Premium Times Publisher, others honoured at Hallmarks of Labour Award.
Publisher of Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi, has been honoured with the HLF-Christopher Kolade Award for Excellence in Leadership and Professionalism in the Media at the 2025 Hallmarks of Labour Awards.
The event held in Lagos on Saturday was an annual event, organised by the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation (HLF), celebrating distinguished Nigerians for exemplary leadership, ethical conduct, and service across various fields.
Mr Olorunyomi was recognised for his “established track record” in advancing media independence, promoting accountability journalism, and upholding ethical standards in the Nigerian press.
The award also acknowledges his leadership in building one of the country’s most respected investigative newsrooms.
He is often referred to as the father of investigative journalism in Nigeria, and many awards are testament to his phenomenal work and great legacy in the history of Nigerian media.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the event, Mr Olorunyomi described the award as a reminder of the vital role of journalism in a democratic society.
“Of course, it is a reminder of the important role that journalism plays in a democracy,” he said. “People who walk into our society will get better, but we really have to invest more in consequential journalism.
“Younger journalists are facing the most burden in the history of the world and our country. There’s no time in history when it has been more difficult to do good journalism.”
Other honourees
According to PREMIUM TIMES, the 2025 ceremony recognised several other distinguished individuals for their contributions to public service, science, education, and philanthropy.
The awardees include Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, retired General Theophilus Danjuma, Chairman of the TY Danjuma Foundation, Prof. Olufunmilayo Adebambo and Mariam Katagum, former Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment.
The rest of them are:
Prof. Babajide Alo, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, and Akinlolu Olujinmi, former Attorney-General of the Federation, for advancing the rule of law in Nigeria’s justice system.
Prof. Adele Jinadu, Olufemi Adelowo, Consultant Rheumatologist, and Isaac Adewole, former Minister of Health.
SolaceBase reports that the day of the honour bestowed on Dapo Olorunyomi, popularly called Dapsy, coincided with the World Press Freedom Day 2025.
A day set aside by the United Nations General Assembly, May 3, is observed to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration.
Meet a trailblazer in Journalism- Dapo Olorunyomi
Dapo Olorunyomi, whose full name is Oyedapo Oyekunle Olorunyomi, was born on November 8, 1957. He was born to Samuel Akinbayo Olorunyomi, a retired Army officer and civil servant, and Mary Olorunyomi.
Dapo is the third of six siblings, one of whom is Sola Olorunyomi, renowned for authoring “Afrobeat: Fela and the Imagined Continent,” an acclaimed work on the Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti.
Educational Journey:
Dapo’s educational journey took him through several institutions. He began his academic pursuit at St. Bartholomew’s Primary School in Wusasa, Zaria. Subsequently, he attended Esie-Iludun Anglican Grammar School in Esie-Iludun before moving on to the Government Secondary School in Ilorin. Dapo’s passion for literature led him to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Studies in 1981 and a Master of Arts degree in Literature in 1985, both from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife. He furthered his knowledge with a Certificate in Natural Resource Management from the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford in 2017 and a Certificate in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from American University’s Washington College of Law in 2006.
A Trailblazer in Journalism:
In 1991, Dapo Olorunyomi made his mark as the founding editor of the now-defunct Nigeria Journalism Quarterly (NJQ). Two years later, in 1993, he co-founded and assumed the role of deputy editor-in-chief at The NEWS magazine. Simultaneously, he played a pivotal role in launching Tempo magazine, which gained notoriety for its bold reporting. Tempo’s office, concealed near the police headquarters, rattled the regime, leading to the arrest of anyone caught reading it. Dapo Olorunyomi’s fearless reporting drew the ire of the Abacha regime, resulting in his arrest on two occasions. In 1995, he was forced into hiding due to threats on his life by the regime.
The Battle for Press Freedom:
During General Sani Abacha’s military rule in June 1995, four journalists, including Dapo Olorunyomi, were targeted for their reporting on an alleged plot against the Abacha government. They were secretly tried, charged as “accessories after the fact of treason,” and sentenced to life imprisonment. Dapo was declared a fugitive by the Abacha administration, and his wife, Ladi Olorunyomi, also a journalist and women’s rights activist, endured 68 days of unjust detention without charges. Dapo Olorunyomi sought refuge in the United States, where he spoke out against Abacha’s media crackdown, with international organizations like the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) playing a pivotal role in his escape. The four jailed journalists were eventually released, and Dapo returned to Nigeria.
Championing Press Freedom and Investigative Journalism:
Upon his return to Nigeria in 2004, Dapo Olorunyomi served as the Project Director of Freedom House before becoming the policy director and chief of staff to the executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.
He led initiatives on corruption prevention and education policy development. Dapo also held positions on the boards of various organizations, including the Norbert Zongo Cell for Investigative Journalism and CENOZO, a transnational investigative body for West Africa based in Burkina Faso. In 2005, Dapo founded the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism in Lagos, dedicated to exposing corruption and human rights abuses.
In 2007, he joined the defunct NEXT Newspapers, founded by the Pulitzer Prize winner, Dele Olojede. At NEXT, Dapsy, as he is fondly called, joined others to raise the bar of investigative journalism in Nigeria.
Four years later, in 2011, he established Premium Times, a multimedia news platform in Nigeria focused on politics, health, investigative reporting, and development journalism.
The Legacy Continues:
Today, Dapo Olorunyomi is the co-founder, CEO, and publisher of Premium Times, one of Nigeria’s most trusted newspapers, setting the standard for African investigative journalism. His unwavering dedication to holding those in power accountable has earned him the title of the “godfather” of investigative journalism in Nigeria. Throughout his career, Dapo has faced official harassment, including a 2017 police raid on Premium Times’ offices, which led to his arrest and that of a reporter. These arrests were made on allegations of defaming the Chief of Army Staff, but both journalists were eventually released as the army distanced itself from the actions of their chief.
An Award-Winning Journalist
Dapo Olorunyomi’s contributions to journalism have not only been impactful but also recognized on national, regional, and global stages. His editorial work during Nigeria’s years of military dictatorship garnered him several prestigious awards, including the 1995 International Editor of the Year Award from the World Press Review, the 1996 PEN Center (West) Freedom to Write Award, and the 1996 Press Freedom Award from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) in New York.
In addition to these accolades, Olorunyomi’s journalistic endeavors extended to international recognition, with a joint Pulitzer Award in 2016 for his involvement in reporting on the Panama Papers and the 2017 Global Shining Light Award from the Global Investigative Journalism Network. In that same year, he received the Press Freedom award from the Nigeria Union of Journalists and a fellowship award from the Nigeria Institute of Journalists. The Diamond Awards for Media Excellence also honoured him with a Lifetime Award.
According to the Dawn Commission, in 2020, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) presented its International Press Freedom Award to Dapo Olorunyomi, acknowledging his unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity and freedom of the press. To top it all, in 2023, he was named the first African Fellow of the Poynter Institute’s Media Transformation Challenge Fellowship, solidifying his status as a trailblazer in journalism with a global impact.
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