Media Career Development Specialist, Lekan Otufodunrin, writes on who’s who of journalists awarded national honours by President Bola Tinubu in recognition of their contributions to the restoration of democracy in the country.
If the late former President, General Sanni Abacha, had not died in office in June 1998, three journalists, Dr Niran Malaolu, George Mbah and Ben Charles-Obi, who were initially jailed for life by the Special Military Tribunal in 1995 for alleged involvement in a botched coup, may have spent 15 years in prison.
For writing various reports on the phantom coup to topple General Abacha, for which some military officers were arrested, including former Chief of Staff General Oladipo Diya, the three journalists were found guilty by the tribunal of being an “accessory after the fact of treason” and “information gathering”
Their life sentences were later commuted to 15 years by Abacha following local and international outrage and were eventually freed by General Abdulsalam Abubakar, who took over following Abacha’s death in 1998.
Malaolu, who was Editor of Diet Newspaper, Mbah, Senior Assistant Editor of TELL Magazine and Charles-Obi, Editor of Classique Magazine, are among journalists and other pro-democracy activists awarded national honours for their contributions to the restoration of democracy in the country by President Bola Tinubu on June 12 in a nationwide broadcast.
The president said the journalists and other awardees “suffered persecution, endured indignities, exile, incarceration, and, at times, solitary confinement, so that we have democracy today.”
Other journalists honoured include Jenkins Alumona, Gbemiga Ogunleye, Muyiwa Adekeye, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, Ike Okonta, Tunde Fagbenle, Oladele Alake, Olatunji Bello, Louis Odion, Segun Babatope, Sam Omatseye, Sir Ademola Osinubi and Bola Bolawole.
Also on the list are Lade Bonuola, Femi Kusa, Ose Osayande, Barrister Osa Director, Dr Niran Malaolu and Femi Aborisade.
Kolade-Otitoju, who was the former Editor of The News Magazine, was declared wanted for a cover story on the coup, but when he could not be found, a former editor of the magazine, Kunle Ajibade was arrested, tried and jailed along with Malalolu, Mbah and Charles-Obi.
Otitoju is grateful to President Tinubu for recognising the risk he and other journalists took during the military era to put pressure on them to leave.
“I did a cover story titled Army clears coup plotters. If they had laid their hands on me, I could have gone to jail or been killed. They got hold of Ajibade, but couldn’t get the information they needed on me, who did the story. I kept moving from state capital to state capital. I was just moving around until God took Abacha,” Kolade-Otitoju recalled in an interview.
“There were so many risks one took at that time. It was only God who said I will not be arrested. When they declared me wanted and my mother read about it, she pleaded that I should go on exile, but I refused. Today we are happy to enjoy democracy, but only the people who were just a whisker away from death can truly appreciate the freedom we have today.”
Kolade-Otitoju’s other colleagues from The News on the award list are Jenkins Alumona, Muyiwa Adekeye and Ike Okonta. The weekly News published many investigative reports that unsettled the military governments, and many of its staff were arrested, detained and jailed at various times.
Ogunleye, former editor and deputy editor-in-chief of The Punch who was initially a staff of The Guardian, which was shut down for fourteen months by former President Ibrahmin Babangida, along with The Punch and National Concord, after which he joined AM News as Assistant Editor before joining The Punch, said he never gave it a thought that he would be given an award for his contribution to the return of democracy in the country.
Notwithstanding, he said he regards the award as a recognition and acknowledgement of the role of The Punch played in one of the country’s darkest hours.
“The Punch, as you know, provided a voice for the voiceless in the battle to free our country from semi-literates who think the mere possession of guns entitles them to govern a people without their consent.
“I accept my award on behalf of Azu Ishiekwene and Remi Ibitola, two of my distinguished colleagues in the battle to free Nigeria from military dictatorship in our days at The Punch,” Ogunleye, now a legal practitioner and communication consultant.
Other awardees from The Punch are the former Managing Editor/Editor-In-Chief, Sir Osinubi and Former Editor, Deputy Editor-In-Chief, Bolawole and Columnist, Tunde Fagbenle. Punch ran a daring front-page countdown series on the exit of President Babangida, who reluctantly stepped aside after annulling the June 12 election.
Akinola, a veteran judicial editor and human rights activist, was a founding member of the Civil Liberties Organisation, the first human rights body in the country. The former Executive Director of Centre for Free Speech was actively involved in various human rights campaigns and protests during the military regimes.
He dedicated his award to the over 140 protesters mowed down in cold blood on Ikorodu road by the Abacha soldiers while protesting the June 12 annulment.
Those from the National Concord, published by the winner of the June 12 election, on the award list, are former Editor, Oladele Alake, presently Minister of Solid Minerals, former Editor, Olatunji Bello, now Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Former Political Correspondent, Louis Odion, now Executive Director FCCPC, Former Chairman Editorial Board, Segun Babatope, Former Deputy Political Editor, Sam Omatseye, now Chairman Editorial Board, The Nation and former writer Ose Osayande
Mr Bonuola and Kusa were the former Managing Director and Executive Editor of The Guardian, respectively.
Barrister Osa, Director
The Kano correspondent for Dateline, a sister publication of Tell magazine, Osa, was arrested after publishing a story entitled “Buhari, Abacha at war over oil money”. The director was held in solitary confinement in Kano. He was charged in Kano after 34 days in detention, appearing before the magistrate in leg irons and handcuffs. He was charged with inciting discontent by publishing “false reports” contrary to sections 416 and 418 of Nigeria’s Penal Code. He was denied bail until October 1995. When bail was granted, he was ordered to report to the State Investigation and Intelligence Bureau’s office monthly and prohibited from publishing any material that could embarrass the government (1995).
Femi Aborisade.
Dr. Bunmi Aborisade, a journalist and academic, came into the limelight during the June 12 struggle, when, as the editor and co-publisher of June 12 magazine, he was arrested several times and detained. He later fled Nigeria to Ghana in 1997 but was arrested by the Rawlings government, ready to be deported back to Nigeria, before the American Embassy in Ghana intervened and relocated him to the USA in 1999. Bunmi, who has lived in exile in the United States since then and only returned to Nigeria to take up an appointment as a Senior Lecturer at Afe Babalola University,
Before the new list of journalists given national awards, others have been awarded in past years.
Observers, however, note that many other journalists who should be recognised for their role in restoring democracy are yet to be honoured.
An updated list of more journalists who contributed to the restoration of democracy is expected when the final list promised by the presidency is released.
Outliving Abacha: Six Nigerian journalists’ prison stories | Refworld
