Ruffy on Fire: The Broadcaster They Love to Hate
How Rufai Oseni has turned the art of asking uncomfortable questions into a public service
I must admit I find the public reaction to Rufai Oseni’s emergence as Broadcaster of the Year 2026 rather intriguing. Here is a broadcaster who routinely leaves guests flustered and attracts criticism from politicians, public officials and sections of the media yet whose recognition has been greeted with an outpouring of congratulations. How did an interviewer who makes so many people uncomfortable become so widely celebrated?
Affectionately known as Ruffy by colleagues and viewers alike, Rufai is not the sort of interviewer who allows guests to coast along on prepared soundbites and rehearsed talking points. He probes, presses for clarity and demands explanations. Just when he finishes asking the question viewers have been waiting to hear, another follows, often sharper and more difficult to dodge.
Ruffy’s style can be confrontational and his persistence downright irritating. But in a political environment where public officials are too often allowed to make claims without serious scrutiny, Rufai has captured the public imagination by asking uncomfortable questions.
The reaction to his recognition is telling. For many Nigerians, he represents the kind of journalist they want to see more often: one who is not easily distracted by political soundbites, who asks pointed questions and who insists that those in power explain themselves. To his admirers, he is the people’s journalist — inquisitive, well-prepared, versatile and bold. For many regular viewers of Arise Television’s The Morning Show, his presence has become an important part of the national conversation.
Their affection for Ruffy is understandable. Too many political interviews in this country have degenerated into public relations exercises, complete with carefully crafted soundbites that rarely face serious challenge. Nigerians are tired of the status quo and want journalists to ask searching questions. They want to know when a policy will take effect, who will bear the cost, what happened between its announcement and implementation and how yesterday’s promises compare with today’s evidence.
Rufai asks these questions and, when he believes the answers are inadequate, he keeps digging. That persistence has become a defining feature of his public appeal.
However, there is a cautionary note. For all the value Rufai brings to public discourse, courage without competence, persistence without integrity and tenacity without humility are insufficient qualities for great journalism. Fearlessness matters but questions must be fair, accurate and evidence-based. A journalist must also have the humility to acknowledge mistakes and correct them when the facts demand it. Integrity and professional discipline are what distinguish purposeful persistence from needless confrontation.
Rufai’s strength lies in his willingness to ask pointed questions, a quality that has earned him both the ire of some and the admiration of many others. It may explain why even people who do not regularly watch The Morning Show have come to appreciate the role he plays in demanding accountability. While his style can be abrasive, the questions he raises can be difficult to ignore and even more challenging to answer.
There is a lesson here for public officials, too. Attacking critics rarely resolves the issues they raise. When confronted with uncomfortable questions, officials should provide facts and evidence rather than attempt to demonise the questioner. A record worthy of defence should be able to withstand tough scrutiny. Where it cannot, attacking the interviewer will only deepen public suspicion. Public office is a public trust and those who occupy it must be prepared to explain decisions that affect millions of citizens.
Ruffy’s popularity also offers a lesson about political polarisation. In a country where criticism of public officials can attract either applause or condemnation depending on political loyalties, the need for consistent standards cannot be overstated. Tough questions should not be reserved for political opponents while allies are spared the same scrutiny.
The real test of Rufai’s journalism is therefore not simply how aggressively he questions those in power but whether he applies the same standards across political divides. Every policy deserves scrutiny regardless of who proposes it and every public official should be expected to account for their decisions regardless of party affiliation.
So, why has Ruffy captured the public imagination? Perhaps many Nigerians want him to succeed. More importantly, they want him to continue challenging those in power. His approach stands in contrast to the familiar culture of political rhetoric and untested promises. By pressing officials to explain the gaps between what they promise and what they deliver, he has become a focal point for citizens frustrated by empty words and poor accountability.
Ruffy may be on fire but the true test is what he does with his flame.
His recognition as Broadcaster of the Year 2026 at the Nigerian Broadcasters Media Awards is an opportunity to build on his work and hold those in power to even higher standards of accountability.
Congratulations to Rufai Oseni. May this recognition inspire him to continue asking uncomfortable questions while upholding the fairness, accuracy and integrity that give journalism its credibility. Those who hold power accountable must also remain accountable for their own work.
A free press does not exist to make power comfortable. Its mandate is to make power answerable.
Okiwelu Azed P. writes from Asaba.
