At 70, Oshunkeye Is Journalism’s Gentle Giant

By Sir Folu Olamiti FNGE

Writing about Shola Oshunkeye is not merely an assignment-it is a deeply personal tribute to a man I regard as a younger brother, one bound to me not by blood, but by shared values, trust, and enduring professional kinship.

In the closing years of my 32-year journey with the Tribune titles, Oshunkeye came into my life not just as a colleague, but as a constant-dependable, thoughtful, and profoundly humane. There is a quiet strength about him, the kind that does not seek attention but commands respect.

There are journalists who work the beat, and there are those who become the very conscience of the newsroom. Oshunkeye belongs, unmistakably, to the latter.

His humility is not a performance; it is his nature. His intellect does not shout; it persuades. And his loyalty-rare in both life and profession-has stood the test of time. He has always been at my beck and call, never hesitant, never weary, always willing. In moments of need, he shows up. In moments of reflection, he listens. And in moments of camaraderie, he reminds one that beyond deadlines and datelines, there is still room for humanity.

We have shared more than professional space—we have shared laughter, meals, quiet conversations, and the kind of fellowship that only time can build. It is this depth of character that makes any celebration of him feel not only deserved, but necessary.

His forthcoming autobiography, A Lifetime of Big Stories, will, without doubt, be a masterpiece. Not because it will recount events-we all have stories-but because it will reveal the soul of a man who has lived journalism with rare devotion. Oshunkeye does not simply chase stories; he inhabits them. He loses sleep over them. He carries them long after publication. Journalism, for him, is not a career-it is a calling.

Born in Ilesa, Osun State, 70 years ago, his journey reflects courage and reinvention. From a foundation in science at the University of Lagos and years in the Federal Civil Service, he took the bold leap into journalism in 1989 with Concord Press. What followed was not luck, but earned progression-each promotion a testament to diligence, discipline, and unmistakable talent.

Through turbulent seasons-including the dark days following the proscription of Concord Press-he remained steadfast. From Weekend Concord to TELL Magazine, and later to The Sun Publishing Limited, Oshunkeye did more than hold positions-he defined them. As Editor, General Editor, and eventually Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief in Ghana, he shaped narratives that mattered and mentored journalists who would go on to define the profession.

His crowning professional glory came in 2006, when he emerged overall winner of the CNN African Journalist of the Year Award with his unforgettable investigative work, Niger’s Graveyard of the Living. It was a story told with courage, empathy, and piercing clarity-a story that did not just inform, but moved the conscience of a continent. In that moment, the world simply acknowledged what we already knew.

Yet, beyond the accolades, beyond the titles, lies the man himself-grounded, accessible, and unpretentious.

As founder of The Crest and its Journalism Enhancement Foundation, he continues to give back, shaping the next generation with the same values that have defined his own path: integrity, rigour, and responsibility.

At 70, Oshunkeye is not slowing down; he is refining purpose. He stands today not at the end of a journey, but at a noble vantage point-able to reflect with gratitude and look ahead with quiet confidence.

To me, this tribute is personal. To journalism, it is significant. And to history, it is only fitting.

As he marks this milestone, he has every reason to thank the Almighty God-for grace, for strength, and for a life that has not only told stories, but has itself become one worth telling.

A lasting one.