Adeola Akinremi

Adeola Akinremi (born 26 March) is a Nigerian journalist, columnist, policy advisor and International development professional who currently serves as a consultant for the World Bank Group. He served as a U.S correspondent, editor and columnist at This Day newspaper. Akinremi is well known for his courage in journalism. On 16 September 2016, he broke a plagiarism story,  in which Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari copied from President Barack Obama and passing it off as if it was his own.

In an article he penned for This Day, Akinremi exposed the Nigerian leader for plagiarizing President Barack Obama’s 2008 victory speech on a day he launched an ethical rebirth campaign for his country—Change begins with me. The scandal led to a global outrage and apology made by President Buhari who angrily fired the aide who penned the speech.

Prior, Akinremi's reporting of terrorism in Nigeria exposed him to attack by Boko Haram terrorist group.

Education
Akinremi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from the Lagos State University. He received his Master's degree in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies and additional Master's degree in Project Development and Implementation from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. He graduated from journalism school in 1999.

Professional career
After graduation from journalism school in 1999, Akinremi began his practice as a cub reporter with the defunct The Week Magazine in Lagos, Nigeria. His entrance into journalism practice was preceded by his active engagement in civil rights movement and campaign for democratic governance in Nigeria. He was a member of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights Akinremi's major reports included the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, terrorism in the Sahel and the dynamics of poverty in Nigeria among other national and global development issues. In 2015, his writings on terrorism drew the ire of Boko Haram jihadist terrorist group in his native country, Nigeria.

He wrote news pieces on the administration of America’s first black President Barack Obama. In 2014, the U.S Department of State recognized him as a leader in his career and inducted him into its premier professional exchange program, the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP). Through a short-term visit to five battleground states, including Georgia and Kentucky, he reported the U.S mid-term election. He has subsequently covered other elections, including the 2016 consequential presidential election for Thisday newspaper. He's a columnist at The Cable.

In International development, he has worked on climate change, food security, global health, and poverty reduction initiatives while working for the World Bank Group, Environmental Rights Action and the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA). He mobilized the civil society groups and government leaders in Africa to work together for the ratification and implementation campaign of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) - one of the most quickly ratified treaties in United Nations history - when he provided leadership for the overall strategy of the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) in Africa.

Akinremi is known to be closer to the Nigerian banker and billionaire, Tony Elumelu, and has written extensively about his life, wealth, philosophy and philanthropy. He is a member of the Christian pentecostal, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, where he is serving as an ordained pastor.

Awards and recognitions

 * 2014: Nigeria Media Merit Awards, (NMMA), "Newspaper Reporter of the Year"
 * 2006: Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA), "Features Writer of the Year"
 * 2006: Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME), "Health Reporter of the Year
 * 2008: The Future Awards, Nigeria, "Nominated for Best Use of Advocacy"
 * 2004: Inaugural Winner, Nigeria Youth Leadership Awards by LEAP Africa.