15 Years in the Saddle, Fountain Newsbreaker Bounces Back
As Ekiti State marks 30 years, Fountain Newsbreaker celebrates 15 years of telling its stories. The newspaper has therefore been part of Ekiti’s journey for half of the state’s existence. It began as a community newspaper and remains one, even as its online presence has extended its reach beyond the communities where it first found its voice. Its longevity is a reminder that local journalism still matters: it records the concerns, struggles and achievements of people whose stories might otherwise go unheard.
My own journey with Fountain Newsbreaker began as an apprentice, one of several young people the newspaper enrolled at the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), where we trained and graduated as professional, certificated journalists. In the newsroom, we learnt to report, conduct interviews, cover press briefings and build relationships with sources. We also learnt that journalism required more than writing stories. We had to scout for advertisements because advertising revenue helped keep the paper in production.
One memorable assignment involved interviewing a female colleague who alleged that a prominent politician had grabbed her buttocks while she was seeking media patronage. The newspaper published her account, and the edition became one of its highest-selling issues. Publisher Dr. Tai Oguntayo later rewarded me with a bottle of wine for the assignment.
The work did not end when reporters filed their stories. Production nights brought the newsroom together to review and edit copy, sharpen headlines, source photographs, arrange pages and place advertisements. A late story could disrupt the layout, and every detail mattered; there was no room for a gatekeeper’s error. Akogun helped keep the night shift lively with music, drinks and banter, while MTN’s free midnight calls made it easier to reach sources and colleagues.
Over time, I moved from apprentice to reporter, then Bureau Chief for Ekiti South. I became the pioneer Vice Chairman of the Fountain Newsbreaker Chapel of the NUJ in Ekiti and was named Best Journalist during the newspaper’s first year online. I later served as an Academic Tutor at IIJ and now work as the newspaper’s Bureau Chief in the UK.
Fifteen years on, Fountain Newsbreaker is more than a publication; it is part of Ekiti’s public memory, preserving the voices and events that make up the state’s history. The challenges facing community journalism are real, from the economics of print to the speed and disruption of digital media. But the need for accurate reporting, verification and context remains.
As the newspaper celebrates this milestone, its task is to keep serving its communities and documenting Ekiti with care. Ekiti is 30 and Fountain Newsbreaker is 15. Olórun ṣeun. May the departed souls who helped shape this journey share in its joy with the saints. Congratulations to us!
Adeolu Oyebode is Bureau Chief (UK), Fountain Newsbreaker.
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