REUNION with a Mentor, Lord Mayor Akinpelu: When the Voice of God becomes the Voice of Men
*BY DR. GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU
He is famous, renowned, respected across Africa’s most populous black nation in the world. He is a well-known face in most homes in Nigeria. Among the high and mighty, his name rings a familiar tune. Even in Aso Rock, the highest place of power in the country, everyone knows him ‘like-the-palm-of-the-hand’ irrespective of the occupant in that highest corridor of power. This was the reason late President Muhammadu Buhari, and incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally penned him letter when he celebrated his birthday. It would be naturally difficult due to the magnanimity of the work schedule of a country’s leader to take time out and begin to celebrate an individual. No, this is not about the usual text messages or the ones you find on social media. That’s a rare privilege reserved for deserving highly valued individuals. Welcome to the world of Isiaka Mayowa Abiodun Akinpelu, otherwise known as Mayor Akinpelu.
‘Lord Mayor’, as I have always called him in reverence, is a mentor, a friend and a brother to whom I owe highest appreciation in my media adventure on the international scene. Many call him ‘godfather of Lifestyle Journalism,’ some others call him ‘The Lord of Society Journalism’, but I chose to call him ‘The King of Celebrity Journalism’ as his protégé.
We have not set eyes on each other after 20 years apart. As such, you could imagine how excited I was on returning to Nigeria, been able to reconnect with my mentor, having gone outside the nation, and consistently report on several undercover stories under various weather conditions from Africa to Asia, Europe to the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, UAE), United Kingdom to the United States, not once did I stop writing, since my ink would not stop flowing, no matter how I tried.
Eventually, as stated in the Action and Reaction Law of Physics, Newton’s Third Law of Motion. This law states that when one object exerts a force on another, the second object exerts an equal force back on the first object, but in the opposite direction. The opposite reaction of the detailed Celebrity Journalism training I received then from Mayor Akinpelu back in-the-days of FAME Weekly Magazine at Wemabod Estate, Ikeja, Lagos State, helped me adequately prepare to navigate the ‘newsmakers, high-and-mighty’ Overseas to lacing my boot of ‘undercover reporter’ such that I was able to bring to life ‘voice of the voiceless’, ‘fight injustice by the power of the pen’ whenever I found a news worthy issue of general human interest angle.
This non-stop reportage back-to-back earned me the MBE Best African Editor of the World in Manchester 2016, Most Consistent Nigerian Editor in the Diaspora, MNNA 2021, and of course the 2025 Global Recognition WORLD CLASS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM Award in USA (first feat ever by any African journalist in history) in a keen media competition that had 45,000 entries from reporters in 100 countries. These are aside other 77 media awards already won from across the globe as at present.
While still in Texas, United States, a few months ago, our Board of Directors and editorial crew had series of Conference zoom video call meetings with our other Regional Editors in the company’s branch offices in UAE, Australia, Denmark; Tanzania, South Africa and Nigeria, after I was promoted the Executive Editor & Group Managing Director of the publication from my last position then as America’s Senior Investigative Editor.
It was unanimously agreed that I needed to be on ground in Nigeria and coordinate all our editorial offices as mentioned above in a loud applause and standing ovation, since under my guide in North America, this online news medium began publication in Espanol (Spanish), French and Arabic editions.
This significant step instantly drew in a wide range of large readership audience in millions from the Latino to Francophone and Arabic communities. That turned around the fortunes of the publication. Lest I forget, twice I have received a personally signed appreciation letter from United States President Donal Trump during his first term in office in The White House where he acknowledged the impact of African journalism in America and praised my effort in two books I authored, published in New York, best sellers that sold out on Amazon.
Sorry for the little digression. Back to the end of our Board of Directors meeting then in Texas, I made it clear to the management that I intend to first present the golden 2025 Global Recognition WORLD CLASS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM Award to Mayor Akinpelu in Nigeria, Publisher/CEO, Global Excellence Magazine. No one objected or raised an eyebrow, because they all knew the impact Lord Mayor had on my media exposure to the international community.
Let me take you through my media journey briefly:
I started from then TODAY’S Choice Magazine under the ownership of Coker Onita. I worked directly as an Entertainment Writer on Halim Mohammed’s desk. My colleagues were: Kunle Rasheed (Don G.), Tunde Moshood (Jite Usman), Soji Oyinlola (S.O.J); Otunba Femi Davies and many more fine writers numerous to remember.
Not long after then, I moved to FAME Weekly Magazine where I met Mayor Akinpelu, Billy Adedamola, Babs Adegbenjo, Segun Banjo and other brilliant journalists. I became the first reporter posted to Accra, as its Ghana Correspondent. I lived in Kaneshi Street in the country’s capital of Kwame Nkrumah’s country. My movement to Ghana then was facilitated by Lord Mayor who thoroughly believed, told me then I had raw talents of journalism in me like ‘an inferno’ that I needed to allow those gifts to come to the fore and ‘burn’, so all eyes may see. Those words of wisdom till date are still echoing in my head wherever the wind of journalism blows me.
Those were the evergreen days, my other godfathers, friends and brothers: Kunle Bakare (KB), Femi Akintunde-Johnson (FAJ) led the publication of National Encomium Magazine, I am glad the publication is still waxing strong. My contemporaries: Micheal Effiong, Azuh Arinze and others were also ‘firing cylinders’ of great cover stories from all angles in that soft sell genre.
And that was the era Dr. Seye Kehinde (S.K), established City People Magazine Group, a media publication that covers the ‘movers and shakers’ of Nigeria from all walks of life. Till now, S.K., K.B., F.A.J remain good friends. I thank them.
Also, I remember Chief Dele Momodu, OVATION Magazine publisher, ably called ‘Bob Dee’ who always would open his doors for me anytime I was ready to conduct an interview with him, at the slightest moment. I appreciate you.
Again, pardon my digression a bit, while in Accra, to survive and pay my apartment rent, I had to quickly get a media job as a Foreign Correspondent in Daily Graphic, been the largest, most circulated national newspaper in Ghana.
On return to Nigeria from Ghana, Lord Mayor posted me as the First Foreign South African Correspondent for FAME WEEKLY Magazine. I resided in Arcadia Street (longest street) in Pretoria. I did enjoy myself: visited places, conduct cover stories that glazed the cover of the publication back home. To further have a ‘taste of South African journalism’, I applied and got hired as a Senior Foreign Correspondent for African Union Magazine.
After some years, I told myself I needed to go back home. I thanked Lord Mayor after my return from South Africa since he gave me the ‘wings to fly’ and experience what foreign journalism was like.
As time went by, I was offered a media job in INSIDER Weekly Magazine under Osa Director, in the presence of other Board Members: Declan Okpalaeke (a CNN African Journalist of the Year Award Winner-Health category), Olori Janet Afolabi, Queen of Apomu Land (a CNN African Journalist of the Year Award Winner-Business category), Danlami Nmodu; Obed Awowede and Chuks Onwudinjo. My colleagues on the editorial desks were Julius Ogunro, Alex Okumo, Nick Nweru, Funsho Arogundade and many others.
I love challenges in journalism. This made me move over after some time to TEMPO Weekly Magazine, the ICNL publication under the leadership of: Bayo Onanuga, Kunle Ajibade, Babafemi Ojudu; and Dapo Olorunyomi. It was a moment of ‘art and craft in news magazine style of reporting’. There were no dull moments. It was fun. I cannot begin to reel out names of my colleagues over there since they are too numerous to mention. I thank them all.
When I heard Ide Eguabor was to publish NATIONAL INTEREST Newspaper, I did not hesitate to make inquiries. It was after I confirmed Eric Osagie was the Editor, I made up my mind to join the publication as Arts & Features Writer, in the office located on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos State.
After some years, media opportunity came knocking at me when I was hired at The SOURCE Magazine, along Emina Cresent, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos State, under the editorship of Victor Ogenne where I anchored the Back-of-the-Book Society pages. As I am typing this article, I remembered Igho Akeregha, a comrade, colleague and good friend of all times.
I was excited after a while, when Sunday Vanguard Newspaper, under the editorship of Kunle Oyatomi, gave me a job offer as a Society Writer, to co-anchor ‘The SUNDAY PEOPLE’, a centre-spread pull-out weekly with Sam Umukoro. Umukoro and I bonded fast without looking back. In the archive till date, you would still find great stories regularly mentioned on the cover of Sunday Vanguard then bylined by him and I. My colleagues then were Amadi Ogbonnaya, Frank Meke and many others.
As time went by, National Daily Newspaper offered me a job as Head, Crimes & Investigations. It was a beautiful moment in my media journey.
At a point in time in life, your body feels like taking on more editorial challenges since I was restless expanding my horizon of learning and acquiring skills in all aspects of investigative journalism so I could fit easily into the print media publication wherever I found myself in the world. I wanted a limitless media boundary.
Later, Louis Odion, then as editor-in-chief/Group Managing Director of NATIONAL LIFE Newspaper called on me for a media job offer as Deputy Features Editor. I embraced the position with my hands joyfully. The media company then on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos State was a beehive of activity as celebrities, captains of industries, other came visiting non-stop. I thank Dr Festus Adedayo, then Group Managing Editor, for all of his support.
It was after then I was hired as Editor of The SCROLL Magazine on Oregun Road, Lagos State, owned by Olori Janet Afolabi. After a while, Dupe Ashama, publisher of then FOCUS Magazine offered me job as Editor of the monthly British publication in Nigeria. Then, Kayode Soyinka, a highly respected Nigerian journalist, former London Bureau of Newswatch Magazine of Dele Giwa rolled out his own British printed monthly news journal, AFRICA TODAY Magazine, with their office on the Island, Lagos State. By the time he gave me an irresistible offer as Editor, Arts & Tourism, I grabbed it. It was on record then that I gave Fatai Rolling Dollar one of the most famous exclusive interviews of his life in our news publication. Rolling Dollar told me by himself after the publication. We became inseparable friends since then.
Fast forward to my return to Nigeria. Our Editorial Board and I had 22 hours 50 minutes flight from Dallas Forth Worth (DFW), Texas, USA, with a stop-over in Istanbul (Turkey). We had another re-connecting flight to Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMA. This happened a few weeks ago, in less than two months.
One thought was on my mind daily. How do I really appreciate Lord Mayor enough? I could not wait to see him face-to-face to personally tell him ‘Thank You’. Pronto, I reached out to him, and he fixed a date in a matter of days for the historic reunion.
The phrase “When the Voice of God becomes the Voice of Men” can refer to a few different concepts, but it most commonly alludes to the idea that God’s will and guidance are made manifest through human actions and decisions, rather than through direct, divine pronouncements. It can also refer to the belief that the collective wisdom and decisions of people can reflect God’s will, or that God speaks through individuals considered to be prophets or messengers. At FAME WEEKLY Magazine then, I made bold to say Mayor Akinpelu was my ‘Guardian Angel in Celebrity Journalism, a personality with whom his words of wisdom changed my media career forever.
So, the final day of the visit to Global Excellence Magazine came. I had wanted to put on a Nigerian native attire. I had a second thought-a change of mind to dress down in an American designer’s T-shirt, jeans and shoes to match. Not only did Lord Mayor influence my journalism craft, but he positively had also impact on my way of dressing to various occasions since I rightly admire his dress style from the outset.
I was accompanied on the trip by the Press Secretary & Administrative Director of NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER Inc USA in North America, Mrs. Mary OTUMU and my personal assistant for an appointment set for 3:00pm. We drove straight to the former office on Oregun Road, Ikeja, Lagos State. We were told the media house had relocated to Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos. I sent a direct message to Lord Mayor, he replied almost instantly with a re-direction to his new office.
I told my personal assistant to keep his legs ‘firing on the accelerator’ of the SUV car as I could not wait to see my mentor again. We arrived the new office a few minutes behind 3:00pm. We were ushered on arrival into Lord Mayor’s office. Seeing him face to face, I screamed: “Lord Mayor, Lord Mayor, so happy to see you”. He replied: “Same here”. We hugged at least three times.
Mayor Akinpelu treated us to beautiful hospitality. Without wasting much time, I appreciated him again and handed over the 2025 Global Recognition WORLD CLASS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM Award won in the United States to him.
His response was: “Congratulations. I am happy. When you see your protégé rise in life and do excellently you should be happy. You should know that one way or the other you have done well, been able to inspire somebody to do well. I remembered those days at FAME, now you are a global icon, well respected and honoured and the pleasure is ours.”
The highpoint of the meeting was when we delved into evergreen moments in journalism, his trip then to the United States, which coincided with when I received a Doctorate Degree in Investigative Journalism from Crown University, Delaware, United States, we had an elaborate conversation on the ‘State of the Nation’ and how Nigeria is the only country in the world with the best Supporting Family System due to our endowed character.
*Dr. George Elijah OTUMU is the Executive Editor & Group Managing Director, NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER Inc USA, Book Author & Media Consultant
*2025 Winner Global Recognition WORLD CLASS Investigative Journalism Award in the United States
*Winner: Most Consistent Nigerian Editor in the Diaspora, MNNA 2021
*Winner: MBE Best African Editor of the World, Manchester 2016
*Certified & Licensed America’s Global Human Rights Consultant from the prestigious Institute of Human Rights & Diplomacy, Washington DC, USA
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