In 2014, Bayo Onanuga expressed his intention to contest for the senatorial seat in Ogun East District during the 2015 general election under the All Progressives Congress (APC) banner.
Fast forward to October 2023, President Bola Tinubu appointed Bayo Onanuga as the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy. However, news surfaced in November 2023 that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) terminated Bayo Onanuga’s employment, labeling him as “the Tragedy of a Nation.”
This decision came after he criticized a union strike on behalf of the federal government. It’s noteworthy that the NLC’s move to dismiss Bayo Onanuga occurred following his condemnation of a union strike, a stance that stirred controversy and led to his removal from the position.
Wikipedia Profile and Background
| Real Name: | Bayo Onanuga |
| Date of Birth: | 20 June 1957 |
| Age: | 66 years old @ 2023 |
| State of Origin: | Ogun State, Nigeria |
| Place of Birth: | Ijebu Ode, Ogun State |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Wife: | Toyin Onanuga |
| Occupation: | Politician – Journalist |
| Net Worth: | $1 million > |
| Political Party: | APC |
| Education: | University of Lagos (Mass Communication) |
| Parents: | Anikilaya Ruling House in Ijebu Ode |
Bayo Onanuga Biography
Onanuga was born in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, to the family of the Anikilaya Ruling House. From 1962 to 1969, he went to Moslem Primary School in Ijebu-Ode. Bayo Onanuga is a journalist from Nigeria. He was born on June 20, 1957.
He was one of the people who started TheNews Magazine. In May 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari made him the managing director of the News Agency of Nigeria. Before that, he ran PM News and The NEWS magazine as CEO and editor-in-chief.
Education Background
Then he went to Muslim College Ijebu Ode and got a Grade One when he was done there in 1974. After working for about a year, he went to Federal Government College, Odogbolu, between 1975 and 1977 to get his A-Level.
In September of 1977, he got into the University of Lagos to study Mass Communication. He got a second class upper when he graduated in 1980.
How old Is Bayo Onanuga
He was born on 20 June 1957 in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State. He is currently at the age of 66 years old, as of 2023.
State of Origin and Place of Birth
Onanuga was born in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, to the family of the Anikilaya Ruling House. He is currently staying in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Net Worth
Bayo Onanuga is worth over $1 million.
Wife and Children
Bayo Onanuga is happily married to Toyin Olamide Machado, and they have beautiful kids. Toyin now answers Onanuga as her surname.
Career
Early in 1982, Onanuga worked for Practions Partners. In June of that year, he became one of the first employees at Ogun State Television. In July 1983, he took a job as a sub-editor at The Guardian in Lagos. He left after only 17 months to start Weekly Titbits.
When the plan didn’t work, Onanuga got a job as a senior features writer at the National Concord in January 1985. His work was moved to the African Concord magazine later. In 1989, Onanuga was the magazine’s international editor. He was based in London. He got the job of editor later that year.
But in April 1992, Onanuga quit Concord because he wouldn’t apologize to General Ibrahim Babangida, the military dictator, for a cover story called “Has Babangida Given Up?” The story caused the junta to shut down the Concord Group.
Political Career
In 2014, Onanuga said he wanted to run for senator in the Ogun East District in the 2015 general election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
During the military rule of Sani Abacha, he was held prisoner in Lagos by the State Security Service for a while. He escaped and left the country, but he came back after Abacha’s death in 1998.
Controversies
Bayo Onanuga has faced criticism in various instances. Notable controversies include:
- Ethnic Slur Against Igbos: Onanuga received backlash for making divisive ethnocentric statements, later clarified in a tweet.
- NLC vs. Onanuga: The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) accused Onanuga of making “sadistic comments,” suggesting they reflected the views of those in power. The NLC called for an investigation into the assault on journalist Joe Ajaero, labeling Onanuga as “the Tragedy of a Nation.”
- Genocide Enablers: Onanuga faced criticism for being perceived as part of the league of genocide enablers in Nigeria, as mentioned in an article by Rudolf Okonkwo.
- Accusation of Treason: In 2019, Onanuga accused freelance journalist Ahmad Salkida of committing treason due to his reporting on Boko Haram.
These controversies underscore the polarizing and inflammatory nature of some of Onanuga’s statements and actions, leading to criticism and calls for investigation from various quarters.
Source: whoiswriter.com
