CNN award winning journalist and convener of the Newswatch lecture series, Olori Janet Afolabi, has described legends of Newswatch magazine: Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese, Yakubu Mohammed and Soji Akinrinade as true custodian of the nation’s journalism standards.

She stated this during Newswatch 5 lecture series/ tribute session for the late media icon, Yakubu Mohammed in Lagos recently.

Afolabi, who is also the founder of Olori Janet Afolabi Foundation (OJAF) recalled, “they taught me that journalism is not just a profession but a public trust. That truth matters. That integrity is non-negotiable. It is this debt of gratitude that made me to organise this event.”

Speaking further, she disclosed the journey of the event started seven years ago when she went to collect Ekpu’s 70th birthday invitation cards for distribution to media colleagues.

She said that she was dumbstruck when she opened the door and saw four of them seated in one small office, with tables facing one other.

To her, “my heart bled, I felt sadness, pity and genuine sympathy for their situation. As I stepped out of the office that day, I took a decision to do something for them.”

Janet Afolabi, who is the wife of the Alapomu of Apomu kingdom in Osun State, added, “when I conceived the idea to celebrate my journalism fathers, who are legends and patriarchs of journalism in a lecture series, I told Mr Soji Akinrinade. He said it was a good idea. He asked me to tell Ekpu and Yakubu Mohammed. I met them and they supported the idea. On January 1st this year, Mr. Mohammed sent a message and confirmed full support. Two weeks later, he passed on.

“Since Mohammed was aware of the event, I suggested to Mr Ekpu and Mr Akinrinade that the first editor of the lecture series should be dedicated to him and they agreed.”

Acting Head of Department, Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos Prof. Tayo Popoola recalled Mohammed was the first editor of Unilag Sun, the training newspaper for Mass Communication students. Before then, the don recalled the paper was called Unilag Communicator.

Popoola added, “he was the person that changed the name to Unilag Sun. Therefore, he was a pace- setter, a first amongst equals and a foresighted man.”

Describing Unilag Sun as a brand, he added, “we give God the glory for what the late Yakubu Mohammed did for the Department during his time.

His name along with other great alumni of the Department are listed in the strategic publications of the Department and always mentioned in some of our courses such as History of Nigerian Mass Media and Media Biographies to encourage our students to work hard and sustain the global ranking of the Department as World Bank Centre of Excellence in Multimedia

Journalism as well as UNESCO centre of Excellence in Journalism media training in Africa.”

Saying the department is grateful for the decision by the Estate of Yakubu Mohammed to donate his books to the Departmental library, he also prayed for God’s care upon the family he left behind.

Recall after the death of Dele Giwa, Akinrinade joined the Ekpu, Mohammed and Agbese, making the quartet complete again.