Interview with Ogunniyi Abayomi: Freelance Writer and Journalist

Ogunniyi reached out to me on Instagram after I had a live Instagram session with another writer. We got to talking, and I asked him to take part in my interview series. I am very passionate about my Nigerian roots that is why I make it a point to feature Nigerian writers who are making a name for themselves in the writing space. So sit back, relax and enjoy the interview.

Tell me about yourself   

I was born in Lagos, Nigeria and earned my Bachelor degree in Mass Communication from Babcock University in Ogun State. While I was a student, I completed internships at several media houses which helped me to build my writing skills. 

Besides writing, I love reading books, listening to music and digging for facts. I also love sports and mediating.

How did you get into writing?  

I decided to become a non-fiction writer and put my background in journalism to good use. 

When I was a student, I worked in a newsroom at a television station. It was there that I learned about my love for writing.
After graduating, I decided to become a freelance writer. I started writing poems and published them on Facebook. My poems were published in several literary journals across Nigeria and beyond.

I enjoyed the success that came with publishing my poems, but I realised I could diversify, writing in long-form rather than stanzas. I decided to become a non-fiction writer and put my background in journalism to good use. 

For the last 6-10 years, I have enjoyed being published in several magazines and journals.  Even though I have had a lot of success, I still learn from other great writers.

What makes you passionate about politics in Nigeria?   

I am more passionate about fundamental human rights and liberalism than supporting passive politics that deprives people of their benefits as citizens. 

Politics in Nigeria is exceptionally obtuse; we tend to drive around the same issue without generating solutions to the problem.  In Nigeria, it is sad that we have placed much more priority on selfish interests rather than laying a principle or policy beneficial to the masses.

I am more passionate about fundamental human rights and liberalism than supporting passive politics that deprives people of their benefits as citizens. 

What other topics do you like to write about? 

I like to write about topics that affect people, society, and things worldwide.  

I also enjoy writing opinion-based articles and essays about religion. For example, I recently published an opinion peice about the definition of pure religion from a christian’s perspective.   

On days you don’t feel like writing – what drives your motivation?  

I believe that as a writer; you are a custodian of truth; the voice that should expose unseen intricacies of life – telling it how it is without adding to it. Therefore, I think getting the truth out motivates me to write. 

As a writer you are the custodian of truth; the voice that should expose unseen intricacies of life.

Your work has been published on a range of writing platforms and websites. Which writing platform would you advise new writers to use?

For new emerging writers, I will advise you to start with Substack and Medium. They will help you build your writing community and place your content to the right audience. 

In 2019, the Nigerian anti-social media bill threatened freedom of expression and speech. How did this affect journalists, and what is the update right now?  

Before the anti-social media bill gained prominence, Nigeria already had a history of arresting journalists for expressing their opinions.

The Anti-Social bill was a process that Nigeria borrowed from Egypt. It meant that journalists were arrested for speaking against the government on different social media platforms and channels. 

Social media censorship has caused many journalists to be jailed in Egypt because they criticised the ideologies of Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, the Egyptian President.

Before the anti-social media bill gained prominence, Nigeria already had a history of arresting journalists for expressing their opinions.

Journalists were aware of this, and they countered against the Federal Government. 

Lastly, the EndSars protest in Nigeria gained prominence from social media before becoming a reality despite having a myopic system. So I will say that that bill never stood its ground and will not stand. 

Ogunniyi can be found on Instagram at @_sandrotobayo and on Twitter at @sandrobayo. His published articles can be found at:  https://muckrack.com/ogunniyi-abayomi.