By Joke Kujenya
PRESIDENT BOLA Tinubu has congratulated Professor Olatunji Dare on his 80th birthday, highlighting his remarkable contributions to journalism.
Professor Dare, a respected journalist and academic, has played a significant role in shaping public discourse in Nigeria and beyond.
Tinubu praised Dare, former Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Guardian Newspaper and current weekly columnist for The Nation Newspaper.
He commended Dare’s commitment to journalistic integrity, especially during the challenging military era when Dare faced adversity and repression.
Dare, an Emeritus Professor of Communication from Bradley University in Illinois, USA, has received numerous national and international awards.
His incisive columns and research papers have earned him a prominent place in academic and journalistic circles.
His satirical writings are also subjects of academic research in Nigerian universities.
Tinubu recognized Dare’s ongoing efforts in journalism and his mentorship of younger professionals.
He expressed gratitude for Dare’s dedication to building a stronger Nigeria.
“May God bless Professor Olatunji Dare with good health and happiness and grant him more years to witness a greater and more prosperous Nigeria,” Tinubu said.
This acknowledgment from President Tinubu underscores the impact of Professor Dare’s work and his lasting influence on Nigerian journalism.
Editors’ Guild and Vintage Press Host One-Day Colloquium
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Vintage Press Limited will host a one-day colloquium on July 17, 2024, to honour Professor Olatunji Dare on his 80th birthday.
The event will take place at Radisson Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, starting at 12 noon.
NGE President Mr. Eze Anaba and General Secretary Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren announced the celebration.
The theme of the colloquium is “Dare @ 80: Same Craft, Changing Times – The Columnist as Societal Conscience.”
Speakers
Mr. Lanre Idowu, CEO of Diamond Publications, will be the Lead Speaker.
Panelists include Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, NPAN President; Mr. Emeka Izeze, former MD of Guardian Newspapers; Mr. Eze Anaba, NGE President; and Comrade Chris Isiguzo, NUJ President.
The Celebrant
Professor Dare, Editorial Adviser at The Nation, is a renowned teacher and columnist.
He is celebrated as a master satirist, stylist exemplar, and magisterial editorialist.
His work as a journalist, scholar, and public intellectual has earned him the title “language connoisseur’s delight.”
He expertly uses satire and parody to address social, political, economic, cultural, and international issues.
Dare achieved the first-ever First Class Degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos and became a senior lecturer there.
He also holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University, where he was prizeman in Editorial Writing, and a PhD from Indiana University.
In 2014, when Dare turned 70, the journalism and media industry celebrated him with a significant resource material entitled “Public Intellectuals, the Public Sphere & the Public Spirit—Essays in Honour of Olatunji Dare,” edited by Professor Wale Adebanwi.
Organizers hope that the upcoming colloquium will produce similar outcomes.
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