DONALD K. OJOGO @ A GLANCE
Resilience, determination and courage are three accompanying words that are most dreaded because they breed risks and bruises. Only the focused survive the route of resilience, determination and courage. It is not by accident that the above expression captures the life of MR DONALD KIMIKANBOH OJOGO.
Donald is from a very humble background. He was born into the family of the late retired Primary School Headteacher, Chief Lawrence Awose Ojogo and Mrs Timiebi Ojogo on the 25th of October, 1968 at Arogbo.
Donald, the first child of the family, had his elementary education at the Local Authority Primary School, Arogbo between 1974 and 1980 as well as his secondary education at Ijaw National High School, Arogbo from 1980 to 1985.
Encouraged by his father who placed emphasis on quality education, the young Donald proceeded to the Federal School of Arts and Science, Ondo in 1986 to register and brush up for his O’ level English Language and thereafter, enroll for the Advanced Level Course in the School.
But the young Donald, at 19, took a dramatic decision as soon as he registered for the Advanced Level courses upon successfully passing through the Remedial stage. Midway, he approached his late father and insisted on withdrawing to take up a job to assist the family amid economic hardship. The late Chief Ojogo’s resistance to his son’s proposal was unsuccessful as Donald took up employment at the defunct Ilaje/Ese-Odo Local Government Council as a Clerical Officer. He only showed up with the Appointment Letter against his father’s wish to see him through the full length of the elitist A’ Level programme.
Thus, Donald Ojogo worked as Council Staff between 1988 and 1990 when he gained admission into the University of Lagos, Akoka, for his first degree. While in the University, Donald was at various times, Secretary General of the Students’ Historical Society of Nigeria, UNILAG Chapter; Deputy Speaker, Faculty of Arts Parliament; Secretary General, Faculty of Arts Students’ Association as well as member, UNILAG Students’ Representatives Council.
Donald earned his Bachelors of Arts, History in 1995 and proceeded for the compulsory National Youth Service Corps programme in Okene, Kogi State which he completed in 1996. Donald holds a Masters of Arts Degree in History and Strategic Studies from the same University.
The road to Journalism commenced for Donald when he proceeded to the Guardian Newspaper as Energy Reporter in Lagos in 1996 to 1998. He moved to the defunct Comet Newspaper in 1999 and was Ondo State Correspondent for one year before he was engaged as Media Consultant/Adviser in Ese-Odo Local Government Council under the chairmanship of the late Dr Francis K. Ajih throughout his tenure.
Between 2004 and 2007, Donald was Political Correspondent and Senior Political Correspondent, Daily Independent Newspaper, Lagos. Call to service however, brought him back to Ondo State in 2007 when the late Governor, Dr Olusegun Kokumo Agagu invited him to serve as his Press Secretary up till 2009.
Donald’s return to the Newsroom took him to the Nigerian Tribune where he served variously as South-South Bureau Chief and Regional Editor, (South- South/South East) between 2009 and 2012. In 2013, Daily Independent again, sought his presence in Abuja where he set up the Abuja Political Desk as Political Editor before he joined LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group as Group Politics Editor from August, 2013 to November, 2014. However, the competitive nature of the political coverage of Abuja made the Management of the New Telegraph Newspaper to scout for Donald and engaged him as Associate Editor from 2014 to 2016.
However, upon the appointment of Ministers in the first term of President Muhammadu Buhari, a Consortium of Donor Agencies and Multilateral Bodies; IFAD, World Bank and World Food Programme scouted for Technical Aides for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. The then Hon. Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator(Dr.)Heineken Lokpobiri therefore, engaged Donald as Senior Technical Adviser (Policy Advocacy, Media and Public Affairs).
But the journey back home beckoned on Donald when he was appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff, in the Office of the then Deputy Governor in May 2017. In August, 2017, Donald Ojogo was appointed as Commissioner for Lands & Housing, Ondo State. He resigned his cabinet position in pursuit for service to his people when he contested the 2019 House of Representatives election as candidate of the APC.
Even as he lost that election, Donald Ojogo had faith in the Lord until the benevolence of the God-fearing Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN smiled on him. Donald was recalled to his Cabinet position but he spent less than two months in Lands and Housing as the Governor redeployed him to Information and Orientation in June 2017 where he contributed his modest quota.
Donald Ojogo is a voice, a fearless advocate and fierce fighter of whatever cause he believes in. He put these attributes to test during the second term electioneering period of the Governor and he never failed. No wonder, upon Governor Akeredolu’s victory and subsequent inauguration as governor for another term, Donald was among the first four to be appointed into the Cabinet in March 2021.
To underscore his seriousness for the APC House of Representatives ticket for Ilaje/Ese-odo, Donald Ojogo resigned as Commissioner on April 12, 2022.
He is happily married with children.
He is hereby presented.
