I Have Fulfilled All My Childhood Dreams – Biodun Kupoluyi
Biodun Kupoluyi is the publisher of the entertainment magazine,e E247. Before his sojourn into the world of publishing, he had been a top entertainment journalist and an editor. He has worked with media houses like Punch and Daily Independent. He is regarded as one of the authoritative voices in the entertainment sector in the country. Today, his magazine is one of the few respected entertainment publications in the country. He had a chat with Hazeez Balogun recently.
What is E247 magazine? What exactly is it all about?
It is a magazine designed to cover the entertainment industry in Nigeria, not forgetting the people in the industry, the issues and of course the lifestyle of entertainers, in Nigeria, Africa and beyond. It is strictly for show business and of course, on one or two occasions, we try to take a look on issues that are generating buzz in Nigerian politics and other beats.
Do you think an entertainment magazine is needed right now?
It’s a very viable business with a lot of contents. The industry is buzzing with a lot of youth participation. There’s a lot of youth participation, there’s a lot of interest from advertisers who have also invested in the industry. The youth are the faces of most brands out there. A good example is what Glo ambassadorship. Also see Vitafoam signing on the likes of Funke Akindele. There’s a lot you can do, you can see the pace at which entertainment magazines, entertainment blogs, entertainment televisions are rising. These are pointing to the fact that there’s an industry that needs to be covered and reported. The bulk of the Nigerian youth now want to do something in the entertainment industry. It might not necessarily be as an act, but support, giving services. So, there’s a lot, in the entertainment industry and it’s a viable magazine, a viable platform.
Biodun Kupoluyi, Publisher of E247 Magazine
When you were growing up, was that something you wanted to do, cover entertainment?
I think I wanted to be an actor. I wanted to be a singer and those childhood dreams I fulfilled. Reasonably, I started with a music club or band. We had a band in school with a group of my friends way back in Ibadan City Academy. I think I’ve had the opportunity to play alongside the likes Akin Louis, Ayo Oludaju and Yomi Layinka. I also liked writing. I loved reading and Dele Giwa’s works. I love the fame that came with his name and the quality of what he was writing. In Concord in those days, I used to enjoy his column and but I never wanted to be like him. I never wanted to be an issue-related journalist. What really influenced me as well were foreign magazines. I used to go to Kingsway to buy Ebony magazine. I would cut out the picture of Micheal Jackson and place it on the wall in my house. I always liked to know more about the lifestyle of celebrities.
When did you start writing?
While in the University, I worked with a campus magazine called The Pen. I ended up editing the paper. I was even a member of the Nigerian Union of Campus journalists. At a point in time I became the Vice-President of the union. It was in the university I honed my skill as a journalist and I knew that I would not go ahead with acting or singing but writing.
After school what was the first job you did?
Barely two weeks after my service, I got a job in Punch. I had written an application for the job, and I was called just after I finished school. That was the only job application I wrote in my life. The editor then, Mr Bola Kolawole and I had some interactions with him while I was still in school. He asked me to come down, and I took the preliminary test. I did not become a journalist immediately, I was first posted to the production department as a proof reader. Then Mr. Remi Ibitola gave me the opportunity of my life to start the arts and life page with the support of Mrs. Egbemode.
Punch was more of a political paper at that time, it must have been hard getting a good position for entertainment at that time.
If I had been too ambitious in Punch, I would not have been an entertainment writer. Immediately I showed skills and interest in entertainment writing, it was recognised and they decided to give me a chance.
You had some problems while at punch with Pastor Adeboye’s wife, what was it all about?
That was when I was barely few weeks into my marriage that I had a problem with Pastor Adeboye’s wife. There was a particular story I did on her and before you know it, the lawyer sent a letter to the office. I had never had such in my life before so I was a bit unsettled at the time. Eventually, we wrre able to settle the issue. But it was a moment when the management were not happy but stood by me. It was a tough time.
So what happened after Punch?
It was then the idea of E247 started forming. I and my very good friend Tosin Ajirere were perfecting our plans for E247, we even went for a retreat to have a proper understanding of what we wanted to do. That was the time I got a call from Mrs Egbemode, that the management of Daily Independent wants me to come on board as a line-editor. It was a tempting offer and I had to tell Ajirere who said I should give it a try. Also at that time, it was clear that we would have some financial problems when we started off the magazine at that time. We just did not have the funding and we were planning to just give it our all.
Eventually I found myself in Daily Independent Newspaper, and it was a very lovely family back then. As you know, there were a lot of former Punch staff there at the time so it was like coming back to my family. My stay there did not last long, but I enjoyed every bit of it.
Was there any bad blood before you left?
There was nothing like that. I know how to manage people, and how to handle myself in situations. No one can hurt me as I do not hurt people. I recognise what you need and I will give it to you. If I cannot give it to you, I will leave. I never had any issue at daily Independent in anyway. It’s just that after I was there for a while, I was head-hunted by Dove Media and was asked to be the company’s corporate and communications manager. That was why I left.
Setting up a media house must have been difficult at first
It is never easy. I was driven more by my passion to publish what I wanted to. I saw a gap and I took the chance. I saw that the industry is under-reported and a new publication needs to be in place to cover all bases. Even before we started, I wrote about 20 headlines or topics that I wanted us to write about. That was to give the reporters the sense of the kind of stories we will be publishing. In fact the passion has always been there and that is why I had to leave Dove Media to start off E247.
We did not have a lot of money, and we had a small staff base then but a very effective one. I was able to talk to a few friends and a long time brother, Tope Ajayi. I also had help from the likes of Bisoye Fagade who had interest in it from the onset. Of course, money can never be enough. Just two editions into the project, all the funds fizzled out. We had to step up our marketing drive to get sponsors and advertisers. It is still not where we want to, but it has been a pleasant experience all the way. The difficulties keep propelling me. Over six years now and still running, it has not been easy.
How is the paper doing today?
You know yourself, we are everywhere. In 2009 when we came out, we started off as a glossy magazine of over 70 pages. Even Ebony wouldn’t have done better. We did nine edition of the glossy print before we stopped the format. I had a rare privilege to have the patronage of LG company. They subscribed heavily to our magazine and all we had to do was drop them off at their office and they will distribute to their branches. That helped with millage and visibility. Glo and other telecoms company were also very supportive including the banks.
You are a veteran entertainment journalist, are there times you get fraustrated when your reporters do not grasp your style or dream for the paper?
It happens. I am still a reporter myself. At every point in time I am sniffing for news. I do not wear the toga of a publisher. To me, that is just a title. I am still very much a reporter. I want to go to where the events are happening. I take passion in taking photographs at events, I don’t care who is looking at me. All I know is that I am having fun and it is paying my bill. I always tell my reporters, you need to be on top of your game and the only person to benefit from doing a good job is yourself.
Let me tell you something, I can never forget what I learnt in Punch. The only thing that I did not do in punch was to operate the printing machine. I follow my copy to the graphic artiste. In fact I tell the graphic artiste how I want the design. It is these things that are helping me as a publisher today. No one can tell me anything about a newspaper from reporting to printing that I do not know of, and that is because of the training I got from Punch.
You are an authority in reporting entertainment, many entertainers respect you, do dread the day you may get it wrong?
I am not scared. The only reason I have confidence is that I have my facts, my incontrovertible fact. I am someone who makes sure I get all sides of the story. When I am in doubt, I leave out. I think it is more of respect when people talk about how I will tell the story and not fear. I do not threaten anybody or intimidate anybody. But if I have an authentic story, know that we will break it without fear or favour. It is all about the brand that we built, and the brand is based on truth.
Everything you read in E247 is authentic and people have identified with that. I can tell you that we have one record which I believe no other publication has broken. Since we started, we never had any issue of litigation. Nobody has taken us to court for writing falsehood. I am never in a hurry, and I tell my team that they should not be in a hurry to break a story without checking all the fact and reaching everyone involved. I tell them not to be the first to write a false story, its better to be the second to write a true story’.
Your publication is coming at a time when Print media is not doing as well as it used to, does that scare you?
No, not at all. In fact, I knew it would come to this. I saw it coming and we have prepared for the future. We have a large online presence as well. Our website is one of the highly rated in the country. In fact the popularity of the site also boosts the sale of the printed copy. Good as well, the online platform is also generating income on it’s own. I wish it never happened because I was trained by the traditional media but in life, we all have to adapt to changes.
What is the future for E247?
We are going on Tv, that is the next step. But it is a plan that I do not want to overwhelm me. I am taking my time to perfect it. We also plan to go on radio. We hope people love them the way they love our magazine.
How supportive is your family in all these?
I have a very supportive family. I have a lovely wife who loves what I do. In fact my wife calls me ‘publisher’. I must confess that to thrive in publishing one has to have a formidable backbone, and my backbone is my wife and kids.
You are back to acting as well, you have been spotted in some movies
Well, I did not say I still do not have interest in acting. Some producers just called me up to feature and I showed up. I’m not planning to be the next Ramsey Nouah, but I think I have the knack. I took part in some movies recently, one is a Kunle Afolayan’s movie, then a Tunde Kelani’s movie. Yemi Ibitola’s also featured me in ‘Owoeje’. So, all these my childhood dreams I fulfilled.
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