A.S.T | 7th, Dec, 2024| Lagos
In a Press statement made available to our Correspondent, the Planning Committee in charge of the book to honour the late Olutade Makinde, a foremost Entertainment journalist in Nigeria, has announced the official date for the launch.
The announcement made by the Ambassador (Dr.) Yemi Farounbi -led Planning Committee revealed that the venue of the book launch will be at the iconic Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Oyo State on February 16, 2025.
It would be recalled that the Late Olutade Makinde was the journalist who organised a musical competition in Ibadan, Oyo State, in 1977; and which was won by King Sunny Ade, one of his numerous contributions to the Entertainment Industry in Nigeria.
The book launch is planned to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the passing of the Journalist. Makinde died in Ado Ekiti on February 15, 2015.
The book entitled “Olu Makinde: Master of His Game”, is written by his son, Tade Makinde (II), also an entertainment journalist, who is the Director of Content of AMNI Corporation, a New York-based conglomerate, and headquartered in Ibadan.
The Chairman the of the committee, and also Nigeria’s former ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Yemi Farounbi said he is excited to be part of a project that will celebrate his friend. “He was more than a friend to me and many others. He was a brother”, he said.
Late Makinde was a columnist with the Nigerian Tribune from the late 90s until the passing of his wife, Princess Margaret Makinde in 2007. He rested the column, Odessa File, following the death of his wife, and later relocated to his Ado Ekiti hometown where he died.
Princess Aderonke Adedoja, chairperson of ARA Foundation, who has been instrumental with the planning of the event, expressed her delight to be a part of the book launch. “I am happy to help the family do something in memory of their father. I gathered he was a great journalist. God will help us and February 16, 2025, will be grand,” she said.
Tade Makinde (II), the son of the iconic journalist who incidentally is the author of the book was the head of the entertainment desk while at the Tribune titles for 19 years. His first book, “Fela Anikulapo Kuti: Bruised. Battered. Beloved”, is available on Amazon, while his second work, which dwells extensively on what went on behind the scenes pre and post the crowning ceremony, will be his first in print.
On behalf of the management of Eagles House Global Resources, the publishers and producers of SPLASH9JA (TV/Online/Magazine & Radio), we say a big congratulations to the Author and the Planning Committee.
