Kayode Tijani started his career in journalism at a younger age, and today he has evolved to be one of the most respected sport analysts in Nigeria. With over one hundred and fifty interviews with acclaimed celebrities, archives of Olympic Games from 1869 till date to his credit, Tijani has truly carved a niche for himself in journalism. He takes Yinka Lawal through how the journey started his plans among other issues.


When did your love for journalism started?
I have been a sport journalist since 1987; I started with a print media though I have been in TV for years now. I started with Guardian immediately I left the Nigeria institute of journalism (NIJ). I found everything interesting and very different from what I was used to. I enjoyed it so much because I was travelling to lot of trips, not so much money but we enjoyed it.

Along the line Chief Alex Akinyele, a former minister of information got a government appointment and I became the Chief Press secretary; it was a National Reconciliation Committee, I went to Abuja and later came back to Lagos. I was head of sport at Channels TV and after I left Channels TV, I stopped working for anybody, since then I have been on my own.

You started with as a print person, how did you venture into TV?
The start of me going into TV started in 1994, I was one of the few people who got accreditation to cover the 1994 world cup in USA, but when I got to the embassy I was refused. They felt because I was not married and too young, I won’t come back. Then I was the Nigeria correspondent for African soccer so I called Emmanuel Maradas and Chief Akinyele but I was still refused. It was devastating that I won’t cover the world cup. So I got a video and I recorded every minute of the world cup that was how TV started. Being on TV was completely different from print media, later I went to UK to be Head of Sport for BEN TV in also head of sport for revelation TV in London. If I was not denied visa in 1994, I am sure I will still be a print person.


When you started what were the challenges you faced?
Then, no much challenge because Nigeria was not too tough, money was not difficult to make, excelling on the job was joy for everyone who joined journalism, not now when people are not sure how they are going to make a living.

So during your time as a sport journalist and now, your time was better?
Yes, better and much more, it was fun, you do it not for money alone but fun, if you are smart there are project you will do and you get paid. Then you could get sponsors to go to competition, not now, it’s tough.

But that doesn’t mean you didn’t encounter any challenge at all?
Challenges were not much then. Things has really changed from then, now there is no fun like it used to be, it is to survive now, then it was for fun. You want to interview the biggest people, go to big show to excel, every medium wants to be better than the other, but now, it is for survival. There was a time I was robbed at Coteviour, they took my passport and money, I had I had to come back by the road.

..you can read up the concluding interview...http://blueapreel..com/2015/06/leaving-home-early-prepared-me-kayode.html?spref=fb