Mr. Abraham Ogbodo has been named Editor of The Guardian on Sunday with effect from February 1, 2013. He replaces Mr. Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo who voluntarily retired from the company early this year after 10 years as editor of the Sunday newspaper.
Ogbodo has operated in the media industry for over 20 years, reporting politics, economy, arts, environment, health, energy, education and foreign affairs.
He was born on January 1, 1963 in Ughelli, Delta State. He attended Orogun Grammar School, Orogun (1975-1980) and St. Patrick’s College, Asaba (1982-1983). He graduated with a B.A. (Hons.) in Theatre Arts from University of Calabar (1983-1987).
For the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, he was an English Language teacher at New State High School, Mushin, Lagos (October 1987-July 1988). From a Sub-Editor Trainee and Sub-Editor (August 1988-August 1990), he became a Staff Writer/AG Head, Special Features Unit (May 1992-July 1994), African Guardian magazine.
A former Head, Special Projects (Supplements Unit), The Guardian (October 1995-June 2002), Ogbodo was Senior Correspondent (Politics) (June 2002 – July 2007) and was promoted Deputy Editor (Politics), The Guardian, in 2007. In November 1, 2012, he was promoted as the Regional Editor in charge of the South-South (South-South Bureau Chief.)
Widely travelled within and outside Nigeria and a recipient of awards, Ogbodo has served in various public capacities.
Eto was born on July 12, 1965 in Ghana but returned home after the Ankrah-Afrifa junta that ousted the Kwame Nkrumah government sent Nigerians away.
Back in Nigeria, he attended primary schools in Sapele and Isokoland as well as Government College, Ughelli and Emore Grammar School, Oleh (1977-82) and Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro (1982). He was at the University of Benin (1983-87) where he earned an Upper Class B.Sc. (Hons.) from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. He also attended the University of Lagos where he got an M.Sc. degree from the same department (1995). He had received a post-graduate diploma from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (1993). A winner of many awards, he also has a BBC London Journalism Training Certificate (2001).
For his youth service, he was a graduate lecturer at Imo (now Abia) State University (1987-88) after which he worked at The Guardian as a reporter and sub-editor. He later worked at Newbreed magazine as Assistant Editor as well as Head of Foreign Desk (The Punch) and of News (Sunday Punch), 1994-96. He was Asst. News Editor and later Chief Sub-Editor of THISDAY (1997) and Editor, The Diet (1998).