Celebrating Olufemi Salako at Another Milestone

On October 8, Otunba Olufemi Salako celebrated another birthday, a milestone that holds significance for those who have followed Nigerian media over the past decade. Salako, Publisher of Triangle News International, has transformed his Nigerian publication into one of the most respected names in investigative journalism, with international headquarters in London.

Five years ago, he started organizing the Face of Africa Leadership Awards in the UK, recognizing Africans who lead communities and institutions across the continent. The 2025 edition, part of Triangle's 10th anniversary celebrations, was held at King's College London's Strand Campus, bringing an African media brand into one of Britain's most prestigious academic spaces.

Looking ahead, the next awards will be held in Oxford in April 2027. What sets Salako's journey apart is his deliberate shift from reporting stories to convening the very people those stories are about. He has directly presented award nominations to traditional rulers, including the Ooni of Ife, allowing him access to rooms that most journalists only observe from the outside.

This transition from chronicler to convener is rare in Nigerian media, where publishers typically remain confined to one side of the story. Salako has created a platform capable of doing both without compromising credibility on either side. His influence now extends beyond individual headlines, as younger journalists point to his career as evidence that a small Nigerian publication can achieve genuine international reach.

As Salako marks this year's birthday, the true measure of his achievement lies not in the awards he has accumulated but in the model he has built: a stage for African excellence and the proper telling of the stories behind it.