Veteran encourages colleagues to go beyond news reporting

A veteran journalist and poet, Mr Akeem Lasisi, has called on journalists to write books to enable a large number of people to benefit from their knowledge.

“It shouldn’t be about covering events. The news reporting that we do every day largely flows with the wind.

“Where were the stories you and I wrote five years ago or six years ago.

“You can only find them in one archive or library somewhere people don’t get to talk about them again,’’ Lasisi said in Lagos at a launch of a book he co-authored.

Lasisi, a poet for more than 25 years, said that some journalists developed ideas that could form books, but did not produce books out of them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the book is entitled “Phenomenal Lagos: 50 Iconic Places in the Centre of Excellence’’.

Lasisi, an Assistant Editor with Punch newspapers wrote the book together with Mr Kabir Garba, an Assistant Editor with the Guardian newspaper.

The book is about tourism and arts in Lagos State.

It has to do with iconic places that made Lagos stand out.

Lasisi, a two-time winner of the Association of Nigeria Authors’ Poetry Prize, covers arts and culture for the Punch.

“We did not allow our own idea of `phenomenal Lagos to die.

“We wanted it to be part of `Lagos @ 50’, but there was funding challenge.

“We were not deterred. We decided to put the profile of each of the places with photographs and an accompanying poem.

“It is about culture and tourism, to identify 50 strong places in Lagos,’’ he said.

Lasisi’s co-author, Garba, also said that journalist should be able to write books because they travelled widely.

“It is good for journalists to think outside the box. Let’s endeavour to leave something behind,’’ he said.

NAN reports that some of the places highlighted in the book are the National Theatre, Eko Hotels, Tinubu Square, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos House, Computer Village, Brazilian Quarters and Lagos Lagoon.

The others include the National Museum, Lagos Central Mosque, Christ Church Cathedral, Marina, the first storey building in Nigeria, Lord Lugard House and Black Heritage Museum in Badagry.

NAN reports that the book has 119 chapters.

Every chapter is accompanied by a poem and photographs of iconic places.

Lasisi graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, while Garba graduated from the University of Ibadan.