Tolu Olorunnipa is a Nigerian journalist based in the United States. He is the first person of Nigerian descent to become the White House correspondent for Bloomberg, a world renowned media organization with headquarter in the United States. In an interview with PEP NAIJA, he opened up on his childhood days, challenges as White House correspondent, Nigeria’s democracy and media.
Growing up, what dream did you have as a child?
I was the only one among my siblings who didn’t know what career I wanted to pursue from an early age. I was drawn to journalism as I followed the news articles and documentary programs that so captivated my parents. I realized the power of journalism to enlighten and to shine a light, uncover wrongdoing, hold the powerful to account and enlighten the people.
I set out to make the dream of becoming a journalist a reality by doing a lot of reading, and practicing my writing skills and then taking short jobs (internships) at various newspapers. That allowed to start working full-time as a journalist in my home state, and helped launch my career.
While I’ve only begun on my journey in journalism, I’ve been fortunate to have some unique experiences, including covering the White House during the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump. My reporting has taken me to more than 20 countries on five continents.
