At 79, the death of our beloved father, mentor, guardian and senior colleague in international radio broadcasting was announced of Saturday 27th July,2024. For 54 years, Yusuf Lawal Saulawa bestrides the broadcasting world like a colossus.
He started the broadcasting career as a TV Cameraman, Presenter, Announcer, Reporter and rose to the position of General Manager, Radio Kaduna, Executive Director Programmes Directorate , Voice of Nigeria. At intervals he was Commissioner for Information in Kaduna and Katsina states respectively.
He was the pioneer Director Programmes Directorate Voice of Nigeria (VON) in 1991. The late Yaya Abubakar his friend was the Director General, Tunji Oseni , Director News, Ganiyu Salami, Director Administration, Abubakar Jijiwa, Director Finance. That was the media management at VON when I joined first as an intern and later staff in the News Directorate.
THEY WERE THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF MODERN VON, after the station was excised from Radio Nigeria external service. I had close contact with him. In those days when you are going for assignment outside the country, you will get briefings from senior colleagues and Directors.
He gave professional and fatherly advice when Lagos state government gave me opportunity to cover the holy pilgrimage in Makkah as state house Correspondent with the then Lagos state Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We also meet regularly for prayers in the mosque at the BH Ikoyi. Since he married a Yoruba wife, the boss always practice greetings in Yoruba Language with me.
Mallam Saulawa often leads prayers in the mosque. His profile was quite unique. He had the ambition of being a Radio Journalist early in life, but he could not get it then. So, he was a teacher and Insurance man briefly. When he had the opportunity of a broadcasting job, he accepted it with all sense of responsibility. The job paid off with the purchase of a motorcycle just like former Ogun State Governor, Chief Segun Osoba who had a scooter and telephone to assist his job while he was with the Daily Times.
The former Director of Programmes had good Journalism training, basic and advanced productions with the BBC in London and worked in the BBC Hausa Service on secondment from the Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria for three years. That was symbolic and a profound signpost of an international journalist per excellon. He served his community in katsina state with all his might as a commissioner, media consultant for the establishment of Katsina Radio & TV and General manager. Till death , he produced programmes for the Radio station.
Late Saulawa had 13 children and one of them is in the service of Voice of Nigeria.
May Allah SWT grant him Aljanah firdaos.
Qasim Akinreti, Ph.D, Deputy Director, Digital Media.
