Ijeoma  Nwogwugwu: Reading, Self-improvement Key to Success in Any Profession

As she marks her 60th birthday tomorrow, former Editor of THISDAY and former Managing Director of ARISE NEWS Channel, Ijeoma Nwogwugwu reflects on a life defined by curiosity, discipline, and relentless self-improvement. Renowned for her remarkable journey in media, Nwogwugwu credits reading and continuous learning as the pillars of her success. Despite reaching this significant milestone, she views it not as a turning point but as a continuation of her lifelong pursuit of growth and achievement. For her, age is merely a number; what matters is the commitment to meeting the goals she sets for herself, embracing new challenges, and contributing meaningfully to her profession. This milestone, she says, is a reminder to remain grateful, focused, and purposeful, celebrating both past accomplishments and the opportunities that lie ahead. She also talks about her seamless transition into real estate development.  Sunday Ehigiator  brings the excerpts:  

As you celebrate 60, what does this milestone mean to you on a personal level?

I am thankful that I have reached this age. But other than that, I don’t consider it any different from my other birthdays. The day will not feel any different, nor will I have more or less resources at my disposal to meet the targets that I have set for myself.

Looking back, which life experiences outside the newsroom shaped you the most?

My public sector experience working for the Bureau of Public Enterprises under Nasir el-Rufai remains one of the most impactful experiences I had. It gave me a better perspective on how policy decisions are made and how they impact Nigerians in the short to long run. Also, my dad’s influence on five of us when we were growing up played a huge role in terms of cognitive, social, and emotional growth, fostering confidence, better school results, healthy relationships, and fewer behavioural issues. The boardroom positions I have held and continue to hold have equally honed my leadership skills from a strategic point of view.

 How have you managed work–life balance throughout a career known for its intensity and long hours?

Managing a work-life balance was never easy, and the excruciatingly long, sedentary hours at THISDAY have taken a toll on my body. But fortunately, I have always been athletic, so playing tennis and engaging in other forms of high-impact physical activity have helped. So have travelling and safeguarding my privacy, which have been very crucial for me to maintain my sanity and recuperate far from the maddening crowd.

What daily habits or routines helped in sustaining your mental clarity and resilience over the years?

Reading, reading, reading!!! You would always have limitations if you do not read. I also have this ability to shut out the outside world. It helps me to reflect and resurface for air feeling rejuvenated.

You’ve held some of the most demanding and influential roles in Nigerian media. What has been the biggest leadership lesson of your career?

Editing THISDAY Newspaper was exciting and relatively easy. However, managing ARISE News from scratch was another kettle of fish altogether. Managing anchors and presenters who are generally fueled by their celebrity and egos is one of the most difficult jobs in the world, and this is not just applicable to ARISE News. It is a global phenomenon because behind the scenes, there is a lot of handholding and deep-seated rivalry that management is constantly fighting to smooth over so that these issues do not spill to the surface. Another thing I learnt was that broadcast media is not as detail-oriented as their print counterparts. Not that I blame broadcasters because the emphasis is on video and audio output, and broadscast presenters are constantly thinking on their feet and have just a few minutes to express themselves. As such, they are more liable to make mistakes and proffer alternative facts. Nonetheless, I remain eternally grateful to the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the THISDAY-ARISE Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, for both opportunities and would do it again if given the chance to relive my life.

What moments or decisions defined the transition from journalist to media executive for you?

Do you really ever transition in the media space? Once a journalist, always a journalist, irrespective of the executive position you occupy. The Editor-in-Chief, Managing Director or Managing Editor experiences the same level of excitement as the reporter on the beat when a major story is breaking, or when a media organisation beats its competitors to a major exclusive, or even when you write or produce a seminal piece. We are at heart all creatives and draw our energies from the high-paced, high-octane, and unpredictable nature of news. As you know, even though I am in semi-retirement mode, I continue to send stories to my colleagues in THISDAY and ARISE and intervene where necessary because it is what I love to do. Quite frankly, you don’t have to hold a position to remain a journalist.

How did your experience as Editor of THISDAY prepare you for running a major broadcast platform like ARISE News?

So, the main difference between both jobs is that print uses visuals, allowing deep dives and detail, but requiring active reading. Broadcast, on the other hand, offers dynamic, real-time engagement, bringing events to life through sight and sound for broader audiences. Despite the differences, multimedia integration was important by blending both. For instance, a print story from THISDAY might have an accompanying video from ARISE, or a broadcast segment referring to an online article. In this digital age, it was also critical that ARISE had robust online platforms, such as the website and on social media to compete with digital natives. Staff versatility also meant that teams had to be trained in both writing and on-camera/audio skills to create flexible, multimedia content. Being courageous under fire and being able to attract and curate the right talent to ARISE were also critical to the network’s success. If you remember, during the #ENDSARS protest in October 2020, we were under immense pressure from the federal government to curtail coverage of the protesters or stop it completely. However, I was adamant that we must give them a voice and kept assigning our crew at enormous risk to cover the protests. Our coverage of #ENDSARS was a major turning point for ARISE and brought eyeballs to the network like never before. The same applied to some incredible reportage on the kidnapped students of secondary schools in Zamfara and Kebbi States by Amaka Okoye.  Her coverage and reports of those abductions were so good that the likes of AFP and Reuters used to call asking for permission to use our videos. Other excellent talent we were able to attract and nurture include Dr. Reuben Abati, Rufai Oseni, Rotus Oddiri, Laila Johnson-Salami, Adefemi Akinsanya, Ngozi Alaegbu, Ojy Okpe, Adesua Omoruan, Nkechi Nnanna, and the indefatigable Ovieteme George, among many others. 

What kept you motivated through decades of deadlines, crises, and public scrutiny?

I have been motivated by so many things, but some of the most important ones have been being the best at what I do because I am by nature very competitive. I have never liked being the second best at anything, hence my preference for individual high-impact sports as opposed to team sports. I am also motivated by imparting knowledge to the younger generation and hoping that I can inspire them, even though I am far from perfect.

Many young journalists see you as a role model. What advice would you give to those entering the industry today?

Reading and self-improvement are key to succeeding in any profession, not just in the media. But if we have to be media-specific, being open-minded, thorough, ethical, courageous, dedicated to your job, and developing institutional memory are very important to succeeding in the media landscape. You also have to be nimble and ready to burn the midnight oil in the media to make a mark. This requires a lot of personal sacrifices, but in the end it will be worth the effort.

What personal values guided your decision-making during tough professional moments?

Team work, collaboration, integrity, reliability, discipline, hard work, generosity, and courage are some of the most critical personal values that have assisted in my decision-making throughout my career. 

At 60, what are you most proud of and what still excites you about the future?

Oh, quite a bit. I have made the seamless, and if I must add, quite a successful transition from media to real estate development, which I absolutely enjoy because it’s like birthing a new baby, then nurturing and watching that child grow. However, building residential homes is not for the faint-hearted because it requires a lot of planning and compliance with engineering and building codes. The capital outlay is also enormous due to the high cost of land in Lagos, statutory payments that must go to the authorities, and escalating construction costs in Nigeria. Nonetheless, it is a business that can be highly rewarding with proper planning and project management, targeted marketing, and ensuring that the quality of the projects that you deliver are top-notch. So far, I have been able to deliver a number of luxury apartments in Ikoyi and hope to continue to do so in the foreseeable future. 

 If you could give your 30-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Sometimes, talk less and listen more in order to avoid trouble and annoying people.