Dr. Reuben Abati
Dr. Reuben Abati is a Nigerian Journalist, Politician, Television Anchor, and Newspaper Columnist. He is also a Senior Research Associate with the Olusegun Obasanjo Centre for Cultural Studies and the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
A widely published author and literary critic with a captivating and engaging presence on screen, Abati presents several public affairs discussion programs on Nigerian television.
Abati has been writing for the Nigerian press since 1985, serving as Contributing Editor, Editor, and Columnist to many publications, covering both the mainstream media and the softer genre of romance and lifestyle magazines.
Abati is renowned for his book reviews, essays and commentaries on national, regional and international affairs. His writings have also appeared in both local and international periodicals and academic journals.
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Abati distinguished himself as a professional in the industry through his expertise, always engaging in clear and effective communication to convey information in an articulate and engaging manner, and always adapting his style to the target audience.
Abati completed a bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts from the University of Calabar where he graduated with a first class honours. He completed a masters degree and a doctorate degree in Dramatic Literature, Theory and Criticism from the University of Ibadan, and a journalism certification at the College of Journalism, University of Maryland, College Park, United States.
Before taking up a career in journalism, Abati was a lecturer in the Department of English, Olabisi Onabanjo University. He has been a member of the Governing Council of the same University since 1999. He was also a member and co-presenter of the television discussion programme, Patito’s Gang, founded by Professor Pat Utomi, and later as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity and Official Spokesperson in the Nigerian Presidency between 2011 and 2015.
Abati still writes his regular two columns in The Guardian newspaper (Fridays and Sundays) and ThisDay newspaper where he writes a Tuesday column titled: TuesdayWithReubenAbati. He is an Anchor with Arise News on the program, “The Morning Show”. He is actively engaged as a consultant on media and public policy issues on his website and social media.
Abati is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, and the Nigerian Guild of Editors. He is also a Hubert H.Humphrey Fellow, a Fellow of the 21st Century Trust, a Fellow of The Nigeria Leadership Initiative, a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, and an Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters.
Some of the awards he has won include The Cecil King Memorial Prize for Print Journalist of the Year, 1998; The Diamond Award for Media Excellence for Informed Commentary, 1998; Fletcher Challenge Commonwealth Prize for Opinion Writing, 2000; and Diamond Award for Media Excellence for Informed Commentary, 2000, Freedom Peace Prize for Journalism (2006), the Hadj Alade Odunewu/Diamond Award for Media Excellence Prize for Informed Commentary (which he has won four times), and The Red Media Africa Living Legends Industry Award (2015).