided to re-channel his energy by buying a shortwave radio for him with the instruction that he should every morning tune to both BBC and VOA. Every morning he would listen to the news on both channels and would write them out and paste on the school’s notice board for the benefit of both students and staff.

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On graduating from secondary school, his dad insisted on his going to read law but his love and interest was for journalism. When he was admitted to study English at the then University of Ife, it was a first step in his effort at realizing this ambition.

The first and only club he joined as a student was the Association of Campus Journalists. He enlisted as a reporter with COBRA, a stinging Campus Journal. After one year with COBRA, he had a better idea of what a campus Journal should be and thereafter teamed up with two other friends to start another Journal known as The Parrot. From his second year to final, he was the Editor of Parrot.

While on campus, he started writing opinion pieces and letters to the Editors of national publications such as The Tribune, The Sketch, National Accord and the Guardian. This went on up to his service year at the University of Ibadan. This perhaps explains his employment on The Guardian barely one month after the completion of his service year.

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