1973-2019: The PUNCH’s brief, short, long tenure editors’ list
How long does the tenure of editors of The Punch Newspaper, Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper last?
This question followed the recent forced resignation of the Daily editor of the paper, Martins Ayankola based on the management’s decision on an offensive cartoon illustrating a back-page column in the paper.
The cartoon that illustrated a write-up titled What does Mrs Fatoyinbo know? by Abimbola Adelakun published on July 4 showed a man urinating on a Bible.
For his six years and five months stay in office, Ayankola is indeed the longest-serving editor of any of the three titles of the paper in its 46-year-old history unlike what obtains in some other papers with some editors lasting more than ten years.
While some of the editors of the paper were forced to resign like Ayankola, some were promoted or redeployed and a few left on their own to take up other appointments.
Below is the full list of the past editors of the paper since inception in March 1973.
Name (Daily) Date
Sola Odunfa – – – – – – – – – – 07/05/77 -27/08/80
Tayo Kehinde – – – – – – – – – – 28/08/80 – 12/03/82
Innocent Adiukwu – – – – – – – – – 07/05/82 – 24/08/83
Ade Fagbemi – – – – – – – – – – 25/08/83 – 01/08/84
Nururdeen Balogun – – – – – – – – – 01/10/84 – 23/01/86
Najeem Jimoh – – – – – – – – – – 24/01/86 – 02/05/88
Ademola Osinubi – – – – – – – – – -03/05/88 – 20/10/92
Bola Bolawole – – – – – – – – – – – 21/10/92 – 30/08/94
Tunji Adegboyega – – – – – – – – – 31/08/94 – 05/11/96
Gbemiga Ogunleye – – – – – – – – – – 06/11/96 –31/12/2001
Azubuike Ishiekwene – – – – – – – – – 01/01/02 – 24/10/06
Yusuf Alli – – – – – – – – – – – – – 25/10/06 – 09/12/07
Steve Ayorinde – – – – – – – – – – – 10/12/07 –19/02/10
Joseph Adeyeye – – – – – – – – – – -Feb 2010 –Jan. 2013
Martins Ayankola – – – – – – – – – -Jan 2013 –Jul.2019
Name (Saturday) Date
Ademola Osinubi ————————————–May, 1988- Dec. 1992
Azubuike Ishiekwene ———————————-May, 1996 – Dec. 2001
Kayode Olawuyi—————————————- Jan. 2002 –Oct. 2006
Yusuf Alli ————————————————Oct. 2006 – Oct. 2006
Kayode Idowu ——————————————Oct. 2006 – Dec. 2007
Adeyeye Joseph —————————————-Dec.2007 – Feb. 2010
Vincent Akamode ————————————–Feb.2010 – Aug. 2010
Obafemi Obadare ————————————–Aug. 2010 – Jan. 2013
Emeka Madunagwu———————————— 3, 2013 – Jun. 3, 2013
Bisi Deji Folutile —————————————-June 2013 – July 2019
Name (Sunday) Date
Sam Amuka- Pemu (Managing Editor) ———————–Mar 1973 – Dec. 1973
Ajibade Fashina-Thomas (Ag. Editor)————————-Jan. 1974 – Dec. 1976
Ekundayo Wright ————————————————Jan 1977 – Jun. 1978
Innocent Adikwu————————————————-Aug. 1977 – Dec. 1977
Innocent Adikwu————————————————-May 1981 – Apr. 1982
Tunde Obadina ————————————————–May 1982 – Sep. 1982
Muyiwa Adetiba————————————————–Oct. 1982 – Feb. 1984
Nat Balogun——————————————————-Mar. 1984 – Jun. 1984
Bob Opene (AG. Editor)—————————————–Jul. 1984 – Aug. 1984
Ayo Ositelu——————————————————- Aug1984 – Jun. 1985
Bob Opene——————————————————–Jun 1985 – Oct. 1985
Najeem Jimoh—————————————————-Oct. 1985 – Nov. 1985
Ayo Ositelu ——————————————————-Nov.1985 – Dec. 1986
Ademola Osinubi ————————————————May 1988 – Oct. 1992
Godwin Nzeakah ————————————————-Oct.1992 – Oct. 1995
Tunde Odediran (AG. Editor)———————————–Oct. 1995 – Dec. 1995
Remi Ibitola ——————————————————Dec.1995 – Sep. 1999
Bankole Falade—————————————————Sep. 1999 – Jan. 2002
Dele Adeosun —————————————————-Jan.2002 – Oct. 2006
Kayode Olawuyi————————————————–Oct. 2006 – Feb. 2008
Simon Ekpe——————————————————- Dec.2007 – Nov. 2008
Casmir Igbokwe ————————————————–July 2008 – May 2012
Chaiwo Nwanwko———————————————— May 2012 – Dec. 2013
Toyosi Ogunseye ————————————————-Jan. 2013 – Dec. 2017
Ademola Oni —————————————————– Jan 2017 – July 2019
