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Name: Abonyi, Igwebuike Joseph
Pen Name: Ike Abonyi
Origin: Akparata Adda, Obollo Etiti, Udenu Local Government Area, Enugu State
Profession: Journalist

Born on April 24, 1959, at Adda Obollo to the late Chief Michael Odo Abonyi and Ezinne Angelina Abonyi (née Ezeme), Ike Abonyi began his educational journey at St. Mary's Primary School, Adda Obollo Etiti, and later attended St. Patrick's College, Obollo Eke (1973–1977). A passionate sports enthusiast, he captained his college’s basketball team and played for the old Anambra State basketball team in the 1970s.

Abonyi trained as a journalist at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, where he earned a Higher National Diploma (HND) in 1987. He further pursued postgraduate studies at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, where he obtained a Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) in Management in 2001 and an MBA in Marketing in 2003.

He began his professional career during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year (1987–1988) at Triumph Newspaper Publishing Company, Kano. He was retained after service and worked there from 1988 to 1994 as Airport Correspondent and later Chief Correspondent in Benue and Lagos States, spending three years as Triumph’s Benue State Correspondent. He left as Assistant Editor to join Champion Newspaper in 1994, where he rose to become Group Political Editor and Deputy Editor of Sunday Champion before his departure in 2004.

In 2004, he joined THISDAY Newspaper, serving as Group Political Editor, Group News Editor, and Director of News until 2013. He then pioneered the establishment of New Telegraph Newspaper as Deputy Managing Director in 2013, a role he held until 2014. He continues to contribute as a political columnist and Editor-at-Large at New Telegraph, and also serves as Editor-at-Large to several online platforms, including Global Upfront Newspaper.

Abonyi briefly left journalism in 2010 to serve as Media Adviser to Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, then National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), returning to journalism after seven months. In 2014, he re-engaged with the PDP as a consultant to its Publicity Directorate for the 2015 general election, remaining until 2016. He also served in the Media and Publicity Committee for the PDP’s 2015 Presidential Campaign. In 2017, he was reappointed as Media Adviser by PDP Chairman Prince Uche Secondus, a position he held until 2021, after which he returned fully to media consultancy and writing.

A member of several professional bodies—including the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE)—he is also a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration. A well-travelled, award-winning journalist, author, and columnist, Ike Abonyi is married to Engr. Aisha Abonyi, and they are blessed with children. He enjoys reading, researching, and writing.