Ismail Babatunde Jose, described as the ‘’legendary doyen of Nigerian journalism’’ (The Guardian of UK) and ‘’the grandfather of Nigerian journalism’’ (British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC), was responsible for the emergence of a galaxy of talent in the industry in his generation. He toiled on the raw aptitude of these young persons coming under his care and, with strategic precision, dropped himself into them, as it were, seeking those who would collect the baton and perpetuate his tradition of unyielding enterprise. They would continue the race resolutely and relentlessly, and refuse to let down cheering crowds and a mentor given to nothing but to see you turn in your best for the community of news consumers.
Jose reached to the belly of the sky to pluck the stars he bred at the Daily Times of Nigeria Group, DTN, where he sat atop an empire, dispensing power like the potentates in Greek mythology did on Mount Olympus. Many have framed him in their narratives as an imperial operator in his roles as editor, editor-in-chief and managing director and chairman at DTN.
This perspective can be questioned and impeached, along with other dark rulings on Jose’s era, if we juxtapose them with what DTN harvested under him. His reign marked the golden age of that media leviathan, boasting such greats as Peter Enahoro (Peter Pan), Sam Amuka-Pemu (Sad Sam), Alade Odunewu (Allah-de), Abiodun Aloba (Ebenezer Williams), Henry Odukomaiya, Tony Momoh, Segun Osoba, Gbolabo Ogunsanwo, Doyin Abiola, Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa etc. all of whom, following the Midas touch picked from Jose’s DTN, excelled right there at Daily Times or moved on to replicate the success story nationwide and beyond Africa…The Punch, The Guardian, Vanguard, National Concord, The Herald, The Sketch, Newswatch, New African, Africa Now etc. One of them, Osoba, has been a two-time elected state governor, where, again, the verdict of history is that he hit several feats of firsts.
