Veteran journalist and co-founder of the iconic Newswatch magazine, Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, has revealed that his profound love for the journalism profession was not a choice but a calling that selected him during his elementary school days.
A Life Chronicled in 'Beyond Expectations'
Mohammed made this heartfelt revelation in his newly launched memoir, titled 'Beyond Expectations.' The book, which was publicly presented in Lagos, meticulously documents his life's journey across four comprehensive parts: his early years, his impactful career in the media, his dedicated service to humanity, and his subsequent adventure into the political arena.
Reflecting on his career with immense pride, Mohammed described journalism as his 'passport to the world,' a profession that placed him in rooms with global leaders and icons. "Today, as I look back, I am proud to say that just as I have no regrets in politics, I equally have no regrets choosing journalism as a career and a profession. Regrets? Perish the thought," he stated emphatically in the book.
He expressed deep satisfaction with his path, noting that journalism opened doors to numerous opportunities, including his foray into politics and his appointments as Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council for both Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the Federal University of Birnin Kebbi.
From Concord to Newswatch: Key Career Moments
The memoir provides fascinating behind-the-scenes accounts of pivotal moments in Nigerian media history. Mohammed recounted how he joined Concord Newspapers in December 1980 after a direct recruitment pitch from the publisher, the late Chief MKO Abiola. According to Mohammed, Abiola visited his home at night after hearing he might leave the New Nigerian newspaper.
"My entry into Concord... was virtually seamless. On my first day at Concord, I wrote my first editorial comment for National Concord," he recalled, an act that immediately won him the favour of the editor, Dr. Doyin Aboaba.
His narrative also addresses one of Nigeria's most enduring mysteries: the 1986 assassination of his friend and Newswatch co-founder, Dele Giwa. Mohammed categorically denied the long-standing speculation that Giwa was killed over a planned story on a controversial figure known as Gloria Okon. "I know for a fact that Newswatch was not planning to do any story on Gloria Okon... The fact is that Dele did not meet any Gloria Okon on the trip in question. I know this for sure because I travelled with him to London," he clarified, expressing continued bewilderment at how the theory gained traction.
Miracles, Survival, and Enduring Legacy
The book is also a story of survival. Mohammed detailed a harrowing assassination attempt on him in November 2005 near Anyigba, while he was travelling with his wife, Rabi. A three-man squad ambushed his car and rained bullets on it at close range. "Miraculously, we escaped unhurt," he wrote, framing the event as an attempt to derail his destiny.
At the Lagos presentation, the book was highly commended by dignitaries. Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (represented by the Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho), praised Mohammed as a leading light in Nigerian journalism. He donated hundreds of copies to Mass Communication students in the state, stating, "Today, Nigeria needs that kind of wisdom."
Reviewer and Nigerian Tribune columnist, Lasisi Olagunju, described the memoir as a 'story of miracles and survival,' drawing parallels with Charles Dickens' 'Great Expectations.' Former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba, hailed Mohammed as one of the finest journalists Nigeria has ever produced.
In his closing remarks, Mohammed, a University of Lagos Mass Communication graduate and former Managing Editor of the New Nigerian, expressed gratitude to all who honoured him and his lifelong commitment to the profession that chose him as a boy.
