Rotimi Sankore


This site is a tribute to Sankore, who was born in Lagos on June 05, 1968. He is much loved and will always be remembered.


Rotimi Sankore was a brilliant development and policy expert; Journalist/Journalism Trainer; human rights advocate and on air personality. Most importantly, he was a humanist, imbued with a thirst for justice and equity.



Rotimi’s worked as a journalist in Africa and across the globe and until recently he was Editorial Board Chair of Nigeria Info Radio Group / Part of AIM Media Group with 13 Stations in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Onitsha (Incorporating Nigeria InfoFM, WaZoBia FM, Cool FM & Arewa Radio Stations) – where he also contributed to program development on sister TV station WaZoBia TV. As a broadcast journalist he hosted The Public Square, a flagship program on Nigeria Info Radio focused on democracy, development, governance and policy issues.

He was ED/Editor in Chief of the Africa Centre for Development Journalism.
 
Some of his previous journalism, development and rights work includes: founding Editor In Chief of Africa Human & Social Development Information which pioneered use of data and statistics for journalism and policy advocacy during the Millennium Development Goals/MDGs (2000 – 2015); Pioneer Editor in the mid to late 90’s of the Belgium based International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) website for African journalists reporting on public accountability, corruption, democracy and rights related issues; IFJ Africa Media and journalism development trainer; researcher and Publication’s Editor at UK Based Article 19. 

As an Executive Committee member of the NUJ of UK & Ireland and Chair of its Black Members Council he worked for the advancement of journalists from minority communities and as an anti-racism advocate.
 
Notable print publications he worked with and contributed to include: The News & Tempo Weekly Magazines (Nigeria) in the early 90’s, and Guardian Newspapers (Nigeria); The Guardian UK, Global Index on Censorship, Mail & Guardian South Africa, the Global New African Magazine, The Journalist (UK), and New African Woman Magazine.



As an advocate for development, Rotimi’s work was global and Africa wide including: Consultancy and Project Lead on Partnership Projects with UNFPA, UNAIDS, WHO, Geneva Based Global Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health, Africa Development Bank and African Union Commission.



He was Secretary of the Africa Health, Human & Social Development Parliamentary Network, a Network of Chairs of Parliamentary Committees of Health, Finance, Gender & Development issues that worked with UN agencies and Regional bodies of ECOWAS (West Africa), EAC (East Africa), SADC (Southern Africa), UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union Commission to advance Heads of States & Ministers of Finance Commitments on Development Policy and Investment.

He also Coordinated the Africa 15% Plus Campaign on Development & Health Financing – Chaired by South African Democracy & Rights Advocate, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
 
Rotimi was a feminist and gender equality advocate focused on the role of equality and women’s rights in sustainable development and democracy. In the early 90’s during military rule in Nigeria he was a founding member of the Women’s Rights Project (WRP) of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO).

And also founding board member of one of Nigeria’s leading women rights organisations, Women Advocates Research & Documentation Centre (WARDC). He worked with women groups in southern Africa to develop the SADC Gender Protocol; and with African women organisations to advocate for Africa wide ratification of the African Union Protocol for the rights of women in Africa.
 


As a student of Communication & Language Arts at University of Ibadan, he was a student union leader during Nigeria’s military dictatorship in the mid 80s to mid 90s and was expelled along with 26 others for students welfare and pro democracy / anti military protests, and only reinstated after a lengthy law suit. 


Rotimi led an experience rich life from a young age and stayed true to his convictions of the equality of people everywhere and their rights to fulfil their full potentials. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him. His spirit will live on in memories and the vast collection of his thoughts and deeds.