Ojuelegba: I remember my journalism story

Ojuelegba, a popular song by Nigeria’s singer and songwriter reminds media career development specialist, Lekan Otufodunrin of his humble journalism career beginning.

These days, I seem to pay more attention to the lyrics of some not –my-kind of music which I can’t avoid listening to as they are played repeatedly on radio stations and on the streets.

As I listen to them and reflect more than before, I can easily relate with some. Their storylines are what I am familiar with and I can recollect my own experiences however widely different they are.

My article titled ‘Let nothing kill your Journalism Vibes’ based on Bloody Samaritan by Ayra Starr shocked many who could swear I don’t listen to such songs and wondered how I knew all the lyrics.

Nothing is really hard knowing these days with the Google search engine available to search for anything, including lyrics of any song.

That was what I did and had a better understanding of what the singer was saying that made more sense to me than ever before even if I won’t be caught dancing to the song.

Like the “I’m catching vibes on vibes” song, Ojuelegba by Whizkid is the latest I want to write on as the headline of this article indicates.

Since I have been listening to the song and even tried to sing along once in a while because of the irresistible beat, it was until two weeks ago that it occurred to me that I also have an Ojuelegba story to tell like Whizkid.

Here is the beginning of the song:

Ni ojuelegba ( In Ojuelegba)

They know my story

From holdup studio

I be hustle to work ee

Ni ojuelegba o ( In Ojuelegba)

Me and CD

From holdup studio

We been hustle to work ee

Ni ojuelegba o

My people dey there

My people suffer

Dem dey pray for blessing eh

Ni ojuelegba o

My people dey there

Dem dey pray for blessing

For better living eh eh people dey there

Dem dey pray for blessing

For better living eh eh

I didn’t have anything to do with holdup studio or CD, but the first place I was employed in 1986, after national youth service, out of desperation to get a job after months of waiting for the kind I wanted that never came, was a media company at  Ojuelegba by under the bridge where buses load passengers for Ijora – Ajegunle where I lived with my parents.

I never liked the job with the magazine called, guess what? The Contractor from Day one. It was not the kind of the big ones we were told of back in the university.

I was hired as a reporter, but I performed every role required, including buying drinks for guests of my publisher who felt I should be grateful for being employed when many of my mates were yet to get any job.

As I write this piece I can recall the times I spent reading newspapers at bend-down vendors stands under the bridge and various eating joints I go to and stay back longer than I should just not to be in the office.

While wandering from office to office for adverts for our not well-known magazine, I saw all the hustling by people trying to make a living in Ojuelegba and always looked forward to getting a better job soon.

When I come up with any excuse not to go to work or resign, my mother offered prayers and words of encouragement about how first jobs may not be what one wants, but you must stick to it until there is a better one.

Recalling those days of how my mum kept me going, these lines from the song are apt:

E kira fun mummy mi o (Salute my mother)

Ojojumo lo n s’adura ( She prayed every day)

Kilodale ( Whatever the case may be)

Aye o le to yen o (Life is not that hard)

Aye o ni double ( Life is just once)

Adura lo le se o ( Prayer is what you need)

Call on daddy

Adura a gba o ( Your prayers will be answered)

Yes, my mum’s prayers and mine were eventually answered. I ran into a coursemate who was already a manager in an advertising company when we were in school who gave me a note to someone who gave me another note and I eventually got the much-cherished job in The Punch where I worked for 14 years before I moved on.

Don’t I have every cause to feel good and thank God for putting those Ojuelegba days of little beginnings behind me as Whizkid sang? I sure do.

Join me in singing:

I am feeling good tonight

This thing gat me thanking God for life

Oh I can’t explain eh eh eh

I can’t explain eh eh eh yah eh

I am feeling good tonight

This thing gat me thanking God for life

I can’t explain eh eh eh

I can’t explain eh eh Yah eh eh