 |
| The GDA with SUN MD, Eric Osagie |
Eric Osagie is a consummate Nigerian journalist with a career spanning over 25
years. My first encounter with him was an amazing one sometime in November 2009
at Abuja where he held sway as his company’s Managing Editor for Northern
Operations. I had just interviewed his boss and Chairman of The Sun Publishing Group, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu who invited me over
to one of his palatial homes (Mandela Lodge) at Wuse, Abuja for the exclusive
encounter.
years. My first encounter with him was an amazing one sometime in November 2009
at Abuja where he held sway as his company’s Managing Editor for Northern
Operations. I had just interviewed his boss and Chairman of The Sun Publishing Group, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu who invited me over
to one of his palatial homes (Mandela Lodge) at Wuse, Abuja for the exclusive
encounter.
Eric Osagie was one of few of Dr. Orji Uzor
Kalu’s lieutenants that were billed to follow him on a private trip to Republic of Guinea that very morning. I
was happy to meet Eric Osagie who
just dumped a political appointment with Edo state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as his Special
Adviser, Public Affairs and Strategy. That was going to be the fulcrum of my
‘exclusive’ with him as the job Eric
dropped was considered a plum one.
Kalu’s lieutenants that were billed to follow him on a private trip to Republic of Guinea that very morning. I
was happy to meet Eric Osagie who
just dumped a political appointment with Edo state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as his Special
Adviser, Public Affairs and Strategy. That was going to be the fulcrum of my
‘exclusive’ with him as the job Eric
dropped was considered a plum one.
I conducted the interview but the gods were
not going to allow me publish it. I was about publishing the interview on my
return to Lagos when Eric Osagie called from Conakry (The capital of Guinea)
appealing to me to drop the ‘exclusive’. Initially, I wasn’t sure I should
listen to him but his consistent calls and appeals as a very senior colleague
shamed me out of my exuberance and I dropped the story and buried it till date.
His reasons were of political and professional bearing as he felt the time was
not ripe for his to talk about his job experience and why he resigned as
Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s head of
media and strategy; and by extension, he was not ready to be in the news as a
news manager.
not going to allow me publish it. I was about publishing the interview on my
return to Lagos when Eric Osagie called from Conakry (The capital of Guinea)
appealing to me to drop the ‘exclusive’. Initially, I wasn’t sure I should
listen to him but his consistent calls and appeals as a very senior colleague
shamed me out of my exuberance and I dropped the story and buried it till date.
His reasons were of political and professional bearing as he felt the time was
not ripe for his to talk about his job experience and why he resigned as
Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s head of
media and strategy; and by extension, he was not ready to be in the news as a
news manager.
Until penultimate Tuesday evening;
some 5 clears years later did I had another privilege to sit with Eric Osagie who is now the Managing
Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun
Publishing, a position formerly held by new Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina who I equally interviewed
few days to his appointment. The encounter
with Eric Osagie remains dramatic
and suspense filled as he kept booking appointments upon appointments and even
when we got the magic moment and started the chat, he suddenly ordered us to
stop the tape as he wasn’t feeling free enough to open up. It took some
diplomatic craft coupled with journalistic stratagem before he resumed his
flowing mood to us. However, the work was done.
some 5 clears years later did I had another privilege to sit with Eric Osagie who is now the Managing
Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun
Publishing, a position formerly held by new Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina who I equally interviewed
few days to his appointment. The encounter
with Eric Osagie remains dramatic
and suspense filled as he kept booking appointments upon appointments and even
when we got the magic moment and started the chat, he suddenly ordered us to
stop the tape as he wasn’t feeling free enough to open up. It took some
diplomatic craft coupled with journalistic stratagem before he resumed his
flowing mood to us. However, the work was done.
 |
| The GDA engaging Eric Osagie during the encounter |
Eric Osagie; Profile @ Large
Eric Osagie is a prose stylist, public affairs analyst and one of Nigeria’s most
engaging interviewers, he rose through the ranks as Staff Writer, Chief
Correspondent, Deputy Features Editor of the award winning defunct Weekend Concord, and was later
appointed Features Editor of National
Concord in 1998. He had earlier had a brief stint with Thisday newspaper and National
Interest newspaper where he served as one of the pioneer editors. He was
pioneer editor of Abuja Bureau of The
Sun Newspaper in 2002 and was later promoted as Editor, Northern
Operations. In 2008 he was appointed Special Adviser, Public Affairs and
Strategy to Governor Adams Oshiomhole
of Edo state, South-South Nigeria. He returned to The Sun Publishing Ltd
the following year as Managing Editor. He later became Executive Director of The Sun Publishing where he oversaw
various sections of the organization like Special Services and Publication with
emphasis on editorial and commercial content of the newspaper. Today, he sits
atop the media empire as the number 1 officer and image maker of the company.
When we paid him a visit last Tuesday, Eric
Osagie opened up for the very first time in his 25 years career in
Journalism saying it all to your Africa’s number 1 Celebrity Encounter blog Asabeafrika. It was a vintage man of
news and style who gave a bit of his career and why he took over from Femi Adesina. Find a drink with a tasty
snack meal and enjoy the Part 1 of the Eric
Osagie exclusive. Enjoy!
engaging interviewers, he rose through the ranks as Staff Writer, Chief
Correspondent, Deputy Features Editor of the award winning defunct Weekend Concord, and was later
appointed Features Editor of National
Concord in 1998. He had earlier had a brief stint with Thisday newspaper and National
Interest newspaper where he served as one of the pioneer editors. He was
pioneer editor of Abuja Bureau of The
Sun Newspaper in 2002 and was later promoted as Editor, Northern
Operations. In 2008 he was appointed Special Adviser, Public Affairs and
Strategy to Governor Adams Oshiomhole
of Edo state, South-South Nigeria. He returned to The Sun Publishing Ltd
the following year as Managing Editor. He later became Executive Director of The Sun Publishing where he oversaw
various sections of the organization like Special Services and Publication with
emphasis on editorial and commercial content of the newspaper. Today, he sits
atop the media empire as the number 1 officer and image maker of the company.
When we paid him a visit last Tuesday, Eric
Osagie opened up for the very first time in his 25 years career in
Journalism saying it all to your Africa’s number 1 Celebrity Encounter blog Asabeafrika. It was a vintage man of
news and style who gave a bit of his career and why he took over from Femi Adesina. Find a drink with a tasty
snack meal and enjoy the Part 1 of the Eric
Osagie exclusive. Enjoy!
 |
| Eric Osagie to Asabeafrika….’Innovation kept THE SUN as market leader |
Let’s congratulate you for your new
position as the Managing Director of Sun
Newspaper. How are you finding the industry?
position as the Managing Director of Sun
Newspaper. How are you finding the industry?
We thank
God, it is a very tough industry and I can say it is not only tough for the
media; it is tough for different sectors of the economy simply because of the
economic meltdown. What you have is a situation where virtually every sector is
affected. Both the banking sector, oil sector and every other sector but ours
is worse because every input in the business is import dependent, from your
newsprint to ink and every other article of production.
God, it is a very tough industry and I can say it is not only tough for the
media; it is tough for different sectors of the economy simply because of the
economic meltdown. What you have is a situation where virtually every sector is
affected. Both the banking sector, oil sector and every other sector but ours
is worse because every input in the business is import dependent, from your
newsprint to ink and every other article of production.
 |
| Eric Osagie to Asabeafrika….’Majority of us trained by Mike Awoyinfa have sat as MD of Media Organizations’ |
Microsoft founder Bill Gate once said
that in decades to come, we will have two set of people; those going out of
business and those on the internet?
that in decades to come, we will have two set of people; those going out of
business and those on the internet?
Of course,
if you see people holding newspapers papers today, they are virtually going to
be in their 30s, in their 40s and all that. Young people don’t hold papers
anymore, they hold their tablets and with the tablet they can see and read
everything. It is a gradual thing and it is something that is gaining ground
but despite that, I believe the conventional newspaper will continue to exist
side by side the new media. To do that, innovation is key; we need to create a
niche market which we have successfully done with our own brand.
if you see people holding newspapers papers today, they are virtually going to
be in their 30s, in their 40s and all that. Young people don’t hold papers
anymore, they hold their tablets and with the tablet they can see and read
everything. It is a gradual thing and it is something that is gaining ground
but despite that, I believe the conventional newspaper will continue to exist
side by side the new media. To do that, innovation is key; we need to create a
niche market which we have successfully done with our own brand.
 |
| Eric Osagie to Asabeafrika…’Having a loyal reader’s base and a committed management is the biggest asset of THE SUN |
 |
| Eric Osagie to Asabeafrika….’Running a media business today is fraught with great challenges |
I was going to ask that despite the
challenges in the media sector, your brand, THE SUN has remained a market
leader and it is acknowledged to be one of the 5 newspapers that can
conveniently pay staff salary in today’s Nigeria?
challenges in the media sector, your brand, THE SUN has remained a market
leader and it is acknowledged to be one of the 5 newspapers that can
conveniently pay staff salary in today’s Nigeria?
Let me tell
you, first, The Sun is a very unique newspaper. Right from the beginning,
those who pioneered it; our editor who is our boss, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa and his partner, the late Dimgba Igwe are people you call “Kings of the Tabloid”
and “Tabloid
Salesmen”. These are people who came consciously to create a unique
brand and we are people you will call their apostles and disciples as it were.
We have all been together at the Weekend
Concord, they we our editors. So, it was like the hand just fitting into
the glove. The Sun was created as a very breezy newspaper that was
different from the onset. It was not only different but was seen to be truly different
in terms of the humanizing angle to reporting and it became an instant hit
because of its unique style, one of the few newspapers to break into the market
within six months. For some of us, it is a privilege to follow in the
illustrious footsteps of great newsmen like Mike Awoyinfa, like Femi
Adesina, Dimgba Igwe and of
course everybody who has been managing director here added something. Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe dug the foundation, built it to what it became. Tony Onyima came, added his own blocks
and took it to a level. Femi Adesina, very great newsman and media
manager also took it to the level it is now. So, my duty is to add my own blocks and take
it to the next level.
you, first, The Sun is a very unique newspaper. Right from the beginning,
those who pioneered it; our editor who is our boss, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa and his partner, the late Dimgba Igwe are people you call “Kings of the Tabloid”
and “Tabloid
Salesmen”. These are people who came consciously to create a unique
brand and we are people you will call their apostles and disciples as it were.
We have all been together at the Weekend
Concord, they we our editors. So, it was like the hand just fitting into
the glove. The Sun was created as a very breezy newspaper that was
different from the onset. It was not only different but was seen to be truly different
in terms of the humanizing angle to reporting and it became an instant hit
because of its unique style, one of the few newspapers to break into the market
within six months. For some of us, it is a privilege to follow in the
illustrious footsteps of great newsmen like Mike Awoyinfa, like Femi
Adesina, Dimgba Igwe and of
course everybody who has been managing director here added something. Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe dug the foundation, built it to what it became. Tony Onyima came, added his own blocks
and took it to a level. Femi Adesina, very great newsman and media
manager also took it to the level it is now. So, my duty is to add my own blocks and take
it to the next level.
“Young people don’t hold papers
anymore, they hold their tablets and with the tablet they can see and read
everything. It is a gradual thing and it is something that is gaining ground
but despite that, I believe the conventional newspaper will continue to exist
side by side the new media”.
 |
| Eric Osagie to Asabeafrika….’I was on a rescue mission to save Daily Telegraph and i delivered in 9 months |
There is this perception that Eric
Osagie is probably the last man standing in the generation of tabloid salesmen?
When Mr. Adesina was called to national assignment in Abuja, you were dragged
from Daily Telegraph to come and run The Sun and
that spoke volume of the scarcity of tabloid makers?
Osagie is probably the last man standing in the generation of tabloid salesmen?
When Mr. Adesina was called to national assignment in Abuja, you were dragged
from Daily Telegraph to come and run The Sun and
that spoke volume of the scarcity of tabloid makers?
Yeah, I have
always been with this brand as one of its pioneer editors; and when Telegraph was wobbling, I went on a
rescue mission because the Chairman of the company, a great business man and
visionary leader knows the craft of this business in terms of the business side
and he could also suggest some things for you to do. So, he said ‘look, I want
you to go there and rescue it’. So, what I have done is a turn-around even
though it has not started yielding the kind of turnover we are envisaging. In
changing the fortune of Daily Telegraph
I adopted the three Ps; I call it my own three Ps which is Product, Perception
and Pricing. I didn’t want Telegraph
to look like any other paper because I identified that newspaper is about
design and headline which we call aesthetics. So, the people I met on ground
were fantastic guys and I enjoined them to let’s do it and we re-designed the
paper and it caught the right attention in the market. Of course I didn’t hold
the mouse but I told them what I wanted and it was achieved. I also introduced
some processes to the company and in 9 months, it has began to compete and I
put confidence in my team, I said look if people ask you ‘what is Telegraph?’
tell them that ‘it is a new paper’. You are only older but not better because
older is not necessarily better. So, I put that confidence in my team that
“Yeah, Telegraph is a new paper but it is not older and in 9 months,
advertising community began to recognize it, corporate advert began to come. It
was now ‘oh, this paper is new’ not that ‘this is a bad paper’ and they are
still following that tradition but when it came to the point that my colleague
and friend, we have been together for a while. We have been together right from
the Concord
Newspaper days and he answered a national call to serve in the
government of his hero, Muhammadu Buhari,
it became my lot to lead here.
always been with this brand as one of its pioneer editors; and when Telegraph was wobbling, I went on a
rescue mission because the Chairman of the company, a great business man and
visionary leader knows the craft of this business in terms of the business side
and he could also suggest some things for you to do. So, he said ‘look, I want
you to go there and rescue it’. So, what I have done is a turn-around even
though it has not started yielding the kind of turnover we are envisaging. In
changing the fortune of Daily Telegraph
I adopted the three Ps; I call it my own three Ps which is Product, Perception
and Pricing. I didn’t want Telegraph
to look like any other paper because I identified that newspaper is about
design and headline which we call aesthetics. So, the people I met on ground
were fantastic guys and I enjoined them to let’s do it and we re-designed the
paper and it caught the right attention in the market. Of course I didn’t hold
the mouse but I told them what I wanted and it was achieved. I also introduced
some processes to the company and in 9 months, it has began to compete and I
put confidence in my team, I said look if people ask you ‘what is Telegraph?’
tell them that ‘it is a new paper’. You are only older but not better because
older is not necessarily better. So, I put that confidence in my team that
“Yeah, Telegraph is a new paper but it is not older and in 9 months,
advertising community began to recognize it, corporate advert began to come. It
was now ‘oh, this paper is new’ not that ‘this is a bad paper’ and they are
still following that tradition but when it came to the point that my colleague
and friend, we have been together for a while. We have been together right from
the Concord
Newspaper days and he answered a national call to serve in the
government of his hero, Muhammadu Buhari,
it became my lot to lead here.
 |
| Gbenga Dan Asabe with SUN’s pioneer MD, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa |
 |
| The GDA speaking to the immediate MD, Femi Adesina in the same office 6 weeks ago |
The Chairman said ‘Well, you have been on leave
of absence at the Telegraph, go and
manage The Sun’. For me, it is a privilege to do so. If you say I am one of the
last apostles standing, if you really check our system here, I don’t think
anybody in old Weekend Concord is still here, who studied at the feet of the
masters, I can say Mike Awoyinfa
deed a lot to build our career. We used to say we went to the University
of The Weekend Concord and incidentally today those of us who went
through that school ended up one way or the other being managing directors of
newspapers. Shola Oshunkeye is in Ghana as managing director, I am here
as managing director and Femi Adesina
was managing director. So, from one news room, you have three managing
directors. And before now, in my own case, I have been managing director of two
newspapers. Within a short time I have managed Telegraph and I am now here. so, if you say ‘last apostle’ well, I
am trying to think if anybody was with us at the Weekend Concord here and it may be difficult to find and we regard
it as a great privilege and honor to have learnt at the feet of our two masters
of the industry.
of absence at the Telegraph, go and
manage The Sun’. For me, it is a privilege to do so. If you say I am one of the
last apostles standing, if you really check our system here, I don’t think
anybody in old Weekend Concord is still here, who studied at the feet of the
masters, I can say Mike Awoyinfa
deed a lot to build our career. We used to say we went to the University
of The Weekend Concord and incidentally today those of us who went
through that school ended up one way or the other being managing directors of
newspapers. Shola Oshunkeye is in Ghana as managing director, I am here
as managing director and Femi Adesina
was managing director. So, from one news room, you have three managing
directors. And before now, in my own case, I have been managing director of two
newspapers. Within a short time I have managed Telegraph and I am now here. so, if you say ‘last apostle’ well, I
am trying to think if anybody was with us at the Weekend Concord here and it may be difficult to find and we regard
it as a great privilege and honor to have learnt at the feet of our two masters
of the industry.
 |
| Eric Osagie to Asabeafrika….’Working at Weekend Concord was the best thing that happend to us’ |
 |
| The GDA in a similar pose with Former MD, Femi Adesina few days before he was called up to Abuja |
Yes, truly we had our own individual quality but at the Weekend Concord, everything came out
because you had to be good to work there. You don’t come to meetings and say ‘I
have no ideas’. Or you say ‘I didn’t see a story’ you just can’t survive. Every
week was a battle as everybody was fighting to hit the cover and prose was what
we ate; we ate prose so to say. Your story had to be dramatic; there have to be
some creativity. And for some of us, only one story was what it took for me to
be employed at Weekend Concord and it was history because Mike Awoyinfa will not employ based on mere recommendation. It was
like ‘Oh, you wrote this?’ and he was so excited and he wrote a memo saying
“Please, employ him immediately”. So, it has been really great working with the
masters. It is something we look back and say ‘look, we had great time
learning’. We had great time enjoying what we were doing and we used to joke
that even you didn’t pay us, we will still enjoy doing it, and it was not for
the money. We were just enjoying ourselves doing it; writing great prose,
meeting people and just generally living our lives the way we want it.
because you had to be good to work there. You don’t come to meetings and say ‘I
have no ideas’. Or you say ‘I didn’t see a story’ you just can’t survive. Every
week was a battle as everybody was fighting to hit the cover and prose was what
we ate; we ate prose so to say. Your story had to be dramatic; there have to be
some creativity. And for some of us, only one story was what it took for me to
be employed at Weekend Concord and it was history because Mike Awoyinfa will not employ based on mere recommendation. It was
like ‘Oh, you wrote this?’ and he was so excited and he wrote a memo saying
“Please, employ him immediately”. So, it has been really great working with the
masters. It is something we look back and say ‘look, we had great time
learning’. We had great time enjoying what we were doing and we used to joke
that even you didn’t pay us, we will still enjoy doing it, and it was not for
the money. We were just enjoying ourselves doing it; writing great prose,
meeting people and just generally living our lives the way we want it.
“We used to say we went to the University of The Weekend Concord and
incidentally today those of us who went through that school ended up one way or
the other being managing directors of newspapers. Shola Oshunkeye is in Ghana as
managing director, I am here as managing director and Femi Adesina was managing director”
 |
| The Sun MD with two of his top staff, Mr. Kunle Solaja (R) and Executive Director, Special Duties Mr. Bolaji Tunji |
What is it like to run a media
organization in this era, what are the ups and downs like?
organization in this era, what are the ups and downs like?
Running any
business in Nigeria today is tough. Running the media is akin to working a mine’s
field. You are buffeted by all kinds of challenges. First, skyrocketing inputs
like newsprint and general cost of production and then, the buying power of the
Nigerian public is reducing. Then, you have the onslaught of the social media.
Those are the challenges that are facing every CEO in the media industry of
today. It is a global challenge. My challenge is to sustain our brand and take
it to the next level and it is no means task. It is a team work and I am just
the captain of the team; I can’t be everywhere all the time but our task is to
take this brand from where the relay is to the next step, they have handed me
the baton.
business in Nigeria today is tough. Running the media is akin to working a mine’s
field. You are buffeted by all kinds of challenges. First, skyrocketing inputs
like newsprint and general cost of production and then, the buying power of the
Nigerian public is reducing. Then, you have the onslaught of the social media.
Those are the challenges that are facing every CEO in the media industry of
today. It is a global challenge. My challenge is to sustain our brand and take
it to the next level and it is no means task. It is a team work and I am just
the captain of the team; I can’t be everywhere all the time but our task is to
take this brand from where the relay is to the next step, they have handed me
the baton.
 |
| Mr. Eric Osagie explaining a point to Asabeafrika’s Gbenga Dan Asabe |
My own now is to take it to the next level and when my race is
finished I hand over to another person. In sustaining and maintaining the
brand, we have to look for alternative means like doing projects, organizing events
and look inward for ways to generate sustainability because investors don’t
want to hear ‘oh, the climate is very bad, so there is nothing for us. The big
challenge is to keep this brand as one of the market leaders, it must not go
down. Instead, it must move to the next level. So, it is a very big challenge
but luckily for us also, we have very loyal readers who have accepted SUN as a
brand and we don’t take them for granted. Ours is to continue to give them what
they want to read. Something exciting; our core belief is that what we do
yesterday must change today. We must keep exciting the readers with creative
journalism. We must not look like others, if we look like others then; we have
no business being in this business. Anytime I talk with my team, I say to them
‘look, this is a creative business. So, we are evolving. And today, we remain a
market leader in our own right.
finished I hand over to another person. In sustaining and maintaining the
brand, we have to look for alternative means like doing projects, organizing events
and look inward for ways to generate sustainability because investors don’t
want to hear ‘oh, the climate is very bad, so there is nothing for us. The big
challenge is to keep this brand as one of the market leaders, it must not go
down. Instead, it must move to the next level. So, it is a very big challenge
but luckily for us also, we have very loyal readers who have accepted SUN as a
brand and we don’t take them for granted. Ours is to continue to give them what
they want to read. Something exciting; our core belief is that what we do
yesterday must change today. We must keep exciting the readers with creative
journalism. We must not look like others, if we look like others then; we have
no business being in this business. Anytime I talk with my team, I say to them
‘look, this is a creative business. So, we are evolving. And today, we remain a
market leader in our own right.
 |
| Eric Osagie to Asabeafrika….’The Sun brand is a refreshingly unique brand’ |
 |
| Eric Osagie to Asabeafrika…’Adopting my three Ps of Product, Perception & Pricing helped to re-brand Daily Telegrapgh’ |
(Read Part 2 of The Eric Osagie Exclusive “Why I left Adams Oshiomhole’s Government”
after this time out)
after this time out)
