By Oluwabukunmi
Veteran journalist and Senior Vice Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of Leadership Media Group, Azu Ishiekwene, has released a new book titled “A Midlifer’s Guide to Content Creation and Profit,” offering practical insights on how adults, particularly those in midlife, can leverage content creation for financial gain in the digital age.
The 10-chapter publication, which explores the intersection of creativity, technology, and monetisation, focuses on helping older adults navigate and thrive in the rapidly evolving media ecosystem — especially with the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI).
In a statement obtained on Sunday, Ishiekwene — fondly called Azu — said the book provides “insights for midlifers on the possibilities for rewarding their mental exertions handsomely, whether through literary, artistic, or acoustic talent, or the sheer capacity to curate and tell good stories from their experiences using new technologies.”
Published by Premium Times Books, A Midlifer’s Guide to Content Creation and Profit serves as a sequel to Ishiekwene’s 2024 release, “Writing for Media and Monetising It,” which was widely acclaimed as a resourceful manual for young journalists, writers, and media entrepreneurs.
A Groundbreaking Work for the Midlife Generation
In the book’s foreword, Professor Toyin Falola, a renowned historian of African Studies and Distinguished Teaching Professor in Humanities, praised Ishiekwene’s work as “a groundbreaking book that challenges the widespread belief, especially among the older generation (Gen X), that aspirations should diminish after the age of 50.”
Also commenting on the release, Dapo Olorunyomi, Publisher of Premium Times, described the book as “another masterpiece from Azu, who continues to redefine his mastery of new media forms and share his insights in meaningful, accessible ways.”
The statement further revealed that Ishiekwene’s growing body of work in the new media space includes a workbook on content monetisation, several lectures on digital storytelling, and a co-authored scholarly paper with communication expert Prof. Farooq Kperogi, titled “Light in a Digital Black Hole: Exploration of Emergent Artificial Intelligence Journalism in Nigeria.” The article was published in the Journal of Applied Journalism and Media Studies.
Content Monetisation: A Growing Global Trend
Experts say Ishiekwene’s latest contribution comes at a time when content monetisation has become a thriving part of the global digital economy, with millions of creators using social media and AI-driven tools to earn income.
In June, Meta Platforms Inc. — parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — rolled out new monetisation features, including Channel Subscriptions, Promoted Channels, and Ads in Status, to help creators, businesses, and organisations generate revenue via WhatsApp’s Updates tab.
Meta disclosed that it paid over $2 billion to content creators in 2023, reflecting the scale of opportunity available in the creator economy — a space Ishiekwene’s new book seeks to help midlifers understand and exploit.
With A Midlifer’s Guide to Content Creation and Profit, Azu Ishiekwene continues his mission to bridge the gap between traditional media experience and the digital revolution, inspiring a new generation of creators — young and old alike — to turn their stories, skills, and ideas into sustainable income streams.
