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BOOK REVIEW: The POWER of an EDITOR, Written by Charles Kalu
A new book by Charles Kalu, a brilliant broadcast journalist, reinforces the larger-than-life figure of an editor in a newsroom
Before the internet age, an editor in the traditional media had the power of “life and death” over a copy and even the writer in a newsroom. Editors of those years exercised enormous powers, as a matter of fact. They also wielded great influence; a fact that still remains indisputable. The reality today may have placed a limitation on the powers of an editor but the fact remains that an editor still wields a significant amount of power anywhere and everywhere. This is exactly what The POWER of an EDITOR, an instructional and educational hand book for media practitioners and students by Charles Kalu, establishes.
Kalu is a fieldman and one of the liveliest journalists I know. He is perceptive, warm, up-to-date, adventurous, vivacious, eloquent, unafraid but also ready to learn.
In The POWER of an EDITOR, Kalu, a dutiful journalist with investigative skills, shares his experiences, both inside and outside of the newsroom with his readers. He opens every chapter with a powerful and fitting quote that enlivens and sets the stage for an interesting reading engagement. He also sheds light in a creative way, on the important roles of an editor, the responsibilities of other newsroom staff, a typical newsroom with its busy ambiance, time management especially in critical moments and synergy in news production and presentation. But the icing on the cake for a perceptive reader is Insights From The Masters, one of the concluding chapters in the book. Here, Kalu shares his encounters with top broadcasters, men well-known for their distinguished careers like Ben Egbuna, Femi Sowoolu, Citizen Jones Usen, Phil Ushie, Tokunbo Ojekunle, Patrick Oke and Dele Adetiba. However, there are also other riveting stories and accounts of broadcasting, its practice and the challenges editors and behind-the-scenes players in the newsroom, face. They include: What Is The Role of The Editor Or News Manager? The News Manager As A Leader, The News Manager As The Eye Of The Newsroom, The News Manager As Coach, The News Manager As Supervisor, Broadcast News Production Made Easy, Making Broadcast News Easy For The ‘Now Age’ and Giving The Newsroom Relevance Every Day”. There are also other lively chapters like Dealing With Selection Of Stories In The Newsroom, Making A Case For ‘Breaking News’, Vox Pop (Voice Of The People), The String Holding: The Newsroom And The Presenter, Understanding The News Reader’s Flow and Quick Nuggets About Dos and Don’ts In Broadcasting.
It is important to note that the author believes that his book is relevant and timely, regardless of the changing media landscape; and he says that much. “My book is an instructional manual that is meant to help editors, news producers and reporters to deliver the best bulletins each day. The POWER of an EDITOR also serves as continuous learning manual that reminds us of the little mistakes we make in the newsroom. As a product of different traditions, both new and old, I think I have a duty to share my experiences as a newsman at a public radio where it all began, and in my later years at private radio stations.”
Kalu’s final verdict, which is also in consonance with the views of some journalism trainers and journalists, (both in the electronic and print media), is that an editor is a strong man or woman known for remarkable feats in the newsroom. The editor, as a media man or woman spots where thinking is defective or flawed. He or she also discovers where an important detail has been left out. The editor is called the newsroom boss and the last man standing because he or she knows when an inappropriate material is in a script or copy. And this influential person in the newsroom supervises news copies, allocates space or time slot for interviews and decides stories for every day. In this book, Kalu reinforces these onerous duties of an editor and points the way forward for professionalism.
But this remarkable work on an editor’s power is not without failings. One of the visible flaws in The POWER of an EDITOR is the absence of any form of active illustration, organizational chat or pictures. The presence of any of these, would have made reading clearer and more attractive. And the book does not also have the best layout. But since the drawbacks are all matters of aesthetics, they do not in any way, affect the book’s power and purpose. So, this is a perfect book for practitioners, teachers, students and anyone interested in mass communication.
Kalu who trained as an actor and became a broadcaster by providence, has done remarkably well in the field of broadcasting. His journey as a radio ‘boy’ started at Federal Radion Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Lagos during his undergraduate days. He later joined Silverbird Communications, owners of Rhythm 93.7FM as Deputy Head of News. He eventually became the first Head of Bureau of Silverbird group in the entire Niger Delta and River’s State where he was appointed the organization’s first Station Manager and Head of News. Kalu also held different positions at Silverbird Communications, both in Lagos and Abuja.
He is an alumnus of University of Jos, University of Lagos, the US State Department of the International Leadership Exchange Programme and School of Media and Communications, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos. This broadcast journalist who is the Social and Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors is currently the Director of News, Access 24 News Network (Radio and Television).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after concluding a successful state visit to Türkiye, where he held high-level talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and signed multiple bilateral agreements.
The President arrived in Abuja on Saturday evening, January 31, 2026, around 8:30–8:55 p.m. local time, following his departure from Türkiye.
Tinubu departed Abuja on Monday, January 26, 2026, for the state visit to Ankara, Türkiye’s capital.
The trip focused on strengthening Nigeria-Türkiye relations in areas including trade, defense, security, energy, education, media, and technical cooperation.
Key highlights included the signing of nine Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), aimed at boosting economic ties, defense collaboration (including potential training for Nigerian Special Forces), and a targeted increase in bilateral trade volume. Both leaders described the engagements as ushering in a “new era” of strategic partnership.
The visit drew public attention, including an incident during the official welcome ceremony in Ankara where President Tinubu briefly stumbled but continued without issue, with aides confirming he was in good health.
Upon his return, focus now shifts to implementing the signed agreements, including the activation of joint committees on trade and other sectors.
The Presidency has emphasized the visit’s role in advancing Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic interests on the global stage.
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Exactly sixty years after his tragic assassination during Nigeria’s first military coup, the legacy of Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola former Premier of the Western Region and the 13th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland continues to resonate as “the thunder of history,” a powerful symbol of courage, pragmatism, and unyielding leadership.
On January 15, 2026, marking the 60th remembrance of Akintola’s death on January 15, 1966, tributes poured in from across Nigeria, with events held in Ibadan and Ogbomosho emphasizing his enduring impact on the nation’s political evolution.
Chief Akintola, born on July 6, 1910, in Ogbomosho, was a multifaceted figure: lawyer, journalist, orator, nationalist, Baptist lay preacher, and conservative Yoruba leader who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the founding fathers of modern Nigeria.
Akintola served as Premier of the Western Region from October 1960 until his assassination in the January 15, 1966 coup that ended the First Republic. His tenure was marked by intense political rivalries, particularly his fallout with Chief Obafemi Awolowo over ideological differences Akintola’s pragmatic, business-oriented approach clashed with Awolowo’s democratic socialism.
The crisis led to a state of emergency in the region, Akintola’s brief removal and restoration to power, and the formation of the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) in alliance with the Northern People’s Congress.
Despite controversies surrounding the 1965 elections, which many historians cite as a catalyst for the coup, supporters portray Akintola as a realist who prioritized regional development, infrastructure, and confronting realities head-on rather than ideological purity.
“He believed that leadership must confront reality as it is, not as it ought to be,” noted commentators during the remembrance.
The Samuel Ladoke Akintola Memorial Foundation organized commemorative activities, providing a platform to honor his contributions and re-examine his role in Nigeria’s political history.
Prominent voices, including former Information Minister Sunday Dare, described the gathering in Ibadan as one of gratitude rather than mourning: “Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola did not live too long but he lived well and looms large. He did not die in silence he entered eternity in the thunder of history.
“Born into a family of traders and warriors, Akintola’s early life included education in Minna and Ogbomosho, teaching at Baptist institutions, and further studies in public administration and law in England. He returned to Nigeria in 1950, serving in various federal roles before becoming deputy leader of the Action Group and eventually Premier.
His assassination at age 55 in Ibadan remains a pivotal moment in Nigerian history, symbolizing the fragility of the young republic. Today, as Nigeria grapples with contemporary leadership challenges, reflections on Akintola’s life highlight lessons in pragmatism, sacrifice, and the burdens of power.
Stakeholders continue to call for the preservation of his legacy, including calls to restore his once-grand residence, now in disrepair, as a historical site.
Sixty years on, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola remains a towering, if complex, figure whose thunder still echoes through Nigeria’s political landscape.
News
Benue Governor Alia begins massive road reconstruction in Gboko and environs
Engineer Tivfa Wombo, Director of Civil Engineering in the Ministry of Works, detailed the extensive works during the event, highlighting the strategic importance of these roads in connecting critical areas within Gboko township and beyond.
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has officially flagged off the ambitious reconstruction and dualization of 55.09 kilometres of major road networks in Gboko and its surrounding areas, in a move aimed at transforming infrastructure and boosting economic activities in the state.
The groundbreaking ceremony, held at Lubona Junction in Gboko Local Government Area on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, marks a significant step in the administration’s commitment to quality road infrastructure.
The project, valued at N62.135 billion according to the Benue State Ministry of Works, is targeted for completion within five months.
Governor Alia, while performing the flag-off, emphasized his administration’s focus on deliberate development, stating that the initiative will ease traffic congestion, enhance urban mobility, stimulate commerce, create employment opportunities, and improve the overall quality of life for residents of Gboko and environs.
The scope of the project includes the reconstruction and dualization of several key roads, such as:
– Yandev Roundabout to Lubona Junction
– Captain Dawns Road
– Tor Tiv Roundabout to Lessel Road- J.S. Tarka to Mkar Roundabout (as a dual carriageway)
– Tor Tiv Roundabout (Gondo Aluor) to Mkar and Ameladu Road- NKST Anzua Link Road
– Bristow Roundabout to Tor Tiv Palace (Akaahar Adi) Road
Engineer Tivfa Wombo, Director of Civil Engineering in the Ministry of Works, detailed the extensive works during the event, highlighting the strategic importance of these roads in connecting critical areas within Gboko township and beyond.
The governor expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support, underscoring the collaborative efforts between the state and federal government in driving infrastructure development. Benue State APC Chairman, Chief Titus Zam, also commended the governor for the project, describing it as part of a broader agenda to open up the state through quality infrastructure.
This Gboko road network initiative is noted as the second-longest single road project in the state, following ongoing works on a 57-kilometre network in the Benue South Senatorial District, including the Awajir–Oju road.
Stakeholders and residents have welcomed the development as a timely intervention to address long-standing road challenges in one of Benue’s major commercial hubs, with expectations high for timely delivery and lasting impact on local economies and daily commuting.
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