David Odey, a respected editor at PMNEWS between 2006 and 2010, is being remembered for his exacting standards and mentorship of young journalists. Paul Dada, a former colleague, recalled how Odey once summoned him back to the office at 4 p.m. after he had left work early, insisting he write a feature on Michael Jackson despite the presence of an entertainment desk. The resulting piece, titled "The Rise and Fall of Wacko Jacko," became a career-defining moment for Dada, who credited Odey with shaping his journalistic discipline.
Odey emphasized precision, accuracy and thorough fact-checking in every story, and routinely assigned responsibilities beyond rank to reporters he believed in. When News Editor Lanre Babalola was on leave, Odey tasked Dada with stepping in, and later guided him into editorial writing—a role that paved the way for Dada's position on the Editorial Board at Hallmark and Business Hallmark. Ahead of the 2007 general elections, Odey assigned Dada and the late Tokunbo Olajide to solo beats, telling them, "I didn't pair both of you with anyone because I know you are the strong ones."
He was known for his minimal instructions, often sending reporters to locations like 10 Jimmy Street, Apapa, with no further details, expecting them to find the story. He made unexpected calls, including one during a church camp on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, ordering Dada to cover a pipeline explosion in Abule Egba. On another Saturday, he directed Dada to Abeokuta to report on a political crisis in the Ogun State chapter of the defunct ANPP, involving Ibikunle Amosun, who later became governor.
Odey demanded excellence while offering no comfort to laziness, yet never raised his voice to enforce it. He assigned high-stakes stories to junior reporters while senior desks sat idle, suggesting he valued ability over hierarchy. His quiet insistence on accuracy shaped careers behind the scenes, not through public acclaim but through relentless standards. Those he pushed into tough assignments now occupy key editorial roles, carrying forward a legacy of rigour without fanfare.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
