Martins Oloja retires at THE GUARDIAN, Toke Alex-Ibru takes over as CEO

The Managing Director (MD)/Editor-In-Chief of The Guardian Newspaper, Martins Oloja, has begun his terminal/retirement leave at The Guardian, which will elapse in March 2024.

Oloja in a statement disclosed that Toke Alex-Ibru, first son of the late Founder of The Guardian, will take over as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Oloja emphasized that he began a succession plan on April 4, 2023, when he announced two young intellectuals, namely, Femi Adekoya, Ph.D, and Kabir Alabi Ph.D, as Daily and Weekend Editors, respectively; adding that Wole Oyebade, Ph.D, is Deputy Editor, Daily.

He reiterated that Toke Alex-Ibru, currently Executive Director, will now lead the management team of The Guardian after his exit.

Oloja, however, stated that after March 2024, he will play a major role on the Editorial Board.
He also assured that he will continue to write his column, “INSIDE STUFF” on Sunday.

Oloja recalled that he began as a Newspaper Manager 36 years ago as Lagos Bureau Chief of Abuja’s Premier Newspaper, “Abuja Newsday”.

Two years later, 1990, he became Editor of the Newspaper, “Abuja Newsday, 34 years ago.
Thereafter, he was part of the pioneer Editors of “The Source”Newsmagazine, founded by Lady Comfort Obi in 1997.

Oloja highlighted that after 25 years as Abuja Bureau Chief/Deputy Editor, Editor, Editor-In-Chief, MD/Editor-In-Chief, he commenced his retirement leave.

The state reads in full:

✔️THIS IS TO CONFIRM TO THE HOUSE THIS MORNING THAT AFTER 25 YEARS AS ABUJA BUREA CHIEF/DEPUTY EDITOR, EDITOR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, MD/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, I HAVE BEGUN MY TERMINAL/RETIREMENT LEAVE AT “THE GUARDIAN” – TILL MARCH 2024…

✔️MEANWHILE, MR. TOKE ALEX-IBRU, FIRST SON OF THE LATE FOUNDER, WILL TAKE OVER AS CEO…

✔️THESE DETAILS ARE IN TODAY’S EDITION OF “THE GUARDIAN”

✔️IT IS A PEACEFUL TRANSITION AS I REMAIN MD/EIC TILL MARCH WHEN MY LEAVE EXPIRES AS A DIRECTOR IN THE COMPANY

✔️RECALL THAT I BEGAN A SUCCESSION PLAN LAST YEAR (APRIL 4, 2023) WHEN I ANNOUNCED TWO YOUNG INTELLECTUALS, FEMI ADEKOYA, PhD, KABIR ALABI GARBA, PhD AS EDITOR, (DAILY) AND (WEEKEND) RESPECTIVELY; WOLE OYEBADE, PhD, IS DEPUTY EDITOR, (DAILY).

✔️YOUNG TOKE ALEX IBRU, UNTIL NOW AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WILL NOW LEAD THE MANAGEMENT TEAM…

✔️AFTER MARCH 2024, I WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE ON THE EDITORIALBOARD.
IT IS A PLANNED, PEACEFUL TRANSITION

✔️THE PUBLISHER DESCRIBED MY RETIREMENT AS “WELL DESERVED” AFTER “UNBLEMISHED RECORD OF SERVICE”

✔️I WILL CONTINUE TO WRITE MY “INSIDE STUFF COLUMN” ON SUNDAY

✔️IN THE MAIN, I BEGAN AS A NEWSPAPER MANAGER 36 YEARS AGO AS LAGOS BUREAU CHIEF OF ABUJA’S PREMIER NEWSPAPER, “ABUJA NEWSDAY;

✔️TWO YEARS AFTER, 1990, I BECAME EDITOR OF THE NEWSPAPER, “ABUJA NEWSDAY ”-34 YEARS AGO.

✔️THEREAFTER, I WAS PART OF THE PIONEER EDITORS OF “THE SOURCE” (NEWSMAGAZINE) FOUNDED BY LADY COMFORT OBI (FNGE) IN 1997.

✔️IN THE MAIN, TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!