Co-Founder Newswatch magazine Yakubu Mohammed has disclosed his love and passion for the journalism profession started from his elementary school days.

He stated this in his memoir, titled, ‘Beyond Expectations.’ Divided into four parts, the book dissected Mohammed’s early life, life in the media, service to humanity and his adventure into politics.

Describing journalism as passport to the world that has put him in the same space with international movers and shakers, he recalled, “today, as I look back, I am proud to say that just as I have no regrets in politics, I equally have no regrets choosing journalism as a career and a profession. Regrets? Perish the thought. Can anyone forget the story of Newswatch, Nigeria’s, nay Africa’s trail-blazing, weekly news magazine?”

Saying he had derived maximum satisfaction from journalism, he added, ‘journalism, which brought me to the attention of the reading world, also opened the door to other opportunities, including my exposure in the political arena as well as my accomplishments as Pro-chancellor of two major universities. In all of these endeavours, I learnt early enough to say no to naysayers once I had made up my mind about any course of action.

“In fact, I would say journalism, like spiritual affliction chose me way back in my elementary school days and because it has proved incurable, even addictive, I have had no choice but to remain faithful and show fidelity to it. It is my passport to the whole wide world and the platform that made it possible for me to meet and share a meal and the same space with people I would never have met including Queen Elizabeth of Britain and other world leaders. I have learnt a lot, and in my mid-70s, I am still learning.”

On his adventure at Concord Newspaper he remembered, “that November was the second time the influential publisher, later acknowledged as the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election that was annulled, MKO Abiola would come to my house in the night. The first time was in February 1980 when Concord Press broke down in the night. He had come to seek assistance from the New Nigerian.

His second visit was fortuitous. He said he had learnt from dependable sources that “I was thinking of leaving the New Nigerian for my state newspaper and that if the information was correct, I should, come to edit his newspaper, The National Concord because, he said, he was planning a reorganisation.”

Speaking further, he added, “my entry into Concord in December 1980, after I had served out my one-month notice of resignation was virtually seamless. On my first day at Concord, I wrote my first editorial comment for National Concord. That immediately endeared me to the editor, Dr. Doyin Aboaba, as she was known before she got married to the publisher in February 1981.”

In one of the chapters concerning assassination of Dele Giwa, he said, “to start with, I know for a fact that Newswatch was not planning to do any story on Gloria Okon, not by any of our reporters. Not by any of the editors and not by any of the Directors — Dele, Ray, Dan and yours sincerely Yakubu. The fact is that Dele did not meet any Gloria Okon on the trip in question. I know this for sure because I travelled with him to London. It is difficult to fathom how Gloria Okon came to the centre stage in Dele’s travails…”

Concerning challenges, he stated, “but there was flipside to this splendid story. As if desirous of extinguishing prematurely the flame of God’s wondrous plans in my life, some devious characters, armed to the teeth, launched a murderous attack on me on November 2005 a few kilometers to Anyigba as I was arriving home from Lagos with Rabi my wife. A three-man assassination squad had doubled crossed my car and rained bullets on us at close range. Miraculously, we escaped unhurt.”

Earlier during the public presentation held in Lagos, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, described Mohammed as one of the leading lights of Nigerian journalism whose life and work continue to inspire younger professionals.

He added, “that you are writing at this stage of your life shows the importance of documenting experiences so the younger ones can learn. Today, Nigeria needs that kind of wisdom.” He further donated hundreds of copies of the book to Mass Communication students in Lagos.

In his review, Editor/Columnist at Nigerian Tribune, Lasisi Olagunju, described Beyond Expectations as a story of miracles and survival.
Commending Mohammed’s prolific writing prowess and his ability to weave faith, history, and personal experience into a compelling narrative, Olagunju also compared Mohammed’s life and Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, adding the memoir a truly Nigerian story of destiny, resilience, and grace.

He stated key episodes from the book, including the author’s narrow escape from a childhood house fire, his early struggles in school, and his eventual rise from student journalist to prominent figure.

Noting Mohammed’s book provides insight and may inspire others to tell their own versions of the truth, the reviewer also noted that the memoir offers insight into one of the nation’s most enduring mysteries, the 1986 death of co-founder Newswatch, Dele Giwa.
Former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, commended Mohammed, describing him as one of the finest journalists, writers and administrators Nigeria ever produced.

He lauded him on the new book and immense contributions he made to the media industry and the country.Celebrated journalist and respected public intellectual, Tola Adeniyi, extolled Mohammed’s virtues, describing him as a simple and humble man. To him, ‘this gentleman you see here is personification of humility.’

In his remarks, Mohammed expressed appreciation to Sanwo-Olu, colleagues, associates, and family members for the honour.A graduate of Mass Communication from the University of Lagos, Mohammed was an associate editor and later Managing Editor of the New NigerianNewspapers. He edited the National Concord before he co-founded the Newswatch magazine with Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu and Dan Agbese.

As a columnist, his writings were published in The Guardian and Daily Trust. He was pro-chancellor amd Chairman of the Governing council of Ahamadu Bello University Zaria. He also served in the same capacity at the Federal University of Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.