NEWSWATCH Comes Alive As Journalists, University Lecturers, Monarchs, Others Gather In Honor Of Late Yakubu Mohammed

By Frank Oshanugor

High brow Radisson Blu Hotel, GRA Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday played host to veteran and practicing journalists, university lecturers, journalism students, traditional rulers and other personalities who gathered to celebrate the life and times of Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, one of the founders of NEWSWATCH Magazine.

Leading the pack of journalism veterans and others to celebrate the professional astuteness of Mohammed, was Mr. Ray Ekpu who along with Dele Giwa, Dan Agbese and Yakubu Mohammed founded the magazine in 1984.

The event which was largely attended by intellectuals was organised by Olori Janet Afolabi Foundation (OJAF)as part of the Foundation’s lecture series initiated to honour the founders of NEWSWATCH magazine which brought some robustness in investigative journalism to Nigeria.

A foremost veteran journalist, Akogun Tola Adeniyi who chaired the occasion, in his opening speech praised the effort of Olori Janet Afolabi – a former member of staff of NEWSWATCH for initiating the lecture series in honour of the founders of the magazine.

In his tribute to the late Yakubu Mohammed, the celebrated columnist remarked that Mohammed was not dead as his immense contributions to developmental journalism in Nigeria could not be forgotten in a hurry.

According to him, “Mohammed rebranded journalism in his own image. He did not find journalism, but walked into it. He prepared for journalism and laboured for it. Borrowing from the living words of the late Bishop Benson Idahosa of Church of God Mission, Adeniyi remarked that Yakubu Mohammed “desired, aspired and acquired journalism.”

In summarizing the good deeds of the former co-founder of NEWSWATCH, Akogun asserted that Mohammed taught many Nigerian journalists how to be focused, dressing appropriately, seeking more knowledge especially in journalism, being responsible and respectable, not being subservient to people in power and writing very well either as a reporter, features writer, columnist etc.

The convener of the lecture series, Olori Janet Afolabi whose foundation sponsored the event, went on memory lane to recall how the idea of organizing lecture series in honour of her former bosses who were the founders of NEWSWATCH and trail blazers in investigative journalism, was birthed some seven years ago when she visited Mr. Ray Ekpu to collect his 70th birthday card for distribution.

In her words, “what I saw at their May 5 office, was not what I expected to see. I expected to see them individually in their big offices as was the case in Billingsway Oregun Road. But I was dumbstruck when I opened the door and saw four of them seated in one small office, with tables facing each other.

“My heart bled. I felt sadness, pity and genuine sympathy for their situation. As I stepped out of the office that day, I took a decision to do something for them. When I got home I was still overwhelmed by sympathy. I was carried away in my thoughts that I didn’t know when the door of our fridge cut deeply into my right toe.

“When my husband became king six years ago, I felt a burden to write a book on the Journalism Masters who trained me. I did not want to forget my roots because God had lifted me.”

According to Olori Afolabi “after I wrote the book, I sent copies to them. They read and were happy. I was happy too. I felt relieved, I thought the burden was over. When Dan Agbese died, the burden came back even stronger. I reflected on my journalism career. I remember the people who shaped me, taught me, corrected me, pushed me, believed in me even when I doubted myself and gave me a platform to soar.

“My former bosses are these people. They were more than bosses. They were mentors, builders of men and custodian of journalism standard. They taught me that journalism is not just a profession but a public trust. That truth matters. That integrity is not negotiable. It is this debt of gratitude that inspired me to organize this event “

Continuing, Olori Janet Afolabi said “since Mr. Mohammed was aware of the event and the venue before his death, I suggested to Mr. Ekpu and Mr. Akinrinade that the first edition of the lecture series event should be dedicated to him. And they agreed.

“Today April 30, is not just another date on the media calendar. It is a day to celebrate the living – Mr. Ekpu and Mr. Akinrinade. A moment to say thank you to them while they can still hear.”

She expressed her appreciation to her husband, Oba Kayode Adenekan Afolabi, the Alapomu of Apomu Kingdom for helping her to actualize the dream of organizing the event in honour of her former bosses.

The first son of Yakubu Mohammed, Yusuf Mohammed after a lengthy tribute that was brilliantly rendered, he summarized that his father’s legacies were not houses, cars but people whose lives he impacted positively.

There were tributes from late Mohammed’s wife, Hajia Rabiu, his daughter, a medical doctor, Nigeria’s former Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and others including the Head, Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Prof. Tayo Popoola who hinted that it has been historically discovered that the UNILAG SUN – a campus publication founded many decades ago was given the name by Yakubu Mohammed during his undergraduate days at the University.

Prof. Popoola expressed appreciation to the managers of Yakubu Mohammed’s estate who informed Management of the department that Mohammed had willed all his books to the Department of Mass Communication.

Late Mohammed’s colleague, Ray Ekpu who obviously was having some health challenge currently as he could not stand while giving his tribute, recalled how his path crossed with Yakubu Mohammed when both were undergraduates of Mass Communication at Unilag.

“Dan Agbese and I, graduated in 1973 while Mohammed graduated in 1975 but we knew him because he was very active on campus journalism.”

Ekpu narrated their different experiences at National Concord after he left Daily Times to join Dele Giwa, Yakubu Mohammed and Doyin Abiola. He gave account of how Mohammed led them to found NEWSWATCH after connecting a friend of hisoverseas to assist financially initially.

Speaking like a master story teller, Ekpu dwelt on so many parts of Mohammed, his relationship with people of different races, religion, social status, gender and so on. He concluded by saying that “Yakubu Mohammed’s faith in God was very firm, his faith in journalism was very firm, believing that if he would come back to the world again, he would return as a journalist.”

Apart from Oba Afolabi of Apomu Kingdom, the Olotan of Ota, Prof.Obalenlege Adeyemi, Olofin of Isheri were among the traditional rulers in attendance.

Other dignitaries at the event included the Dean, Faculty of Communication & Media Studies, University of Lagos, Prof. Oloruntola Sunday, Prof. Killa, Dame Comfort Obi, Publisher of Source Magazine, Mohammed Haruna, pioneer Editor of New Nigerian Newspaper, Hon. Helen Emere of Imo State House of Assembly, ICAN Consultant Shina Babatunde, TELL Magazine Editor-in-Chief Nosa Igiebor, Muyiwa Akintude formerly of NEWSWATCH and many others.