Leaving home early prepared me-Kayode Tijani

  

Kayode Tijani started his career in journalism at a younger age, and today he has evolved to be one of the most respected sport analysts in Nigeria. With over one hundred and fifty interviews with acclaimed celebrities, archives of Olympic Games from 1869 till date to his credit, Tijani has truly carved a niche for himself in journalism. He takes Yinka Lawal through how the journey started his plans among other issues.

 

When did your love for journalism started?

I have been a sport journalist since 1987; I started with a print media though I have been in TV for years now. I started with Guardian immediately I left the Nigeria institute of journalism (NIJ). I found everything interesting and very different from what I was used to. I enjoyed it so much because I was travelling to lot of trips, not so much money but we enjoyed it.

Along the line Chief Alex Akinyele, a former minister of information got a government appointment and I became the Chief Press secretary; it was a National Reconciliation Committee, I went to Abuja and later came back to Lagos. I was head of sport at Channels TV and after I left Channels TV, I stopped working for anybody, since then I have been on my own.

You started with as a print person, how did you venture into TV?

The start of me going into TV started in 1994, I was one of the few people who got accreditation to cover the 1994 world cup in USA, but when I got to the embassy I was refused. They felt because I was not married and too young, I won’t come back. Then I was the Nigeria correspondent for African soccer so I called Emmanuel Maradas and Chief Akinyele but I was still refused. It was devastating that I won’t cover the world cup. So I got a video and I recorded every minute of the world cup that was how TV started. Being on TV was completely different from print media, later I went to UK to be Head of Sport for BEN TV in also head of sport for revelation TV in London. If I was not denied visa in 1994, I am sure I will still be a print person.

When you started what were the challenges you faced?

Then, no much challenge because Nigeria was not too tough, money was not difficult to make, excelling on the job was joy for everyone who joined journalism, not now when people are not sure how they are going to make a living. 

So during your time as a sport journalist and now, your time was better?

Yes, better and much more, it was fun, you do it not for money alone but fun, if you are smart there are project you will do and you get paid. Then you could get sponsors to go to competition, not now, it’s tough.

But that doesn’t mean you didn’t encounter any challenge at all?

 Challenges were not much then. Things has really changed from then, now there is no fun like it used to be, it is to survive now, then it was for fun. You want to interview the biggest people, go to big show to excel, every medium wants to be better than the other, but now, it is for survival. There was a time I was robbed at Coteviour, they took my passport and money, I had I had to come back by the road.

How would you describe the number of years spent so far?

After I worked with Chief Alex Akinyele, years later I was the Principal Manager for Media for 8 all Africa Games. I worked with Dr Amos Adamu,I was Head of  Broadcast for Nigeria under 17 world cup in 2009,It was fun, I was travelling. I was never at home. I was Head of Sport at BEN TV and Revelation TV.I have done more than 150 interviews with some biggest personalities, I don’t think there is a big personality that I have not interviewed. If am to start again, I doubt if I will be able to achieve all I did. It is not something I want to change, because it is desirable.

What are your plans professionally?

What I do now is a TV production, here and in UK, I cover every competition, gather content, I have a sport library that I doubt if any other person has in Africa. My plan is to build a big place, a digital visual sport library where everybody comes, all you need to do is to type in what you want to see that has ever happened in the world, and I am still on it. But before then I will start with the online soon. I will do a documentary on Nigeria issue and achievement in 100 years. I don’t think anything has happened in the history of sport from beginning till now that I do not have .Olympic games from 1869 till now, everything in the history of sport, African, world, interviews, archive, visual materials.

Your job entails travelling, how much did you miss while you were not home?

I think I have been unfair to my wife because 90 percent she has devoted herself more, I wasn’t home when the kids were born but I am now but still can’t find the time even, the children have grown older it makes it easier. I am from a very polygamous family, I left home very young and that prepared me, so coping with being a dad and never home is part of what the job entails.

So if not this job, what would you have done?

Honestly, I have never thought about it, It is very interesting, I really don’t know because immediately after NIJ,I started journalism straight, I did not go to the university. I was the first child, had to sacrifice lot of things. After NIJ, I forgot school and focus on my career. Ever since I started, it was just once I had to tender my certificate to get a job because after Guardian, every job I got I was invited. I was asked to bring my result for a Principal Merger job because it was a government job but after showing them all my experience, I even got more than I expected. It was never an issue that I didn’t go to the university.

I never needed it because I work for myself now, it doesn’t mean if you don’t go to the university, you can’t be successful, it depends on how innovative, determined and strong in whatever you want to do. Going to the stadium and getting to meet most of these players while I was young actually prepared me, I knew nothing was going to stop me.

What are the things you are passionate about aside broadcasting?

I am passionate about family and friends, there is nothing I love when some I am close to is happy, and nothing beats that in the world. And if I can be of help to people, I don’t hesitate because some people have been useful to me too. I can tell you that I have had a lot of help from lot of people too so the little I can do, I do. I don’t think I can do more than those who helped me have done. Because it is a tough world, there is nothing as good as when you are there for people, loved ones

Were there factors that militated against your going further in your career?

My mum was worried that I was changing jobs and she thought I don’t know what I was doing, she will bring elderly people to talk to me to stay in one place but I told her no because it was not my father’s job. Like I told you I was a free spirited fellow, I was enjoying the job, I enjoy it too much because I was living my dream, it was fun. Challenges, I can’t remember.

In the industry, who do you look up to?

Too many people but I can’t forget Hon. Nduka Irabo, he has been there for me in several ways. Another person I will mention is Simeon Kolawole, I don’t know who is older but he was there for me in ways I can’t quantify. My philosophy is that if you can render help to someone; do because at the end of the day if that person is destined to be there, he will get help one way or the other.

Between print and broadcast which brings out the best in you?

I can’t compare but with TV, people will know your face and voice, with radio its voice but with print is just name. TV puts you in public glare, it has its challenges but the advantage that comes with it is good. I can tell you things I have got away with. When you are known, someone will recognize you and you will get away with something that would have cost you so much.

Encouragement for young people

Don’t lose hope, make sure you succeed, because there are two alternatives; success and failure, if you fail, you will hate yourself for the rest of your life but if you succeed, even your enemy will celebrate you. If you make up your mind not to fail, you won’t because as bad as things are now, there are people who are doing things and they are having breakthroughs. I t is how determined you are. It is best to succeed, no one wants to deal with failure, it is a big orphan.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

I hope my dream of having a big building, a digital sport library center where everyone can come and watch what has ever happened in the history of sport, a 24 hours sport channel.