Award-winning journalist, Yinka Fabowale, has authored a book detailing the experiences and challenges of an African journalist rising to stardom in the face of daily risks to life and career.

The book, A Reporter and His Beat, tells the story of a Nigerian journalist on duty in the military and democratic era. It offers unique and realistic lessons to reporters, journalists and scholars, as it points out the differences between journalism in theory and practice.

The new book, according to former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Publishing, Mike Awoyinfa, is a tapestry of captivating stories, pedagogy and moral treatise.
He said: “This book is worthy of admittance to the growing corpus of sublime literature and will definitely enrich the perspectives of policymakers, scholars of communication and journalism, development studies experts and anyone interested in the range of subjects it covers.”
Professor of Communication, Baze University, Abuja, Abiodun Adeniyi, said by writing the book, Fabowale has scored the goal of a true professional.

“The professional needs some detouring to document travails, travels, tests, and triumphs, not just for younger practitioners, students, researchers and neutral readers, but also to relieve self of the inner burden to give back, by sharing life’s lessons from a personal prism,” he said.
In his foreword, co-founder of TELL weekly news magazine, Dare Babarinsa, in the Foreword to the book, said Fabowale “was on the beat when General Sani Abacha and his goons were on the prowl and journalism became one of Nigeria’s most dangerous professions. Now that Nigeria is enjoying civil rule, Fabowale is reminding Nigerians about those heroes and heroines who paid the price so that our country can enjoy freedom from military rule and dictatorship. This is a book of history, of journalism and a testament about courage and determination. The style is mellifluous and accessible, flowing with the milk of humanness and the penetrating surefootedness of a seasoned athlete.”

Ahead of the book’s presentation in Lagos, Fabowale’s former colleagues and bosses in The Sun, The Guardian, Tell Magazine and friends in the media have continued to express hearty views about the book, saying it will be gold in the readers’ hands.

Former Managing Director, The Sun, Tony Onyima, where Fabowale worked as Assistant Editor/Bureau Chief (Southwest), said besides being an indigenous contribution to journalism knowledge, the book “is a first-hand recollection by an infantryman whose exploits on the beat were legendary.”

On the book’s writing style, Lola Fabowale – a Canada-based policy analyst, said: “The author frankly, humorously and humbly revealed both the glittering side and the seedy underbelly of Nigeria’s Fourth Estate.”

Former Managing Director and Executive Consultant, Editorial, The Guardian, Lade Bonuola, expressed delight at the author’s picturesque renditions of accounts, which comes with the accustomed enrapturing prose he is known for.

Re-echoing the views of other colleagues, former Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief, The Sun and now Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, described Fabowale as a dye-in-the-wool reporter/writer. “He uncannily combines the nose for news of a natural reporter, with the aplomb of a creative writer,” he said.

Also, former Editor of Nigerian Tribune, Muda Ganiyu, recommended the book to all journalists, journalism teachers, students and the general public because “it’s entertaining, enthralling, and educative.”

On what readers should expect, the book reviewer and former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun in Ghana, and President, The Crest Publishing Limited, Shola Oshunkeye, said the world is about to receive a “riveting memoir of an extraordinary journalist.”

“The book is worth its weight in diamond and makes a compelling reading,” Oshunkeye added.