Everyone who used to watch AIT back in those days before several other private stations sprung up to compete for space in the broadcast media will certainly know one of the prettiest faces on screen at the time. Her name is Seun Olagunju. She remains one of AIT’S golden generation of news anchors. She was such a delight to watch. Her glittering eyes, adorable smile and often gorgeous outfits always endeared viewers to her. You just cannot help but love Seun Olagunju. After a 13 year stint with AIT, followed by another spell at NTA, she veered into pubblic relations and has been flourishing on the job. But she remains one of the best broadcasters to come from this part of the globe.
Penultimate week, the elegant looking Seun Olagunju who does not look anything like a mother of grown kids, with one already married, was honoured with a Recognition Award by City People. This was for her contributions to the media and public relations sector. She spoke with City People’s Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290). Enjoy the conversation.
Can you share with us your thoughts right now on the recognition award you just received from City People?
I am really happy, naturally, because everybody would like to be recognised in whatever they do. So, of course, I feel very happy. I feel very honoured. City People has always been honouring me, this is not my first award from City People. I’m very happy that they still found me worthy after all these years, I am truly grateful.
What has been your staying power? You have been off the screen for a while now, yet you have been able to stay relevant even now that you’re into PR. Share with us your staying power?
I always tell people, especially the upcoming ones that, whatever you do, just give your best.. You never can tell who’s watching. I didn’t plan to go into Public Relations, but from giving my best to broadcasting, I was head hunted to come into Public Relations. And I told myself that nobody was born into public relations per se, we all learn it, and besides, the two are related fields, I mean Broadcasting and Public Relations. Being a Communications person was even part of what I learnt in school. So I told myself this is the time to practice public relations. This is the time to learn! And I’m still learning.
How many years would you say you have put into broadcasting?
Oh, that would be about thirty years because I started with BCOS In 1994.
Looking back, how many years did you spend at AIT and what was the experience like for you?
I spent about 13 years at AIT. And they were memorable years for me. I learnt a lot while I was there and the experiences I garnered at AIT all prepared me for the opportunities I got after I left AIT. It was good.
Your experience basically as a PR person, which is what you do now, how has that been?
Oh, its been nice. It’s been great. Like I said, it’s similar to broadcasting. It is like informing people, but this time, you’re informing people about a particular product or service. So, Media is general information, but this time around, you have to narrow it down to what you’re trying to sell to the people. So, its similar but more challenging because in public relations, you have to convince people. Fortunately for me, I have not had problems in that regard because I have been given good products, in quote, to sell.
Okay, lets take you away from broadcasting and PR to fashion. Right from your early days as a broadcaster, once people see you on the screen, they fall in love with the look, with your charisma and fashion sense. How have you been able to maintain all of these because even now, years after you left broadcasting, you always look gorgeous each time you step out?
Thank you very much. I think it’s innate. I have been asked this question a few times before and I always say that my late mum was instrumental to my being fashionable. She was also a very fashionable person and I subconsciously imbibed that from her, that’s why I said it’s innate. I find it easy to just dress up and look good anytime I’m going out.
What would you say is your most comfortable look?
I think I’m comfortable in anything, from Casuals to Formal to Native, I’m comfortable in anything as long as its something that will make me look decent, I’m comfortable in anything.
What do you miss the most about broadcasting?
I can’t say I’m completely off broadcasting, because I’m not retired yet, so you never can tell whether I will be back in it. And where I’ve worked in public relations, we’ve also had television programmes where I’ve appeared on once in a while, so, that’s why I can’t completely say I’ve left broadcasting.
But I’m sure you will agree that it still cannot be like when you were fully in it. But there must be a part of it that you really, really miss…
I think it’s the newsroom. If you’re a news person, you’ll miss the newsroom if you leave. You know, there is this camraderie in the newsroom that you can’t find anywhere else. You will fight when you want to get things done and moments later, everybody is clinking glasses, we are all backslapping and all that. So, yeah, I really miss the newsroom.
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