Adeola Akinremi (born 26 March) is a Nigerian-American journalist, entrepreneur, columnist, policy advisor and International development professional who currently serves as a consultant for the World Bank Group. He served as a U.S correspondent, editor and columnist at This Day newspaper.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Akinremi is well known for his courage in journalism. On 16 September 2016, he broke a plagiarism story,[7][8][9] in which Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari copied from President Barack Obama and passing it off as if it was his own.[10][11][12]

Adeola Akinremi
Adeola Akinremi in portrait in 2023
Born26 March
NationalityNigerian
EducationJohns Hopkins University
OccupationJournalist • Entrepreneur • Development Policy Analyst
Known forExposing the Muhammadu Buhari's plagiarism scandal
Notable workThisday Newspaper
Websitewww.adeolaakinremi.com

In an article he penned for Thisday newspaper, Akinremi exposed the former Nigerian leader for plagiarizing President Barack Obama’s 2008 victory speech on a day he launched an ethical rebirth campaign for his country—Change begins with me.[13][14][15][16][17] The scandal led to a global outrage and apology made by former President Buhari who angrily fired the aide who penned the speech.[18][19][20][21][22]

Education

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Akinremi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from the Lagos State University. He received his Master's degree in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies[23] and additional Master's degree in Project Development and Implementation from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. He graduated from journalism school in 1999.[24]

Professional career

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After graduation from journalism school in 1999, Akinremi began his practice as a cub reporter with the defunct The Week Magazine in Lagos, Nigeria. His entrance into journalism practice was preceded by his active engagement in civil rights movement and campaign for democratic governance in Nigeria. He was a member of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights[25]

Akinremi has written journalism pieces on technologies and global economy, including some major reports on the governance of AI technology and how artificially intelligent communication technologies affect human agency in relation to professional discretion and ethical judgement. He wrote on the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, terrorism in the Sahel and the dynamics of poverty in Nigeria among other national and global development issues.

He wrote news pieces on the administration of America’s first black President Barack Obama. In 2014, the U.S Department of State recognized him as a leader in his career and inducted him into its premier professional exchange program, the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP). Through a short-term visit to five battleground states, including Georgia and Kentucky, he reported the U.S mid-term election. He has subsequently covered other elections, including the 2016 consequential presidential election for Thisday newspaper.[26] He's a columnist at Thisday and The Cable.[27][28]

In International development, he has worked on digital infrastructure, global energy, climate change, food security, global health, and poverty reduction initiatives while working for the World Bank Group, Environmental Rights Action and Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) out of Geneva, Switzerland and across multiple countries.[29] He utilized his professional expertise in external relations and partnerships building to create alliances and mobilized the civil society groups and government leaders in Africa to work together for the ratification and implementation campaign of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) - one of the most quickly ratified treaties in United Nations history - when he provided leadership for the overall strategy of the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) in Africa.[30]

Akinremi is known to be closer to the Nigerian banker and billionaire, Tony Elumelu, and has written extensively about his life, wealth, philosophy and philanthropy.[31][32][33][34]

Awards and recognitions

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  • 2014: Nigeria Media Merit Awards, (NMMA), "Newspaper Reporter of the Year"[35][36][37]
  • 2006: Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA), "Features Writer of the Year"[38]
  • 2006: Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME), "Health Reporter of the Year[39]
  • 2008: The Future Awards, Nigeria, "Nominated for Best Use of Advocacy"[40]
  • 2004: Inaugural Winner, Nigeria Youth Leadership Awards by LEAP Africa.[41]

References

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  1. ^ "Nigerian president rips off famous Obama speech". WGBA NBC 26 in Green Bay. 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  2. ^ Reed, Chris (2017-01-26). "The world's view of Trump's worldview". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  3. ^ "The Trump Era Begins". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  4. ^ "Pelosi's Path to Power". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  5. ^ "Nigeria's president apologizes for plagiarizing Obama speech". NBC News. 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  6. ^ "Tapping Toyin Umesiri, Others for Africa Reputation Building in United States". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  7. ^ "Buhari's plagiarized Speech in "Change Begins with Me"". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  8. ^ "Nigeria's President Buhari in fresh plagiarism scandal of Obama's speech". premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  9. ^ Ojoye, Taiwo (2016-09-25). "Plagiarism: An inherent albatross in political speech writing". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  10. ^ "Nigeria's President Apologizes for Plagiarizing Obama Speech". Yahoo News. 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  11. ^ "President apologizes for plagiarizing Obama". Washington Post. 2016-09-17.
  12. ^ "Nigerian President apologises for plagiarising Obama speech". The Hindu. 2016-09-17. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  13. ^ "Buhari, 'Change Begins With Me' campaign in plagiarism scandal". Punch Newspapers. 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  14. ^ "Nigerian president rips off famous Obama speech". FOX 4 News Fort Myers WFTX. 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  15. ^ "Buhari Accused Of Plagiarism In His 'Change Begins With Me' Speech". The ICIR- Latest News, Politics, Governance, Elections, Investigation, Factcheck, Covid-19. 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  16. ^ "Plagiarism of Obama's Speech: Presidency to expel deputy director from Aso Rock". premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  17. ^ "Thanks, Buhari, But…". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  18. ^ "Nigerian president apologizes for plagiarizing Obama in speech". The Guardian. Associated Press. 2016-09-17. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  19. ^ "Nigeria president blames aide for plagiarising Obama". BBC News. 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  20. ^ Kazeem, Yomi (2016-09-17). "Nigeria's president will punish staff for plagiarizing an Obama speech from 2008". Quartz. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  21. ^ "Nigeria's Buhari admits to plagiarizing line from Obama speech". Reuters. 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  22. ^ "Nigeria's president just plagiarised one of Obama's most famous speeches". The Independent. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  23. ^ Oviedo de Valeria, Jenny (1994-08-02). "Problemas multiplicativos tipo transformación lineal: tareas de compra y venta". Educación matemática. 6 (2): 73–86. doi:10.24844/em0602.06. ISSN 2448-8089. S2CID 256222263.
  24. ^ "Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos State". 2023-05-23. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  25. ^ "Committee For The Defence Of Human Rights Marks Its 30th Anniversary | Sahara Reporters". saharareporters.com. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  26. ^ "In Rocky US Presidential Election, Clinton, Trump Fight for North Carolina Votes". This Day. Retrieved 2023-07-04 – via PressReader.
  27. ^ "Population surge, more poor people: Africa leaders have one option, it's to rev-up health care financing". TheCable. 2017-08-04. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  28. ^ "What does the rise of unemployed Nigerians mean?". TheCable. 2020-08-18. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  29. ^ dan (2010-06-16). "Dr Patrick Musavuli – FCA AFRO regional coordinator". Framework Convention Alliance. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  30. ^ dan (2010-06-16). "Dr Patrick Musavuli – FCA AFRO regional coordinator". Framework Convention Alliance. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  31. ^ "Inside Elumelu's Journey for Africa". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  32. ^ Praise, Joshua (2015-03-01). "Builders of the Black Continent". The Tony Elumelu Foundation. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  33. ^ "Chasing Elumelu: On the Road with Big-hearted Billionaire". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  34. ^ "Elumelu's Public Good Package". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  35. ^ Yishau, Olukorede (2014-11-10). "The Nation wins eight awards at NMMA". thenationonlineng.net. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  36. ^ Ezeobi, Chiemelie (2014-11-10). "THISDAY Editor Named Newspaper Reporter of the Year". allafrica.com. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  37. ^ "Stakeholders canvass professional excellence, ethical practices at media award". The Guardian Nigeria News. 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  38. ^ "NMMA-Nigeria Media Merit Award LBG". nmma-ng.org. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  39. ^ "THE 15th DAME HALL OF FAME – DAME Awards". Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  40. ^ ""The Future Awards . . ." 2008!". Ladybrille Magazine. 2007-12-22. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  41. ^ "LEAP Africa Rewards Social Innovators". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.