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BISIRIYU OLAOYE
If you passed though the Mass Communication Department of The Polytechnic Ibadan, one of the Oyo State government’s citadels of technological innovations, between 1984 and 1986 without coming across Prince Dotun Onibokun one way or the other, your journey remained grossly peripheral.
This is because there was no way you would pass through the Mass Comm. Department either Broadcast or Print student without encountering the wisdom and intelligence of the erudite scholar Prince Onibokun as a Senior Lecturer in the department at all levels. He was such a cerebral scholar to the extent that people always want to tap from his knowledge and talent and he did not hesitate to impact in them his strong writing and research skills.
The viewers of both the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Ibadan station between 1981 and 1982 and the Broadcasting Corporation Oyo State, BCOS, (formerly Television Service of Oyo State(TSOS) between 1982 and 1984 would not forget in hurry as the veteran broadcaster’s skill of presenting reports and analyses would still linger in their memories.
He excelled to the admiration of his supervisors as a Television News Reporter when he served the NTA, Ibadan between October 1981 and August 1982 during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation and service. Prince Onibokun was sent out to conduct news reports in various parts of Nigeria. Armed with a Microphone, Professional Camcorder and a Cameraman, Prince Onibokun was tasked with generating interesting news stories and was always looking for unique, relevant and urgent topics to bring to the public.
He also conducted several investigated new reports that are of public and private sectors’ interests. He created news scripts, wrote cohesive stories and recorded voice overs for packaging his news stories to television audience with facts under the direct supervision of the former Manager News for NTA Ibadan, Mr. Biodun Aladekomo, who encouraged Onibokun’s standard US-styled Television News coverage – that was unique to the NTA viewers in the early 1980s.
Dotun Onibokun collected and analyzed information of interest that included crime, government and breaking news, and broadcast them to the public through the NTA Ibadan News. He gathered information, wrote coverage, conducted interviews, reported on-air and edited broadcasts precisely.
When the Television Service of Oyo State (renamed Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State) in 1982 began its own Television Broadcasting commissioned by the then Civilian Governor, Chief Boia Ige (of blessed memory), Dotun Onibokun was recruited as a Senior Television News Reporter. His Television News Reporting skills could be described as inquisitive, outgoing and driven and was always curious to find out as much as he could about any given topic and shared them with the public. He was driven and persistent with his excellent interpersonal skills and strong ethics.
Apart from these skills and personality traits, Onibokun’s summary of skills includes: Researched topics and stories that an editor or news director has assigned to him; Interviewed people who have information, analysis, or opinions about a story; Wrote scripts, performed voiceovers and laid the recorded audio files as hindsight to his robust news stories using an electronics editing machine; Reviewed News leads for accuracies, its proper style and grammar; Developed relationships with experts and contacts to provide tips and leads on stories; Analyzed and interpreted information that increased the Television audiences’ curiosity and understanding of the news reports.; and updated news stories as new information became available.
Above all, Prince Onibokun has a strong writing and research skills, and possessed the ability to convey information in a clear, concise and conversational manner. Furthermore, he demonstrated excellent live reporting skills and strong on-camera presentation skills. He worked flexible schedules, including nights and weekends shifts. He interacted professionally and built relationships/sources with his peers. His Camera filming and digital video editing techniques are superb.
Prince Dotun Onibokun was educated in the United States and received his Masters Degree in Political Science (June 1981); and Bachelors Degree in Mass Communications in 1978, respectively. Upon completing his National Youth Service Corp programme, Dotun Onibokun joined the defunct Television Service of Oyo State (T.S.O.S News) in October 1982 till late 1984 when he was invited by The Polytechnic Ibadan to lecture the Mass Communications students (OND and HND Levels) up till the end of 1986.
In the early 1987, he was recruited by the First Bank of Nigeria PLC (Headquarters, Marina Lagos Nigeria) under the leadership of the Bank Managing Director –the late Chief Oladele Olashore (who later became the Owaloko of Iloko-Ijesa in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State). He worked at First Bank until Summer 1989 after which he went back to the United States.
He has since worked diligently and consistently for about 28 years with the New York City Government before he retired with a meritorious award in 2016 as one of the best Government Employees of his time.
After retirement as a New York City Employee, Prince Onibokun is now a Freelance Television Journalist based in New York and has elaborate Multi Camera Television Studio setups for packaging News, Documentaries and Event Programming. He is currently an active registered member of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) and an International Press Organization (IPO). He is happily married and is blessed with children and grandchildren.
The following video links are some of his NTA News Reports of the 1980s currently playing on www.youtube.com that are listed under his profile name “Dotun Onibokun” among his other sample video clips.
1). Chief Bola Ige at the 1982 Children’s Day Celebration in Ibadan, Oyo State – NTA Ibadan (1982)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ-0R6lVZcU
2). Chief S.M Afolabi – Oyo State Deputy Governor 1982 speech on Nutrition Week at the University of Ibadan. (1982)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-74MnRVmt0
3). Installation of Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesha Land, Ilesha, Osun State (1982)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23HHvri-nDY
4). Professor Bamidele Aladekomo Appeal to the Federal Government on available Resources (1982).
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg_HexblE1c
5). Water shortage in Ibadan, Oyo State – (1981)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYElOucZDC8
Also listed on www.youtube.com links to some of his T.S.O.S News TV Reports for 1982 – 1984 currently playing on www.youtube.com
6). 1984 Nigerian Military weapons Meeting – Nigerian News of the 80s
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcwyxS-BEWI&t=4s
7). The Alafin of Oyo Appeal to Oyo State Government (1984).
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk4_m6H6wxY
8). Governor Victor Omololu Olunloyo sacked 200 Journalists – Nigerian News of the 80s
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXXKUW_p3WE
9). Military Governor Oladayo Popoola’s appeal to Nigerians (1984)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz-Fiy3R2XI&t=34s
10). Doctors Nationwide Strike in Nigeria (1984).
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsndD4J1Tdg
11). Made in Nigeria Goods – Prospect for future – Nigerian News of the 80s
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlloJd-7aXU
12). NIGERIAN HOUSING POLICIES ARE WITH FLAWS, SAYS PROFESSOR ADEPOJU ONIBOKUN OF (NISER) 1984. (3min)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmFJTTIgn4M
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