The Media Career Development Network website last week published an editorial on the recent appointment of one of Nigeria’s outstanding global journalists, Ms Toyosi Ogunseye as the president of an international leadership organization.
As a member of the editorial team, I agree with the commendation of her appointment which is well deserved given her various accomplishments over the years.
I have always been impressed by Ogunseye’s excellent career progression and have written a number of articles about it, including a recent one titled ‘Journalism in her bones’. I never doubted that she would excel in journalism when she started out as a freelance journalist and I am glad she has shattered so many media records and has now gone ahead to take on a leadership position which will give her the opportunity to help many others not only become as good as she is, but surpass her.
Congratulations Toyosi. The editorial is reproduced below:
On August 30, 2023, the Former Sunday Editor of The Punch and Head of BBC, West Africa, Toyosi Ogunseye was announced as the new President & CEO of Presidential Precinct, a United States-based organisation that engages and inspires emerging leaders to address the most pressing challenges in their countries.
Her appointment according to the announcement followed a competitive international search campaign led by the Precinct’s Executive Committee in partnership with Lincoln Leadership.
We join Nigeria and the global media community in congratulating Ogunseye, who until her new assignment was Senior News Editor for News and Commissioning at the BBC, for her well-deserved appointment.
Since Ogunseye emerged as the runner-up in the Nigeria Young Journalist Award we organized in 2008, we have noted her various outstanding accomplishments in the profession and we are not surprised by her new appointment for the prestigious role at Precincts.
From being a Crime Correspondent, she has deservedly earned various promotions and appointments along with bagging 35 local and international awards, including the Presidential Precinct’s Inaugural Young Leader Award (received alongside Secretary Madeline Albright), the ICFJ Knight International Journalism Award, and CNN’s African Journalist of the Year.
She has also served as Vice President of the World Editors Forum and Board member of the World Association of News Publishers.
Through the years, she has remained a role model for journalists on how to excel in the profession and maximize opportunities for career growth.
Becoming the President/CEO of an international organization like Precinct where she was a fellow nine years ago is no mean feat which is a testimony to her steadfast commitment in empowering young people who are committed to improving their community and country as noted by the board.
Based on her excellent performance in all her previous roles, we do not doubt that Ogunseye will not only live up to but exceed expectations in her new position.
There are numerous lessons for journalists to learn from Ogunseye’s accomplishments which can be replicated and surpassed.
Among others, her commitment to best practices in the profession has worked well for her to attain great heights in record time.
Despite not originally studying journalism, she has paid attention to her career growth by obtaining the necessary professional academic qualifications, including a Doctorate in Politics and International Relations.
After being a Precinct’s Fellow, she has engaged consistently as a programme alumna, unlike many journalists who don’t maintain contact or participate in programmes of the organization they once attended.
For female journalists, Ogunseye’s accomplishments should inspire them to aim as high as possible in the profession and beyond to achieve their goals and aspirations.
Our congratulations and best wishes to Ogunseye for being a worthy ambassador of the media profession who we are all proud of.
