By Iyanu Oluwajomilju
Mr. Oluwasegun Abifarin, the Publisher of Newsroom Nigeria, a Pan Nigeria online news platform has emerged as the University of Lagos Mass Communication Alumni Association (UMCAA) Journalist of the Year.
According to the organisers, Abifarin clinched the Award because he has been “a consistent star reporter and editor with high ethical standards.”
They added that he “has also been known
for exhibiting doggedness in pursuing a news report and producing investigative reports that create impact in the society apart from demonstrating an understanding of solution journalism.
The even which took place on Saturday at Ikeja, Lagos State Capital saw Abifarin receiving a plaque and a commendation from the President of the Association, Mr. Adewale Williams.
After his service year in 1992, Abifarin was part of the pioneer staff at Promptlink Limited, that published Labour Mirror for the Nigerian Labour Congress.
After a while, he desired to be part of the pioneer team at the TheNews magazine as a Reporter/Researcher in 1993
When the Abacha jackboot was becoming too heavy, Abifarin stepped aside from journalism and joined the Danish-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce as the Executive Secretary.
He almost caused a diplomatic row between Nigeria and Denmark, when he issued a press release condemning the execution of Ken Saro Wiwa, the Ogoni Rights activist, by the Abacha junta.
But the Journalism in him will not allow him as he left for Financial Standard Newspaper, from where he later joined the Week Magazine with Simon Kolawole who is now Publisher of The Cable.
Though Kolawole later left for Thisday, Abifarin stayed back and rose to become the Editor of The Week magazine.
From The Week, he moved to The Source magazine, from where he left for a stint in TPT, an International PR firm as Head of Media and Strategy.
It was after this that he decided to start his own online news magazine: Newsroom Nigeria, www.newsroomnigeria.com
Armed with a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Mass Communication, Abifarin is a professional journalist who knows his job.
He has won various awards, including the Nigeria Media Merit Award as Business Reporter of the Year and Bank/Finance Reporter of the Year amongst others.
He is a member of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE and International Press Institute, IPI (Nigeria)
Abifarin is also the Publicity Secretary of the Kwara Development Foundation, KWADEF and also the Editor of Kwara Chronicle, a publication of KWADEF.
