Prince Dotun Oyelade: All hail the man with the touch of gold at BCOS by Yusuf Tijani 

The outer world is a reflection of the inner world. Other people’s perception of you is a reflection of them; your response to them is an awareness of you. Prince Dotun Oyelade, a broadcast journalist, publisher and politician who is widely known all over Nigeria with his professional touch in the media field.

Prince Dotun Oyelade’s professional antecedent as a broadcast journalist with a specialty in documentaries and reporting has earned him outstanding prestige in Nigeria Journalism. 

Perception is nine-tenths of the natural law, the role of Prince Oyelade on Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State as the executive chairman are numerous, such as staff manpower development, staff welfare, motivation and reward system, execution of iconic projects, amendment to the corporation’s edict with a view to identifying certain provisions inconsistent with modern day realities; reinstatement of officers wrongfully dismissed/retired; redeployment of staff of bcos from the mainstream of the civil service.

There are more things in the vastness of time and space than dreamt up in the paleolithic construct,  Prince Oyelade has ensured that BCOS remain professional in its gathering and dissemination of information and is committed to disseminating only factual information.

The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of individuals who do not want progress in an establishment. The rules which experience suggests are better than those which theorists elaborate in their libraries, Prince Dotun as Publicity Secretary to Alliance for Democracy in 1999 and Private Secretary to Governor Lam Adesina from 1999 to 2003 as really shaped his life for outstanding administrative role. 

Prince Dotun was the Special Adviser on Public Communications to Governor Alao Akala from 2007 to 2011 and was also Head of the media campaign team of Governor Seyi Makinde in 2019 and 2023. This has shown that Prince Dotun’s wisdom comes from experience.

Without mincing words, under whose leadership did Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State start twenty-four hours transmission? Prince Dotun Oyelade is an epitome of integrity, transparency and accountability. His midas touch at the corporation will outlive many generations. A manager of meagre resources, a man who thinks outside the box, a man who has created more employment opportunities for the jobless youths  in the state.

Little did you know that BCOS has a staff strength of almost 350. From investigations, the present administration releases the sum of twenty-seven million naira (N27m) to the corporation monthly as subvention. The N27 million naira can’t cater for staff salaries and diesel consumption monthly. 

Prince Dotun out of  his tactical and technical ingenuity, being a result oriented leader ensured that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) went up by embarking on an aggressive marketing drive beyond Oyo State. I can tell you authoritatively that the management led by the Executive Chairman spends extra  forteen million naira (N14m) on diesel monthly, plus additional forteen million naira (N14m) to pay staff salaries. 

These and other noble and novel achievements couldn’t have been made possible but for the support and cooperation of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde FNSE. Prince Dotun Oyelade has been able to actualize the vision of Governor Seyi Makinde for the corporation. More achievements are in the offing under Omituntun 2.0.

Under his watch, BCOS has emerged winner of the Oyo State Productivity and Merits awards on two different occasions from 2019-2023 as the best government corporation.

Helen Keller, an American author in civil liberties mission said ” Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood”. Prince Dotun Oyelade who received his mentorship class from the veteran journalists like, Bayo Sanda, Fabio Lanipekun, Biodun Sotumbi, Biodun Aladekomo, and Biodun Adetuberu shows that he knows the nooks and crannies of journalism. 

Prince Oyelade was employed by NTA under the leadership of Yemi Faroumbi and he worked effectively at the news department with the likes of Segun Oyedele, Folu Ogundimu, Segun Soroye, Mufu Akinloye; Kayode Adedire, Femi Idowu, Biodun Ariyo now Senator Biodun Olujinmi, Bankole Laotan, Tunji Oyetoso, Lekan Alabi, Biodun Oduwole, Rasheed Adegbenro, Tunde Jawando, Kola Akinleye, Bukola Famuyiwa, Kunle Adeigbe and a host of others. 

His record of office shows competency, dedication to the task and passion driven procedures which he always involved in his work.

He uncannily combines the nose for news of a natural reporter, with the aplomb of a creative writer, Prince is one of Nigeria’s most accomplished journalists, has presented the world with books detailing the experiences and challenges of an African journalist rising from rookie to veteran in the face of daily risks to life and career.

Yusuf Tijani is a freelance presenter, he writes from Tede, Atisbo Local Government.