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NigerianNews

Dare Babarinsa.

 Former
Executive Director, Tell Magazine

 Ti Oluwa Ni Ile Lodge
Okemesi-Ekiti
 08022904926
babalekeleke@yahoo.com
Gubernatorial aspirant for Alliance for Democracy, Ekiti State

 Curriculum Vitae

Come and Let Us Build

AN AMBASSADOR OF THE NIGERIAN PRESS

FRIENDS, BROTHERS, COUNTRYMEN


Curriculum Vitae
 of Dare Babarinsa

Personal Details

Surname:  Babarinsa

Other Names:  Oluwadare Adisa

Date of Birth:   May 9, 1955

Place of Birth, Okemesi, Ekiti State of Nigeria

Marital Status:  Married, Modupe Ihinosen Babarinsa (nee Oikelome), 2001 and Adekemi Ibipomola Babarinsa (nee Bamigbade), 1985, deceased 1999.

Address: Tell Communications Ltd, Plot 26, Kudirat Abiola Way, Ikeja, Lagos.

Permanent Home Address:  Ti Oluwa N’ile Lodge, Oke Onire, Odobi Street, Okemesi-Ekiti.

Telephone:  01-7747910

E-mail:  darebabarinsa@msn.com

Next of Kin:  Mrs Modupe Babarinsa, Teledalase Lodge, Gemade Estate, Lagos.

        

Schools Attended

1. Saint Andrew Anglican Primary School, Okemesi-Ekiti.

Date:  January 1962 – December 1967.

2. Ife Anglican Grammar School, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    Date:   January 1969 – June 1973

3.   Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Date:   September 1976 – July 1978.

4.   University of Lagos, Lagos State.

Date:  September 1978 – July 1981.

Academic Qualification

1.     B.Sc. Mass Communications, (Second Class Upper     Division), University of Lagos, 1981.

2.     West African School Leaving Certificate, 1973. 

Publications

1.   House of War, The story of Awo’s followers and the collapse of Nigeria’s Second Republic, published by Spectrum Books Ltd and Tell Commutations Ltd, 2003.

2.   Who is Shehu Shagari, A Press Portrait of an Elite. A final year degree project published in partial fulfilment for the award of B.Sc Mass Communications degree of the University of Lagos, 1981.

3.   Contributions to many books including

a.        The Road to Lalupon, a commemorative book on Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, edited by Dr Akinyemi Onigbinde, July 2001

b.       The Essential Bola Ige, a special publication to mark the 70th birthday anniversary of Chief Ige, September 2000. 

Employment History

1.   Class teacher, Saint Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Ire-Ekiti, March 1974-August 1974.

2.   Class teacher, Saint Michael Catholic Modern School, Ikole-Ekiti, September 1974-September 1976.

3.   Public Relations Officer, Ogun State NYSC Secretariat, Abeokuta, Ogun State.  That was my primary assignment as a Youth Corps member, July 1981 to August 10, 1982. 

 Schedule of work included:

I.      Editing the NYSC monthly newsletter.

II.     Editing the CorpsTorch, the yearly magazine of the NYSC

III.    Visiting corps members across the state in the company of the NYSC Chief Inspector (Mr Akinnibosun) and other top officials.

IV.         Attending to the complaints of corps members and other public relations issues on a daily basis.

V.            Liaison with the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, OGBC, for the weekly Corpers Calling programme.

 

4.    Senior Staff Writer, Drum Publications Ltd, publishers     of Drum, Trust, Sadness and Joy, Mill and Boom and African Films, August 1982 – October 1982.

5.   Senior Reporter, Concord Press of Nigeria, publishers of the National Concord, the Sunday Concord, Amana, Isokan and others, November 1982 to October 1984.

Schedule of Work.

a.    Served as political correspondent October 1982 to January 1983 during which time I covered many political events in Lagos including Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s public presentation of Alhaji Mohammed Kura as his running mate for the 1983 presidential elections.  I also interviewed many prominent politicians including Mallam Aminu Kano, the leader and presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Vice-President Alex Ekwueme, Chief Bola Ige, governor of Oyo State, Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, governor of Ogun and Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, governor of Lagos State.

b.   National Assembly Correspondent, February 1983 to June 1983.  Apart from covering the daily proceedings and committee meetings of the House of Representatives, I was also writing a weekly column on the House.

c.    Ondo State Chief Correspondent.  In this position, I was also the manager of the Akure branch office of the Concord group.  I covered the affairs of the state including the controversial and bloody 1983 general elections.  My experience is the subject matter of my book House of War.

6.   I was employed in November 1984 by Newswatch.

a.    Staff Writer 1984 – 1985.

b.   Promoted Senior Staff Writer in 1986.

c.    Promoted Assistant Editor in 1987

d.   Promoted Associate Editor 1988.  Apart from reporting and writing both Nigerian and international stories, I was also the head of the Nation’s Desk.  I resigned from Newswatch on October 1, 1990, to team up with four other colleagues, Nosa Igiebor, Dele Omotunde, Onome Osifo-Whiskey and Kolawole Ilori, to start, TELL, Nigeria's foremost news magazine.   

7.   Tell Communications Ltd.

a.    Executive Editor of TELL magazine, November 1990 till date.

b.   Executive Director in charge of sales and circulations department, 1990 till date.

c.     Since the inception of the magazine in 1991, I have maintained the oldest running column in TELL.

8.   Executive Director, Novak Logistics Nigeria Ltd, Lagos, 1998 till date.

9. Executive Chairman, Lekeleke Investments Ltd, Lagos, 2000 till date.

Honours and Leadership Experience

1.   Deputy Food Prefect, Ife Anglican Grammar School, Ile-Ife, Osun State, 1972/’73

2.   Won the First Prize in the essay competition organised by Times International published by the Daily Times of Nigeria, 1975.  The essay was on African High Command. 

3.   Co-founder of the Torch Writers Club, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 1977.

4.   Features Editor, Torch magazine, 1977-78, at the OAU.

5.   Features Editor, Black Struggle, published by the Watu Wazuri Movement, a Black Power organisation, OAU, 1977 -78

6.   Member, Editorial Board, Masscope, the magazine of the Mass Communications Dept. of the University of Lagos, 1979

7.   Co-Founder, Freedom Writers Club, 1979, Unilag.

8.   First Features Editor, Koboko magazine, Unilag, 1979.

9.   Features Editor, Unilag Sun, a publication of the University of Lagos, Department of Mass Communications, 1979-1980.

10.                   President, National Union of Ondo State Students, NUOSS, 1979/80.  It was on this platform I first met Governor Adekunle Ajasin, his deputy, Chief Akin Omoboriowo and the then Commissioner for Education, Dr Falaye Aina.

11.                   Columnist for the Daily Times, Campus News, every Friday, 1980/81.  The column was introduced by the late Mr Dele Giwa who was then Features Editor of the Times.

12.                   Features Editor, CorpsTorch, 1982-82, a magazine of the National Youths Service Corps, Ogun State.

13.                   Winner of the Newswatch Editor-in-Chief Award, 1986.

14.                   Winner of the Newswatch’s Journalist of the Year Award 1987.

15.                   Founding member of Idile, a pan-Yoruba Think-Thank, 1994.

16.                   First Olori (leader) of Idile, 1994 till date.

17.                   Founding member of Alajobi, a pan-Yoruba coalition group comprising Idile, (led by Dare Babarinsa), New Generation, (led by Jimmy Agbaje), Gateway Front (led by Otunba Gbenga Daniel), The New Action Group (led by Dr Ademola Ademodi), The Group (led by Alhaji Amid Oduborisa), Oodua Liberation Movement (led by Rotimi Obadofin), Oodua Youths Movement (led by Abiodun Aremu), Okun Peoples Front, (led by Ayo Abereoran) and Heritage Group (led by Mr Femi Yerokun), Year 2000.

18.                   First Chairman of Alajobi, Year 2000 till date.

19.                   Member, Apostles of Peace Society, Saint Paul Anglican Church, Ishagatedo-Isolo, Lagos.

20.                   Special Guest of President Felix Houphoet-Boigny of Ivory Coast during the Special Conference of the ruling Party Democratic de Cote d’Ivoire, PDCI of October 1985.  Only two journalists were invited from Nigeria.  The other person was Onome Osifo-Whiskey, then member of the Editorial Board of the Daily Times.

21.                   Special Guest of President Gnassingbe Eyadema during the anniversary of his government in 1986.

22.                   Beneficiary of the Distinguished Visitiors Programme, July to August 1988, during which I time I visited more than a dozen American cities, including Phoenix in Arizona, Chicago in Illinois, Baltimore, New York and Washington D.C.  I visited the White House, the Capitol Hill and the Washington Monument among many other sites.  I was the only Nigerian and one of five Africans in the team of about 35 distinguished people all over the world which included a minister from Zambia, a governor from the Philippines and a parliamentarian from Israel.  My experience in that visit was the subject of a comprehensive story by TOPIC magazine, published by the United States Information Agency and distributed all over the world.

23.                   I attended the convention of the Republican Party at the Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, in August 1988 when President George Bush (Senior) was nominated the candidate of his party.  I was the only Nigerian journalists invited by the USIA for the occasion.

24.                   Visited Goree Island in Senegal in the company of Chief Moshood Abiola in 1991 as part of his campaign for reparation.  Goree Island is famous as the last port of no-return during the Trans Atlantic Slave trade.  The article I wrote on that trip is now included in a national English language textbook for final year secondary school students in the Republic of Cameroon.

25.                   Guest Lecturer invited by the Ethiopian Journalists Association to deliver the key note address at the National Forum for Ethiopian journalists.  The venue was the African Hall in Addis Ababa in 1997.  The trip was sponsored by the United States government and I was nominated for it by the American States Department.

26.                   Patron, Coalition of Yoruba Self-Determination Group, COSEG.

27.                   Patron, June 22 Club of Ado Ekiti.

28.                   Patron, Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan.

29.                   Patron, Nigerian Sociological and Anthropological Students Association, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State branch.

30.                   Patron, Union of Campus Journalists, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

31.                   Patron, Idia Press Organisation, University of Ibadan.

32.                   Secretary of the special workshop on the Role of Traditional Rulers in an Emergent Democracy, organised by the African Leadership Forum, Otta, Ogun State, 1991.  General Olusegun Obasanjo was the Chairman and Professor Akin Mabogunje was the moderator.

33.                   Member of the Special Group that drafted the Constitution for Afenifere in the Year 2000.  The team was appointed by the Leader of the Yoruba, Senator Abraham Adesanya.

34.                   Moderator of the Special Peace Parley for Afenifere leaders held at the Ijebu-Igbo country home of Senator Abraham Adesanya on March 26, 2000.  Present at the parley were all frontline leaders of Afenifere including Senator Adesanya, his deputy, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Olanihun Ajayi, Senator Ayo Fasanmi and Chief Ayo Opadokun.  Archdacon Emmanuel Alayande presided.  The meeting was organised by Alajobi.

35.                   Guest Lecturer to mark the 79th birthday anniversary of Senator Adesanya at the National Arts Theatre on July 24, 2001.

36.                   Winner of the Merit Award presented by the Zenith Klub of Okemesi-Ekiti, December 26, 2002.

37.                   Winner of the Award for Media Merit presented by the Campus Banner Organisation of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, March 9, 2004.

38.                   Winner of the Merit Award presented by the Unity Club of Okemesi-Ekiti, December 26, 2004.

39.                   Award of Excellence presented by Saint James Anglican Church, Oke-Oniyo, Ado-Ekiti, April 16, 2005.

40.                   Member, Nigerian Guild of Editors.

41.                   Member, Nigerian Union of Journalists.

42.                   Member, Commonwealth Journalists Association.

43.                   Member, Editors Forum, World Association of Newspapers.

44.                   Member, E-Eleven, an association of Ekiti professionals.

45.                   Member Ekitiparapo, an association of Ekiti indigenes living outside Ekiti State.

 

Selected Lectures and Seminar Papers

1.             A FREEDOM OF THREE DEMONS:  a public lecture delivered to mark the 2001 Press Week of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Ondo State Council, at the Pen House, Alagbaka Housing Estate, Akure, Tuesday December 11, 20001.

2.             HOW MAMA LOST HER TONGUE: A public lecture delivered the Founder’s Day celebration of The Vale College, Ibadan, Saturday June 2, 2001.

3.             TELL ME WHEN IT IS DAWN; A public lecture given at the Banquet Hall of the Ikoyi Hotel, Lagos, for the Rotary Club International, Monday April 9, 2001.

4.             A COMMONWEALTH OF NO NATION; A public lecture delivered at the public presentation of Yoruba-English Dictionary, by Dr. K.J. Fakinlede in honour of Senator Abraham Adesanya’s 70th birthday anniversary, at the National Arts Theatre, Lagos, Tuesday July 24, 2001.

5.             A PEACE OFFERING; Public tribute to the late Chief Ajibola Ige, deputy leader of Afenifere and attorney general of the federation, at the Cultural Centre, Mokola, Ibadan, Wednesday January 9, 2002.

6.             OUR LAND, OUR LIONS AND OUR LAMBS; A public lecture at the Ogun State Hotel, Otta, Saturday October 5, 2002, organised by the Lions Club International.

7.             A BLUE-PRINT FOR THE REPUBLIC; Review of Saving the Ship of State: the Living Thoughts of Obafemi Awolowo, by Yinka Quadri, presented at the Ikeja Airport Hotel, Friday, June 4, 2002.

8.             YORUBA AND THE ACCIDENT OF NIGERIA; Review of Unity in Yorubaland and other Contemporary Issues, Volume One of the Yoruba world Series, a publication of Yoruba Leaders Forum, presented at the Greeting Hall, Yoruba Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos, Thursday, July 11, 2002.

9.             A WITNESS OF TROUBLE; A paper presented on election reporting at a workshop on election reporting for journalists at the Airport Hotel, Lagos Monday March 31, 2003.

10.         RULERS, LEADERS AND OUR VILLAGE: A speech delivered at the Lagoon Restaurant in honour of Engineer Kehinde Akinola, aspirant for the chairmanship of Ikeja Local Government Council of Lagos State, Thursday May 1, 2003.

11.         PRESS FREEDOM IN NIGERIA: WHAT HOPE FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. A public lecture at the Independent Journalism Centre, Acme Road, Tuesday May 6, 2005.

12.         A PARTNERSHIP OF TRUST; A speech delivered at the public presentation of SuperFuelMax at the Ikeja Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, Monday May 19, 2003.

13.         NIGERIA; SUSTAINING THE CHALLENGE OF DEMOCRACY; A public lecture delivered at the Catholic Secretariat Forum, Anifowose Street, Victoria Island, Sunday, June 8, 2003.

14.         BUILDING THE NATION IN OUR OWN WAY: Text of a public lecture delivered under the auspices of the Union of Campus Journalists at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Saturday September 6, 2003.

15.         OMO EKITI, E RANTI ILE; Oro isiri fun awon omo egbe Ekiti-Eleven ti o waye ni ojo Satide, November 15, 2003, ni Olujoda Hotel, Ado Ekiti.

16.         THE MEDIA AND THE SEARCH FOR NIGERIA; Keynote speech at a one-day seminar on Transition in Democracy, the Search for Leadership, organised by the Centre for Policy Analysis, Saturday January 17, 2004, at the Lafia Hotel, Ibadan.

17.         SAINTS, SINNERS AND COUNTRYMEN; The review of the book, History of Christianity in Ekitiland, authored by Rt. Revd. Peter Awelewa Adebiyi, the Lord Bishop of Lagos West, Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion) at the Oranmiyan Hall, Lagos Airport Hotel, Wednesday May 26, 2004.

18.         A SOLDIER ON THE CROSS; Review of the book, Fajuyi: His Last Days by Peter Ajayi, at the Banquet Hall of the Premier Hotel, Ibadan, Thursday July 29, 2004.

19.         THE PHILOSOPHER WHO MISSED HIS WAY: Public lecture delivered to the Philosophy Students Society at the Faculty of Arts Auditorium, University of Ibadan on Tuesday August 10, 2004.

20.         DEMAND OF THE ANCESTORS; Public lecture delivered in honour of Chief Bola Ige, late deputy leader of Afenifere, at the Oranmiyan Hall of the Ikeja Airport Hotel, December 14, 2004.

21.         A PRIVATE ADVENTURE; Review of The World of Yemi Farounbi, authored by Olutayo Adesina, at the Banquet Hall of the Premier Hotel, Ibadan, Sunday October 3, 2004.

22.         TEMPTATION AND SLAVERY; Review of the book, Trapped: A compendium of issues on illegal migration and human trafficking, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Wednesday February 2, 2005.

23.         MOMENT OF THE MORAL MAJORITY; Public lecture delivered to the Rotary Club at the Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi, Monday April 18, 2005.

24.         HERALD OF TROUBLE; Review of NOT HIS MASTER’S VOICE by Peter Ajayi, at the Muson Hall, Lagos, April 22, 2005.

25.         FRIENDS, BROTHERS, COUNTRYMEN; Public lecture delivered under the auspices of Ekiti Youths in Politics, at the Great Fajuyi Hall, Ado-Ekiti, Friday 27, May 27, 2005.

26.         THE PROFITS OF JUNE 12; A public lecture at the Catholic Secretariat, Victoria Island, on Sunday June 12, 2005.

27.         POLITICS OF THE NIGERIAN CENSUS; IMPLICATIONS ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF POWER AND WEALTH; Public lecture to mark the week of the Department of Demography and Social Statistics of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, August 17, 2005.

 HOBBIES

Reading, travelling, ayo and table-tennis.

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"Won the First Prize in the essay competition organised by Times International published by the Daily Times of Nigeria, 1975.  The essay was on African High Command. 

Founding member of Alajobi, a pan-Yoruba coalition group comprising Idile, (led by Dare Babarinsa), New Generation, (led by Jimmy Agbaje), Gateway Front (led by Otunba Gbenga Daniel), The New Action Group (led by Dr Ademola Ademodi), The Group (led by Alhaji Amid Oduborisa), Oodua Liberation Movement (led by Rotimi Obadofin), Oodua Youths Movement (led by Abiodun Aremu), Okun Peoples Front, (led by Ayo Abereoran) and Heritage Group (led by Mr Femi Yerokun), Year 2000."