Victor Oladokun’s throwback photo reignites memories of 1980’s media

Victor Oladokun, the British-Nigerian journalist, struck a chord after he re-ignited memories of the 1980s media with a throwback photo of himself conducting a training session at age 23.

The 1980s is a decade remembered for its significant contributions in shaping contemporary media technology.

In the photo, shared via LinkedIn, Oladokun could be seen hosting an audience with the aid of manual recording gadgets.

At the time, as Oladokun pointed out, the digital revolution that started around 1980 — with the internet, mobile devices, social networking, big data, and computing clouds — had yet to gain the strong foothold it currently has.

“How time flies. Aged 23. Conducting a #media training session in Benin City, Nigeria. Back in the ‘pre-historic’ days when the world of digital had still not been conceived. No hair jokes, please,” Oladokun captioned his photo.

In his reaction, Noel Joel, an entrepreneur, recalled how broadcasters at the time greatly relied on analogue gadgets.

“Everything was done manually. The reels, the audio/visual tapes, camcorders, cameras, studio paraphernalia were analogue. But we put in our best to get better results,” she wrote.

“That was the time when employees were exposed to rigorous training in all facets, to empower and equip them for future challenges.

“I remember those days when our camera battery would go off in the middle of recording. You can imagine my frustration as a producer.”

On his part, Jovita Majauskaite, the former executive of UNICEF in Lithuania, added: “It really makes one realize and notice that the world around us is changing! Powerful visual story! Thanks for sharing Dr. Victor Oladokun.”

Oladokun attended Corinthian Primary School in Liverpool; St. Joseph’s College in Ondo Nigeria; and the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria, where he studied History and Political Science from 1977 to 1981.

At Ife, he was said to have developed a fascination with the media and envisioned a future television and media landscape that included improved professional presentations, innovative programs, and inspirational content.

Oladokun had an MA in Communication and a Doctorate of Strategic Leadership (DSL) at Regent University, US.

He was the director of communication and external relations at the African Development Bank Group (AFDB).

He was also the producer and host of the popular internationally acclaimed TV magazine programmes CBN World News and Turning Point on the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN).