Ijeoma Nwogwugwu: A Newsroom’s Maverick at 60

As she turns 60, those who have crossed paths with Ijeoma Nwogwugwu remember a woman whose presence could steady a room and sharpen a newsroom. Their recollections reveal a trailblazer who insisted on excellence, yet mentored with a generosity that softened even her toughest critiques. Today, they raise a toast to the woman who shaped their craft and, in many ways, their courage, Vanessa Obioha writes

Whenever the name Ijeoma Nwogwugwu springs up in discussions, one can be certain that these words will be repeatedly mentioned: ‘excellence’, ‘outstanding’, ‘thorough’, ‘disciplined’, ‘kindhearted’ and many more. It’s against this backdrop that the Sunday Editor, Davidson Iriekpen, suggested we do a story to celebrate her 60th birthday today. And what better way to tell it than through the voices of those who encountered her during her years at THISDAY. As expected, these words echoed strongly in their recollections.

Mr. Iriekpen described her as an amazing woman, a mentor par excellence; A very hard-working lady, an all-round journalist.

“Ijeoma is a wonderful person and a superlative editor. She motivated, encouraged and challenged me greatly,” he said, recalling that he worked directly under her as the News Editor when she edited the daily paper for six years.

“It was not an easy job, but she gave me encouragement, hope and inspiration, even as she would reprove me sometimes because she wanted the best from me. Working under was really inspiring. She injected me with hard work and impacted my career and life. I am so grateful to her.”

The Saturday Editor, Dr. Obinna Chima, hailed her editorial brilliance and commitment to excellence.

“She had a way of challenging those of us who were willing and always ready to work with her to stretch beyond our limits. I used the words ‘willing and ready’ here because it is not everyone you meet in the newsroom who is disposed to hard work.”

Working with her, he noted, remains one of the most formative and inspiring experiences of my professional journey.

“What sets her apart was not just her remarkable intellect or instinct for news, but her ability to lead with fairness, clarity, and consistency.  She had a tremendous impact on the careers and lives of a lot of THISDAY journalists and editors, including myself, who had the privilege of learning under her leadership and mentorship.”

For the former editor of Glitterati, Nseobong Okon-Ekong, she is an editor’s  editor.

“She kept a strict deadline for copy flow, which allowed her enough time to work on the scripts. She put her Midas touch on every copy, turning many of them from rough-hewn wood to polished, admirable furniture.”

A native of Abia State, Nwogwugwu was one of the pioneer staff of THISDAY Newspapers before climbing the rungs to become the paper’s executive editor. From business reporting to editorial leadership, she remains the only woman in THISDAY history to have edited all three titles—Saturday, Sunday, and Daily—and the second woman in Nigeria to achieve that feat, after the late Doyin Abiola. In 2020, Women in Journalism Africa (WijAfrican) ranked her the number one most powerful woman in journalism.

Despite studying Accounting at the University of Lagos and later earning a postgraduate diploma in International Housing Finance from the Wharton Business School, her passion for journalism remained unparalleled. As Okon-Ekong puts it, she is no pushover when it comes to newspaper production.

“The common self-description among journalists is that they are ‘knowledgeable about many topics, experts in none.’  This phrase may not be true of Nwogwugwu. Her natural turf is business and economy, but  Nwogwugwu also understands soccer and tennis like the back of her hand. She talks knowledgeably about politics, can handle a camera, and when it comes to newspaper production, she is no pushover. She not only has a working understanding of a vast array of subjects in order to report them, but she actually delves deep into these subject matters to become an expert.”

Beyond journalism, she attended several management and professional training programmes in Nigeria, Europe and the United States, and has sat on the board of several companies, including Ikeja Electric Plc, First Pension Custodian Nigeria Ltd., Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, Daily Times of Nigeria Plc and the National Hospital, Abuja, the nation’s capital. She was also a World Bank Consultant for the Bureau of Public Enterprises.

Her excellence led her to ARISE NEWS where she once again proved her mettle as the pioneering Managing Editor of the channel. During the #EndSARS protests, the station, under her leadership, became the go-to source for real-time updates. Reporters were on the ground; anchors engaged key figures; and the newsroom pulsed with clarity and urgency. She laid the foundation for the wave of popularity the station enjoys today. Little wonder that Rufai Oseni, one of the channel’s anchors, could not contain his excitement about her birthday today. He wrote on social media:

“My boss and mentor, Madam Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, will be 60 on Sunday, and I can’t keep quiet. Pls (sic) help me celebrate her! She has a very good heart. She gave me a chance on ARISE TV. Without her, maybe I might never be on Arise!”

For young women at THISDAY, including myself, her impact has been deeply felt.

I remember my first encounter with her in 2017 when she was still Executive Editor.  I had just developed an idea for a restaurant and dining page, and Mr. Okon-Ekong, the Glitterati Editor at the time, encouraged me to speak with her about it. I reached out, unsure of what to expect, and she graciously invited me to her home.

There, Ms. Nwogwugwu put me through an intense but rewarding crash course in the world of fine dining, explaining stemware, etiquette, and subtle details that elevate the culinary experience. She didn’t stop there. She handed me a book on wine and spirits that completely broadened my understanding of that space. It was as if she had handed me a key to a whole new world.

But our conversation didn’t end with food. She introduced me to finance and economics, speaking with such clarity and ease that I found myself wishing I could one day speak about a subject with similar confidence. The more she talked about the subject, the more my admiration for her grew. I still remember the pride in her voice when she mentioned that her son had followed a similar path and was one of the analysts contributing to a show on Channels TV.

I had arrived at her home with limited knowledge and a little bit uncertain about how our interaction would go, but I left enriched. Her depth of insight only reaffirmed what I already knew: she is a thorough, exceptional woman whose passion for journalism is unmatched.

The THISDAY Style Executive Editor, Konye Nwabogor, shared a similar story:

“I had been at THISDAY for barely two years when I had my first real encounter with Ijeoma Nwogwugwu. I doubt she even remembers it—but I do, vividly,” she said.

“Ruth Osime, my Editor at the time, was out of town, and I was asked to take a cover story to her office for review. She read the intro once, picked up her pen and began correcting it. Then she stopped mid-way, looked up at me and said, ‘No. You go and do it. Make changes here, here and here.’

It was already past close time for me. Ugh! What followed was nearly an hour of rewriting—climbing and descending flights of stairs, knocking, presenting, retreating, rewriting again. Back and forth. Paragraph by paragraph. Line by line. Then, eventually, she looked up, smiled—for the first time that evening—and said, “Yes. That’s it.”

That’s Aunt Ijeoma for you. “Demanding. Exacting. Uncompromising about standards. Formidable yet nurturing. But also incredibly fair, kind, deeply invested, quietly—and fiercely—supportive.”

For the Group Features Editor, Chiemelie Ezeobi, Ms Nwogwugwu’s tough love kept her grounded.

“If you ever have Ijeoma Nwogwuwgwu in your corner, ‘just go and sleep. Of course, I mean go and sleep figuratively, because you have to earn her being in your corner. It’s no small walk in the park. I kid you not,” she said.

“Ever heard of that saying about ’people mentioning your names in rooms that matter even behind your back?’ That is quintessential Ijeoma Nwogwugwu. Fearless! Bold! Empathic!

“A mentor and fairy godmother rolled into one, she is never one to mince words when you miss it, but best be assured that she will whip you into the right path! She will always have me in her corner!”What more can be said of a woman who never allowed gender or tribe to hinder her path and who led so many onto the path of excellence?

Here’s to 60 hearty cheers as she begins a new chapter.

From all whose lives you have touched, happy birthday!