Adejumo Kabir "I've always wanted to be the conscience of the masses..." The Maverick for Eight Week

The award winning journalist, Adejumo Kabir is our Maverick for the Eight Week.

Read our interview below.

Intr: Hi

Kabir: Good evening Sir.

Intr: Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Kabir: Adejumo Kabir is my name, an undergraduate student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and a freelance journalist with Premium Times. To rap it up sir, I'm a friend of common man in search of success.

Intr: It is great to have you here sir... So, great ife community... How's been your experience so far? You're in the last semester of your penultimate year? How do you feel?

Kabir: The experience has been worthwhile. Although, multi-tasking has not been easy. There are times one needs to miss class for extra curricular activities. So, I'm glad that I have just a session plus left as an undergraduate so that we can go face reality at the mainstream.

Intr: .... So, our team has identified you as a Maverick... How do you feel about this?

Kabir: Pleased and very honored. Thank you for this, I'm humbled.

Intr: kindly describe your extra curricular exploit to the readers. Like what you do aside being a student

Kabir: I practice journalism, public speaking and also write fictions. Plus, I'm a social media enthusiast.

Intr: Of all interests you could pick up, why Journalism? How did you start?

Kabir: I've always wanted to be the conscience of the masses from small having grown up from a community where justice is rare. In fact, that was the reason why I applied for law with the mindset of becoming a better Gani Fawehinmi and represent the less privileged on pro bono if I eventually become one.

However, I got admitted for English and since the reason why I applied for law was to be the voice of the voiceless, I asked myself how I can do that without Law. I started writing opinions and was later advised to go into campus journalism. I applied to more than six media outfits on Campus but did not get prompt response. I then told myself nothing is too big to achieve. I started NewsTrackPlatform which was highly welcomed by all because we focused on pro students stories.

Intr: What made you think you had to do something aside academics?

Kabir: I learnt early enough in life that there is limit to what Nigerian formal education can offer me. The joy of every human is to make difference in life and since graduating with First Class will only get me celebrated on campus, I decided to work hard and develop first class mentality which will be useful for the general public.

Today, I am not a first class student but a first class citizen of Nigeria with little contribution of telling the untold stories of our people. There are lots of people dying because there is nobody to tell their stories.

Intr: How do you juggle between your academics and journalism?

Kabir: It has not been easy. Like I said earlier, I'm humble and pleased with humble man result. It will be injustice to those who spend their days in library if I get distinction like them. I read a day to exam or on the morning of examination and get credit. However, I'm striving hard not to fail any course. But, I can say that the journalism talent is above average. As a Journalist, you may not tender your school certificate anywhere to get good job but you need your good stories byline to get to the highest ladder of the profession.

Intr- What has been your greatest motivation ?

Kabir: To be the change my generation is waiting for.

Intr: How has been response from home? Supportive or not?

Kabir: At first, my parents did not support me. There are times I need to fight with the duo for days because they felt I was not doing what they sent me to school to do. After a while, they started supporting and I can say, as at the time of this interview, the support is massive.

Intr- Have you ever had a " I don't think I can go on" moment? If yes, what happened and how did you handle it? If no, how manage?

Kabir: I have been blackmailed, I have been threatened and I have been punished. The psychological aspect is also not good for up and coming Journalist. It takes courage and good people around you to stand.

I understand that journalism is printing what others don't want printed at all time I make sure all my stories are factual. The moment your reports are, you are already handling the threat.


Intr: With your feat so far in Journalism, does it get to your head? You're quite popular and seeing your reports getting societal approval, changing the course of things in the affected areas of reports, how do all these make you feel? Proud? Humble still?

Kabir: Still very humble and I will die a humble man because I have learnt that humility propels learning. In fact, there are lot more to do for the society. I have not done an inch of what my mentors expect of me. I keep learning sir.


Intr: Would you still study Law if you got the chance again? And in another life, would you still pick Law first or simply go for English ? (Smiles)

Kabir: (smiles) I am no longer interested in law because as a journalist, you are everything. When you report court to some extent, you know the law more than some newbies. When you report finance always, you know somethings that some accountants don't know. The only plan is marry a lawyer and make sure one of my kids study law.

Lastly Sir, (smiles), in another life, I won't go to school.


Intr: Where do you see yourself in five years? You as a person and your exploits in Journalism.

Kabir: I see myself holding government accountable and training newbies. I see myself being the exact change Nigeria is waiting for practicing solution journalism.



Intr- The trend now in the world is that if you want to BECOME somebody, you'd have to do what others aren't doing. What advice would you give a student that wants to combine like you but hasn't got the courage to?

Kabir: I'd like to tell all students that want to be like me to remain hard working and never try to be better than anyone. All they need to try is how to be better than who they were yesterday and how to put smile in the face of the public. Also, I will plead with them to read at all time. Readers are leaders. Not necessarily the "SPCA" taught in class, but books related to the profession of their choice. As they grow up, let them try to lift others up. That's exactly is the joy of life. Lastly, don't go for money or awards, prizes don't determine how good you are. If those juicy things come your way, congratulations. If they don't come early enough, keep working hard, they will locate you definitely.

Intr: Before we end our chat sir, you've been really awesome, is there any lady in your life telling others to stay away? (Smiles)

Kabir: (Smiles) Busy schedule has not permitted sir but I have more of female friends and they've all been wonderful to me.


Intr:  Wow, we have come to the end of the interview, thank you so much for coming. You have been awesome sir.