BACKGROUND
The dream of publishing a media platform devoted strictly to issues of promoting sustainable socia-economic and political development in all sectors of the Nigerian economy was born after the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, of Development Focus Magazine, Mr. Rótìmí Adebayo, was nominated amongst about 50 Nigerian Journalists across Nigeria, to participate in a one week training programme on Development Journalism by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo in April, 1996.
At the Workshop we’re the late Doyen of Nigeria Journalism, late Sir Babatunde José, foremost Journalism Teacher at University of Lagos, Mr. Ralph Akinfeleye, and Mr. Babashola Chinaman, who led some top UNDP officials from UNDP Headquarters in the United States of America.
One year after that intensive Works, Mr. Adebayo Eso once again lucky to win a One Week Fellowship Training Course to Salzburg Seminar Leopldskron, Austria, where he participated among some selected 60 professional practicing Journalists across the Globe in:
“Core Course 345: The Rise of Industrial East Asian Countries And Its Implications For The Developing World.”
It fully sponsored by Sasakawa Foundation in Japan, and held from April 19th -26th.
MISSION STATEMENT
As the Pioneer in sustainable socio-economic and political development in Nigeria, and the authentic Voice for Development, it is the dream of the Publishers of Development Focus Online Magazine, ( which has been in existence as s Monthly Magazine since Year 2003 to promote Sustainable Socio-economic and Human Development in both the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy.
We shall also be the voice of the informal sector of the economy since no nation can ever develop without the active participation of the informal sector.
ABOUT US
Rótìmí Adebayo, Mr., the Founder / Publisher cum Editor-in-Chief, is a 1984/’85 graduate of the the former University of Ife, Ile Ife, Osun State, (now Obafemi Awolowo University), and holds a Bachelor of Arts ( Honours ) Degree in English Studied.
Since cutting his journalistic teeth at The Guardian Newspapers as a Freelance Reporter in 1986, he has been exposed to varying degrees of domestic and international professional trainings.
Among several local and international awards, Mr. Adebayo is s recipient of the prestigious Commonwealth Media Award in Science and Medicine, in the Fletcher Challenge Paper Category, (1998).
A one-time Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, The Daily Times of Nigeria, PLC Chapter,(1995-1997), Rótìmí Adebayo was a former Staff Writer, Timesweek Magazine, former Line Editor, and and later Deputy Features Editor of the deduct The Daily Times Group of Newspapers, which he joined in January 1990, from now defunct The Republic Newspapers, which he had joined after leaving The Guardian Newspapers in 1987.
Mr. Adebayo floated his own outfit called ROTAD COMMUNICATIONS, in 1998, after leaving The Daily Times Group.
He later appointed as Press Officer, ( Print Media), and got promo as the Deputy Chief Press Secretary to then Governor (Asiwaju ) Bola Àhmed Tinubu, GCFR, now The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces, (Year 1999-2003).
Mr. Adebayo also served as the Chief Press Secretary to Right Honourable Speaker of the Lagos State House Assembly, Dr. Adéyemí Sabit Ikuforiji from August 2011 – June 2015.
Also among the faces behind the Relaunching of Development Focus Magazine as an Online Platform is
Mr. Olusegun Ayobolu, a Political Scientist, journalist, columnist, media consultant, political consultant, speech writer and astute administrator has garnered over three and a half decades of journalism practice in Nigeria.
He holds both the B.Sc and M.Sc degrees in Political Science obtained from the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, in 1985 and 1987 respectively.
At various times he served as Political Editor, Features Editor, Member and later Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Daily Times as well as Editor of the Sunday Times. Between 1991 and 1995, he was on a leave of absence from the Daily Times and served as Chief Press Secretary to the President of the Senate and later Chief Press Secretary to the Federal Minister of Education.
At the inception of this political dispensation in 1999, he was appointed Chief Press Secretary to the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2005 when he was elevated to the position of Special Adviser and Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, a position he occupied until 2009. He is currently Editor-At-Large, Columnist and Member, Editorial Board of The Nation newspaper.
Mr. Segun Ayobolu would be our Special Guest Columnist for now.
Also on board of development focus is Noble Olarinde Arotiba, a veteran media practitioner, who has virtually traversed all the basic chain departments of media businesses and allied services in Nigeria.
After a brief stint at the Features and Documentaries Unit of the Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation (LTV8) Noble Arotiba was a pioneer staff member of the Sunray Group of Newspaper, Port Harcourt, (1990), before moving to ThisDay Newspaper (1995). He subsequently became a foundation member of the Comet, newspapers (now, The Nation Newspapers) (1990). He is the founding Editor of “Echoes of The Sage” a publication of Ikenne Local Government, gun State. He is also the Publisher/Editor-in Chief of Scholars Memo, an International Educational Publication with bias in youth development and mentoring With towering experience in communication and media management, quick witted and hardworking Arotiba is widely travelled. He has authored many books and publications.
Mr. William Iginegbai, a time tested veteran Journalist and for over three decades the Production Editor of the defunct The Daily Times Group of Newspapers Plc, is the Production Controller of Development Focus Online Magazine.
Dr. K. Adeola Banjo is an Associate, a Professor of Insurance in Lagos State University of Science and Technology one of Development Focus Online Magazine’s Guest Columnists
She was formerly at Lagos State Polytechnic Ikorodu.
A Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, she has over 38 years of teaching experience and research.
Prof. Banjo has many learned journal publications both locally and internationally, textbooks and conference papers to her credit.
She had served in various positions in the institution, and was the pioneer Acting Dean of the College of Applied Social Science and currently Acting Head of Department of Insurance and Actuarial Science in the University.
She is happily married and blessed with children and grandchildren and a minister of the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dr. Dele Omojuyigbe is also one of Development Focus Online Magazine’s Guest Columnists.