… divine messages were always being delivered to me that I had a calling to do God’s work, but I never took it seriously, I wish I’d hearkened to God’s call earlier than I did
*‘My love for journalism saw me through my media career. I worked as if the success of the entire editorial team depended on me and prayed as if it all rest on God. My whole life revolved around the job. There were times when I spent days working and spending nights at the office’
*‘Our publication runs with the catch phrase true-life romances. What that tells you is that the stories we publish are things that happen in the lives of people every day’
*‘The publication HINTS True Life Romances elevated romance journalism and brought it into reckoning in Nigeria. HINTS was me and I was HINTS, long after I left HINTS, I still run into people who try to convince me to do something about bringing romance journalism back to life’
*‘As a columnist then with Sunday Punch newspaper, I learnt professional discipline. The Punch newspaper set-up has no room for sloppiness and nonsense. Any slackness and you’ll be booted out’
*“Quacks and bloggers are killing the profession. Thank God for the new Cybercrime act signed into Law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Journalism should not be an all-comers affair; to be a practicing Lawyer, you must pass through the Nigeria Law School. Let the same be done for journalism”–AJALA
*PLUS, Untold reports of how he joined the Celestial Church of Christ, and honoured as a Fellow by a Christian Ministry in England
*BY DR GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU, Executive Editor & Group Managing Director, NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER Inc USA
He needs no introduction. He is arguably ‘The King of Romance Journalism in Nigeria’, He elevated the language of romance journalism for decades by x-raying the daily challenges, obstacles and true-life stories of the masses in their various situations. At 23 years old then, he became the youngest editor of a national magazine in Africa’s most populous black nation in the world. Welcome to the world of Kayode Ajala.
Like fire, the fame of this charming, intelligent, cerebral wordsmith, a regular columnist in Sunday Punch newspaper spread like wildfire across the African continent. For these reasons, he became a household name, even hundreds of Africans would prefer to go to bed hungry than miss a hard copy of the publication. At the end, God Almighty arrested him, after he initially resisted to the divine call, only to become an active member of the Lord’s Kingdom.
This humble editor to become Shepherd who talks slowly granted this interview with Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA editorial board in the face of his tight time schedule. Enjoy:
*NAIJA STANDARD: You are known as the youngest Editor in the Nigerian print media industry. You led the editorship of Hints Magazine at the tender age of 23. How did you attain such a rare feat?
*K. A: Hardwork, a throbbing passion and love for journalism made it possible. I worked as if it all depended on me and prayed as if it all depended on God.
*NAIJA STANDARD: How were you able to maintain your calm, not carried away by fame as the Editor of a nationally circulated magazine in Africa’s most populous black nation in the world?
* K. A: The job came first. Everything else was secondary. I was young, unmarried, and had no children. My whole life revolved around the job. There were times when I spent days working and spending nights at the office. And I enjoyed every second of it!
*NAIJA STANDARD: Why were you called ‘The King of Romance Journalism’?
* K. A: I guess that came about because the publication HINTS True Life Romances, elevated romance journalism and brought it into reckoning in Nigeria. HINTS was me and I was HINTS!
*NAIJA STANDARD: Millions of lives in the African continent were touched by the rich contents of your weekly publication on lessons of life. Don’t you think those people may have long missed your news medium?
* K. A: Even now, long after I left HINTS, I still run into people who try to convince me to do something about bringing romance journalism back to life. That confirms that they miss the medium.
*NAIJA STANDARD: How did you normally source story content with human angles such that people would prefer to go hungry and rather use their little funds to purchase your publication?
* K. A: The publication runs with the catch phrase true-life romances. What that tells you is that the stories we publish are things that happen in the lives of people every day. They happen every second and every minute. They might however go unnoticed but as romance journalists, we are trained to spot them, capture them and package them to the delight of our readers. To excel as a romance journalist, you must be a very good writer, a wordsmith and you must be very creative. Without these skills, you cannot excel in the field of romance journalism.
*NAIJA STANDARD: At a time, Hints Magazine was akin to The Holy Book, more of an addiction in the Universities and other colleges. How did you do that?
* K. A: By being passionate about what I was doing, keeping up with the trends of the time and being young at heart. Simple!
* NAIJA STANDARD: Can you tell of some evergreen moments in Hints Magazine?
* K. A: When I was promoted three times in quick succession in 1989 and when I became Editor of HINTS at the age of 23!
*NAIJA STANDARD: Would you have sub-titled Hints Magazine then into a French edition for a larger audience in the Francophone communities, like Benin Republic, Togo, Abidjan; Senegal, Haiti and France?
K. A: It didn’t ever occur to us to do that. We had more than enough challenges putting the publication in every nook and cranny of Nigeria.
*NAIJA STANDARD: If not for your divine calling by God Almighty, what were some other noble ideas you would have introduced into Hints Magazine today?
* K. A: Humour. And using real names, pictures and characters for the stories we publish. I mean, getting the characters to tell their stories firsthand.
*NAIJA STANDARD: How did the Lord arrest you as ‘The King of Romance Journalism’ into becoming a Shepherd in God’s vineyard?
*K. A: Even back then at HINTS, divine messages were always being delivered to me that I had a calling to do God’s work, but I never took it seriously. I’d already left HINTS when circumstances of life combined to make it clear that the only way to go was to heed God’s call. No one can run away from what Almighty desires.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Do you have a regret leaving behind your ‘Hints Magazine baby’ for God’s calling?
* K. A: No regrets. Quite frankly, I wish I’d hearkened to God’s call earlier than I did.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Between 1998 and 1999, you were a renowned columnist with The Sunday Punch Newspaper. What lesson did you learn over there?
* K. A: I learnt professional discipline. The Punch set-up has no room for sloppiness and nonsense. Any slackness and you’ll be booted out of the system before you even know it.
*NAIJA STANDARD: You are famous, a household name, a familiar face on Hints, Hearts or Sweet Heart publication. Good looking, highly intelligent, cerebral and handsome, how were you able then to draw a line to ladies who would naturally mill around a charming gentleman?
*K. A: I was young and single and still searching. The ladies came in droves. I sowed my wild oats. I won’t lie to you. I had my fun. Thank God I’m alive to tell the story.
*NAIJA STANDARD: After God’s divine calling, how did he direct you to the Celestial Church of Christ and not any other Christian ministry?
*K. A: A particular problem big enough to consume me happened in my life. The Police declared me wanted for a crime I knew absolutely nothing about. I ran to an uncle at Abeokuta. He was a member of the Celestial Church of Christ. He told me that the only assistance he could offer was to take me to his church for prayers. That was how I landed in the Celestial Church of Christ.
They prophesied; they prayed for me. The problem that I thought was insurmountable dissolved into thin air. A prophecy came that if I didn’t want bigger problems to arise in my life, I should wear the white garment and become a worshipper of God in the Celestial Church of Christ. I complied. Severally, after that first encounter, I have encountered God in C.C.C. I have no regrets being here. Proudly Celestial!
*NAIJA STANDARD: How will you describe the State of the Media Industry in Nigeria presently?
*K. A: Not bad but it sure can be better. Quacks and bloggers are killing the profession. Thank God for the new Cybercrime act signed into Law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters openly called Nigeria President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a liar and criminal, even without any court officially convicting him of such crimes. How do you square these allegations in the minds of Nigerians and members of the international community?
*K. A: That was a reckless statement to make. Even in law, an accused is innocent until convicted. Who made Sowore a judge over others. Certainly not God!
*NAIJA STANDARD: What are your legacies in the Nigerian Media?
*K. A: Can’t even begin to count the number of media professionals that trained under me and are still excelling in the Nigerian Media today. Good enough legacy for me, I dare say.
*NAIJA STANDARD: What other changes will you like to see by the Nigerian Press Council, Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism for the advancement of excellence in the media profession?
*K. A: Journalism should not be an all-comers affair. To be a practicing Lawyer, you must pass through the Nigeria Law School. Let the same be done for journalism. Let there be regulations. There are just too many gate crashers in the profession!
*NAIJA STANDARD: Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide recently celebrated the 40th year post houmous anniversary of the founder, Papa Oshoffa. Are there lessons you learn directly from him? If yes, what were these lessons?
*K. A: From him, I learnt humility, patience and wisdom. I learnt how to stoop to conquer.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Finally, you were recently honoured as a Fellow by a Christian Ministry in England. Can you tell us the details?
*K. A: It came as a big surprise. Whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability. I believe that was what influenced my getting the award.
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