George Elijah Otumu is a Nigerian trained journalist who started his career in Nigeria before relocating to America in 2011. In this interview conducted online he spoke on his foray in the world of journalism both in Nigeria and America.
When did you arrive America?
I first arrived in the United States of America late 2011, where I was invited and successfully covered the Nollywood Film Critics Award, USA (NAFCA) in North Carolina. Afterwards, I was at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California to cover the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. After the event was over, I checked out of my Sheraton Gateway Hotel and flew to New York to cover the Foreign Press Association, FPA, meeting of which I have been an active member from Nigeria. Then, I later attended and covered the World Editors’ Association meeting in Philadelphia. I had to then fly to Lagos State, Nigeria to rest my head a little. Then, flew back into the United States when I was directed by the Editorial Board of Directors of the company to go and fully register and officially establish the North America office of NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPERS INC USA, to which I successfully did to the glory of God, since we have already been officially registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria as NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER being our news medium Headquarters.
With his better half
Have you always worked as a journalist on getting to America?
Before arriving in the United States, I have always worked all my entire life as a journalist. As you are already aware, I started off as a rookie reporter in the then TODAY’S Choice Magazine under Halim Mohammad (your good friend, my boss) on the society desk. I was employed at the same time as Kunle Rasheed, met Tunde Moshood, Femi Davies; Muka Popoola, Sanya Ojo, late Peter Thomas (the Groove master, may his soul continue to rest in peace) and many more. The publication was owned by Coker Onita. From there, I worked in National Interest Newspaper as an Arts & Entertainment Writer, where I rose to become the Deputy Arts & Feature Editor under the editorship of Eric Osagie. I have always loved challenges in the media due to my desire to learn new skills in investigative journalism. I moved and joined the defunct The WEEK Magazine on Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos as a Society Editor under the guide of Clement Okitikpi who was the Editor-in-Chief. I received an attractive media offer from the then INSIDER Weekly Magazine on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos as a Society Writer, to which I could not resist, I gladly embraced it. I worked side by side with Nick Nweru, Julius Ogunro, Alex Okumo and the rest under the editorship of Osa Director, Declan Okpalaeke, Janet Mba Afolabi; Danlami Umodu and a few other directors. After a while, I moved over to the then TEMPO Weekly Magazine as a Society Reporter and later a Senior Society Reporter. Later, I received a juicy media offer from The SOURCE Magazine on Emina Crescent Street, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos as a Society Writer and Deputy Back-of-the-Book reviewer. I accepted the position under the editorship of Victor Ogene (now a member of Nigeria’s House of Representative). I worked side by side with Sylvannus Nwakanma, Igho Akeregha, Osas and many more. In my desire to know more and learn more, I got a newer media job offer at National Daily Newspaper in Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos as Head, Investigations & Crime Editor. I enjoyed my stay. As time went on, I received a media offer from then FAME Weekly Magazine, Ikeja, Lagos as a Society Writer under the editorship of Billy Adedamola. As time progressed, I was posted to Ghana as its first Foreign Correspondent where I successfully filed exclusive cover stories. I worked as a Stringer with Daily Graphic Newspaper and Ghanaian Chronicle Newspaper, two top national newspapers in Ghana. I was promoted to a Foreign Bureau Chief which took me to the Republic of South Africa where I covered news-behind-news on ‘Africa’s Who’s Who, doing What’? in Madiba’s country. To pay my apartment rent in South Africa, I took a Contributing media offer from Africa Union Magazine in Pretoria, South Africa. I flew into Monrovia, Liberia still churning in the exclusive stories and worked as Freelancer with Liberian Observer newspaper. On return to Nigeria, I worked in Sunday Vanguard Newspaper as a Society Writer, a co-anchor of ‘The SUNDAY PEOPLE ‘ with Sam Umukoro under the editorship of Mr. Kunle Oyatomi. My colleagues turn were the late Amadi Ognonnaya(the Entertainment Editor), Frank Meke (Tourism Editor) and many more people. I was later offered another job at the then National LIFE Newspaper as Deputy Features EDITOR under the editorship of Louis Odion, a great Editor-in-chief per excellence. I knew in my inner heart that my soul kept yarning for more media challenges. I prayed and fasted. God came through. I was hired as the first Editor-in-chief of the registered NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER, an online news medium.Thanks to Azu Arinze, the publisher of YES! Magazine who encouraged me all the way that higher position comes with higher challenges. He assured me daily that I could perform excellently. He regularly ran NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER adverts in his publication as we ran YES! Magazine adverts in ours as well. Due to the success and heights attained in the country, I was directed as an employee to fly into the United States of America to officially register and open an active, editorial office, to which I eventually did in Texas.
Tell us the challenges you faced as African journalist in America?
On the challenges I faced as an African journalist in America, I realized that the difficulty I face in the first few years arose from the prism of the negative stereotype attached to Africa by the Western press. I realized that in every sector of the United States economy, there are African-Americans with strong African heritage who are the ‘brain-box’ of many of their rare accomplishments, yet the Western press hardly celebrate them. Rather, the focus of the Western press has always been centered on the ‘bad and ugly side’ of the African continent, especially the people of Africa. I took exception to that when I told myself that I will personally ensure I lead a media change in telling the African stories good sides the African way to the rest of the world. I never looked back afterwards.
How did you overcome them?
To overcome that challenge, our North America office put out a remarkable survey from ages of people 19-64 years and realized that the huge misconception about Africa from the Western press had created a wrong picture in the hearts of almost every American since there was not enough good information from the credible, African media establishment that tells the American people the extraordinary success and giant strides made by the people from Africa either here in the United States or back in Africa. NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER INC USA plugged in that gap when we began to conduct exclusive Interviews with successful African-Americans entrepreneur in Houston, Texas, New York, California; Philadelphia, Maryland, and many states in the United States. We introduced the first Espanol (Spanish) edition of our English news version which opened us to wider readership in the Latino community. Having seen how successful it was, we introduced the French edition as an addition. We quickly realized after a few months of publication that we needed to consolidate on the Espanol version and based on that feedback, we dropped the French edition. I can boldly tell you that as at today, NAIJA STANDARD Newspapers USA is the most read, leading, international online news medium in North America and only African registered news medium with an Espanol news version in the whole of the United States of America. That was how we overcame the challenges, to the extent that many of our published news stories are being re-published in several Western press with credit to us.
Are the owner or employee of Naija Standard Newspapers?
As explained above, I am an employee of NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER 🗞️ INC USA since I am placed on salary. This is why I regularly file in my Federal, State taxes to the Government of the United States all the while, including the IRS Fees, even as the newspaper also filed its taxes to the government back-to-back.
What stood you out for the position you now occupy in the paper?
Ability to generate exclusive interviews, write Opinionated-Editorials, generate constant inspiring African stories to counter the negativity of the Western press and create the Espanol version of our news stories, a first feat by any African journalist or news medium here in the whole of the United States and having won the 2025 World Class Global Recognition Journalism Award in America (never won before by any African) stands me out-shoulder-high. This historic media award is positively redefining the image of Nigeria (Africa) in the eyes 👀 of the International community and the Western press. And I dedicate this award to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I promise to continually make Nigeria proud in the world of the media.
What exactly is the focus of the paper?
The focus of NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER is to daily engage the people, celebrate the best of Nigerians(Africans), expose corruption where ever it is hidden, hold public office holders to account on their stewardship and continue to be a true voice of the voiceless, far away from yellow journalism or blackmail
Tell more about the paper?
NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER INC USA is now being extolled, celebrated and seen as a hallmark of investigative journalism by lots of Correspondents, Editors here in the United States due to various editorial successes attained by the publication. As the newly promoted Executive Editor & Group Managing Director of NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER INC USA, my promise: “We are just starting, the best is yet to come. Watch out for it”.
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