1973-2024: The PUNCH’s brief, short, long tenure editors’ list (UP-DATED)

How long does the tenure of editors of The Punch Newspaper, Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper last?

This question followed the forced resignation of the Daily editor of the paper, Martins Ayankola based on the management’s decision on an offensive cartoon illustrating a back-page column in the paper.

The cartoon that illustrated a write-up titled What does Mrs Fatoyinbo know? by Abimbola Adelakun published on July 4 showed a man urinating on a Bible.

For his six years and five months stay in office, Ayankola is indeed the longest-serving editor of any of the three titles of the paper in its 46-year-old history unlike what obtains in some other papers with some editors lasting more than ten years.

While some of the editors of the paper were forced to resign like Ayankola, some were promoted or redeployed and a few left on their own to take up other appointments.

Below is the full list of the past editors of the paper since inception in March 1973.

Name (Daily)                                                                                                 Date

1. Sola Odunfa –    –   –     –     –       –      –     –      –      –      07/05/77 -27/08/80
2. Tayo Kehinde – –   –     –     –       –      –     –      –      –      28/08/80 – 12/03/82
3. Innocent Adiukwu – –   –     –     –       –      –     –      –     07/05/82 – 24/08/83
4. Ade Fagbemi – –   –     –     –       –      –     –      –      –       25/08/83 – 01/08/84
5. Nururdeen Balogun – –   –     –     –       –      –     –      –   01/10/84 – 23/01/86
6. Najeem Jimoh – –   –     –     –       –      –     –      –      –     24/01/86 – 02/05/88
7. Ademola Osinubi – –   –     –     –       –      –     –      –      -03/05/88 – 20/10/92
8. Bola Bolawole – –   –     –     –       –      –     –      –     –   –  21/10/92 – 30/08/94
9. Tunji Adegboyega – –   –     –     –       –      –     –      –      31/08/94 – 05/11/96
10. Gbemiga Ogunleye – – –     –     –       –      –     –      –    – 06/11/96 –31/12/2001
11. Azubuike Ishiekwene – – –     –     –       –      –     –        – 01/01/02 – 24/10/06
12. Yusuf Alli – – –     –     –       –      –     –      –      –     –    –  – 25/10/06 – 09/12/07
13. Steve Ayorinde – – –     –     –       –      –     –      –      –   –  10/12/07 –19/02/10
14. Joseph Adeyeye – – –     –     –       –      –     –      –      –   -Feb 2010  –Jan. 2013
15. Martins Ayankola – –   –     –     –       –      –     –      –      -Jan 2013  –Jul.2019
16. Ademola Oni                                                                    -July 2019 – April 2022
17. Dayo Oketola                                                                    -April 2022 – July 14, 2024

Name (Saturday)                                                                                          Date

1. Ademola Osinubi  ————————————–May, 1988- Dec. 1992
2. Azubuike Ishiekwene ———————————-May, 1996 – Dec. 2001
3. Kayode Olawuyi—————————————- Jan. 2002 –Oct. 2006
4. Yusuf Alli ————————————————Oct. 2006 – Oct. 2006
5. Kayode Idowu ——————————————Oct. 2006 – Dec. 2007
6. Adeyeye Joseph —————————————-Dec.2007 – Feb. 2010
7. Vincent Akamode ————————————–Feb.2010 – Aug. 2010
8. Obafemi Obadare ————————————–Aug. 2010 – Jan. 2013
9. Emeka Madunagwu———————————— 3, 2013 – Jun. 3, 2013
10. Bisi Deji Folutile —————————————-June 2013 – July 2019

Name (Sunday)                                                                                             Date

1. Sam Amuka- Pemu (Managing Editor) ———————–Mar 1973 – Dec. 1973
2. Ajibade Fashina-Thomas (Ag. Editor)————————-Jan. 1974 – Dec. 1976
3. Ekundayo Wright ————————————————Jan 1977 – Jun. 1978
4. Innocent Adikwu————————————————-Aug. 1977 – Dec. 1977
5. Innocent Adikwu————————————————-May 1981 – Apr. 1982
6. Tunde Obadina ————————————————–May 1982 – Sep. 1982
7. Muyiwa Adetiba————————————————–Oct. 1982 – Feb. 1984
8. Nat Balogun——————————————————-Mar. 1984 – Jun. 1984
9. Bob Opene (AG. Editor)—————————————–Jul. 1984 – Aug. 1984
10. Ayo Ositelu——————————————————- Aug1984 – Jun. 1985
11. Bob Opene——————————————————–Jun 1985 – Oct. 1985
12. Najeem Jimoh—————————————————-Oct. 1985 – Nov. 1985
13. Ayo Ositelu ——————————————————-Nov.1985 – Dec. 1986
14. Ademola Osinubi ————————————————May 1988 – Oct. 1992
15. Godwin Nzeakah ————————————————-Oct.1992 – Oct. 1995
16. Tunde Odediran (AG. Editor)———————————–Oct. 1995 – Dec. 1995
17. Remi Ibitola ——————————————————Dec.1995 – Sep. 1999
18. Bankole Falade—————————————————Sep. 1999 – Jan. 2002
19. Dele Adeosun —————————————————-Jan.2002 – Oct. 2006
20. Kayode Olawuyi————————————————–Oct. 2006 – Feb. 2008
21. Simon Ekpe——————————————————- Dec.2007 – Nov. 2008
22. Casmir Igbokwe ————————————————–July 2008 – May 2012
23. Chaiwo Nwanwko———————————————— May 2012 – Dec. 2013
24. Toyosi Ogunseye ————————————————-Jan. 2013 – Dec. 2017
25. Ademola Oni —————————————————– Jan 2017 – July 2019
26. Dayo Oketola (Weekend)                                                               July 2019-  April 2022
27. Olusola Fabiyi (Weekend)                                                              April 2022 – July 21 2024