Mr Oyinlade Bonuola

Passionate about Journalism:

There is a pastoral air to Mr. Oyinlade Bonuola, which understates the depth of his pen. He is so simple you can miss him in a crowd. As editor of The Guardian and later the managing director, he walked hurriedly as if it was sinful to have a leisurely walk. Eager to deliver the paper daily to its audiences without compromising its integrity, he was a man who had little time for fritter away. From the work force, he demanded earth-shaking stories that would make the reader call more for The Guardian.

Educated at Ijebu Ode Grammar School, and trained as a subeditor at the Daily Times, he belonged to old puritanical school of letting your work speak for you. There, away from the limelight of the reporter, he was part of the standard-enhancing team that polished raw copies of reporters into bright gems that kept the reader asking for more. His stint on the features desk brought him some recognition but the transforming period in his career came with the birth of the influential column, “Caught out: A critical look at the Nigerian Press” in the late 70s. There, he brought out all the years of training received at the Times and in the UK on the use of language, the packaging of news stories as the credible interpreter of the day’s intelligence. Readers looked forward to it in the Sunday Times under the editorship of Tunji Oseni. Colleagues studied it. An early attempt at media accountability had begun.

From the Daily Times, Lade Bonuola or Ladbone as he is known in industry moved to The Guardian in 1982. Together with the likes of Dr. Stanley Macebuh, Messrs. Femi Kusa, Ted Iwere, Sonala Olumhense, Onwuchekwa Jemie, Bonuola transformed rookies into respected news hunters and opinion moulders as the Guardian redefined newspapering in Nigeria.

Starting out as the Associate Editor, later Editor, Editor-in-Chief, Managing Director, and Executive Consultant, Bonuola spent almost two decades at the Guardian, giving his all to Nigerian journalism. From The Guardian, he left to start The Comet in a second attempt to groom a new corps of committed journalists and expand the frontiers of Nigerian journalism. The effort was not as successful as the previous one at the Guardian. He was for a season, publisher of Nigerian Compass, before settling into the life of a consultant and columnist. The revolution of ideas, which Bonuola and others began at the Guardian remains alive. The army of disciples they trained and mentored has continued to shape and direct the path of the Nigerian media in more ways than one.

The Trustees of DAME acknowledge Mr. Lade Bonuola’s lifetime commitment to responsible journalism, evidenced in his output in the last 50 years. In him, we see a defender of professional standards, an advocate of a strong and responsible media, and a courageous patriot who is ever ready to lend his voice to the search for meaning and morality in public life. For these reasons, we present the DAME Lifetime Achievement to Mr. Oyinlade Bonuola, Ladbone.