According to the organising committee, the 2025 edition brings together some of Nigeria’s sharpest and most influential thinkers across music, media, digital culture, and contemporary creative practice. The aim is to examine the evolution, influence, and responsibility of entertainment journalism within Nigeria’s expanding creative economy—an area that the late Adéwálé Olomu helped define through his pioneering work.
A Stellar Panel for a Defining Conversation
The Roundtable will feature an impressive line-up of participants:
- Wunmi Obe – Multi-award-winning singer, songwriter, bandleader, and Executive Director (Business Development & Innovation) at Punch Nigeria Limited.
- Olumide Iyanda – Former entertainment writer at The Punch, past Editor of Saturday Independent, Publisher of QEDng, and Deputy President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.
- The Jide Taiwo – Writer, media executive, cultural strategist, and author of K1 De Ultimate: A Legacy Secured, History Made and other notable works.
- Aralola Olamuyiwa (Ara) – Renowned talking drummer and versatile performer known for her groundbreaking contributions to percussion art.
- Jimi Akinniyi (Jimi the Baldheaded Guy) – Broadcaster, digital content executive at ScreenNolly, and former TV producer at TVC News.
- Deborah Lawal (Kayefi Osha) – UK-based Afro-soul singer, songwriter, and storyteller.
The Roundtable will air live on TopRadio 90.9 FM, offering audiences across the country the opportunity to engage with the discussions in real time.
Setting the Stage for the Awards
The December 13 Roundtable precedes the WOMA-R awards ceremony, which will hold on Saturday, December 20, 2025. During the event, three Lifetime Achievement honourees will be celebrated alongside at least five Special Recognition award recipients. Organisers confirmed that the full list of awardees will be released earlier on the day of the ceremony.
Honouring a Legacy That Continues to Shape the Industry
Chairman of the Steering Committee and veteran broadcaster, Tokunbo Ojekunle, stated that the seven-member committee is working with renewed commitment to deliver an edition worthy of Adéwálé Olomu’s legacy.
He described Olomu’s contributions to entertainment journalism as a “touchstone for the industry,” noting that the 2025 edition aims not only to honour past achievers but also to provoke meaningful reflection on the evolution and future of entertainment reporting in Nigeria.
As momentum builds, this year’s WOMA-R is poised to spark important conversations, celebrate impactful figures, and reaffirm the foundational role of entertainment journalism in Nigeria’s creative ecosystem.