Friday, 19 March 2021

WHAT LATE DELE GIWA’S WIFE, FUNMI WROTE ABOUT HIM 35 YEARS AGO


written by City People March 17, 2021

Until he died in October 1986, the late Editor-In-Chief of Newswatch, Dele Giwa was married to Funmi Dele-Giwa. Shortly after his death, Funmi revealed a lot about her life with her late husband. Below are excerpts.

“I met him for the first time in Ray Ekpu’s office in Concord. My father just died and I was looking for a job with my M.Sc certificate. 

In fact, Ray and I were classmates during my M.Sc degree programme at the University of Lagos. On that day, Ray, as the Chairman of the editorial board of the Concord, invited me over for possible consideration as a Member of the editorial board. Dele Giwa, walked in, looked at me and said, “Hello Madam”. I absent-mindedly answered him, as my concentration was on the job I wanted so badly, and wondering when Ray will come into the office.” 

“I didn’t know who he was. My knowledge then of anybody in the journalism profession was very limited. I knew there was a Reporter who writes a column called Parallax Snaps; but I did not know who it was; in fact, I only noticed the column because it reminded me of my college science classes where they taught us something about parallax. Ray was to tell me later that Dele asked him what was the matter with me, he greeted me and I felt too big to answer.” 

“Eventually, I did get a job at Concord, not as a member of the Editorial board, but as a staff of the Business Concord. 

“Then, Dele came to my section to chat with everybody, including me. When I learned that he was the Editor of Sunday Concord, I thought, ‘he’s one of the bosses, and I started addressing him as ‘Sir’. By this time, I had noticed that he dressed well and was very good- looking”. 

“We somehow got round to exchanging phone numbers. but neither of us called the other. One day, he came and told me to see him in his office. Why? I thought to myself, but decided, I might as well get it over with. I went there, We discussed a lot of things. During these discussions. Dele managed to express his deep interest in me. I told him bluntly that I had somebody else, and besides, I do not go out with married men. Dele told me he was not married, and would persevere”. 

“On our first date, he took me to Bacchus Restaurant and Night Club at Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. I had the greatest time of my life. By the end of the evening, I knew I really liked him. That was when I started feeling something for him. We discussed so many things, he was so brilliant, so lively and alive (I cannot believe he is no more … on that first date he told me about his last marriage, how  he rushed into it, and the disaster it became. Dele insisted our courtship must last a long time, which was very fine by me as I was not even thinking of marriage. 

We travelled together for the first time to Ivory Coast. Of course, I lied to my mother that I was going on an assignment.

We got engaged in Dakar. He gave the ring with such ceremony and poetic verse. Like he started by calling on both of our fathers in heaven to be witnesses to the engagement! I remember when I told him I was pregnant He was really yelling over the phone. Then, I thought, Oh my God, why the excitement, afterall he has 4 kids already. But he was genuinely excited, even more excited than me.”

“We got married on my birthday, July 10, 1984. He insisted that that day is very symbolic for him, so it must be the D-day.”                         

“He was that romantic! The traditional ceremony was very simple. My mother was against the marriage at first, but I insisted that it was what I wanted. For the real marriage, we went to the Registry at Ikoyi, made our vows, and then invited guests to lunch. It was very simple. At the reception, Dele wept while responding to the Toast, to my greatest embarrassment. He was so emotional. He said he never knew anything good would ever happen to him again. Not after his past disappointment in marriage”. 

“Dele was a good man and husband. He knew what was required of a husband, and those required of a wife. He was very good to me, unlike the rumours I heard about his past marriage. He found it very easy to apologize. He never failed to reassure me each time there were some disturbing news flying around about him, his past marriages or affairs, as he realised I’m a very sensitive person. I heard very discouraging things about him before the marriage, that he was a flirt, a heart-breaker etc, but I persevered. He was so good to me. He made it obvious it was his wife first. He always said it was his pleasure to give me pleasure. He wanted our marriage to be an everlasting romance. We had our bad moments, but we always made up. Everything in the marriage was explicit and clear. He loved his family so much. (I can’t believe he is dead).

I remember when I had my baby, 

Ayodele. By the way, he calls her Aisha. He prefers it. He named her after Steve Wonder’s daughter and it, means life. I went into labour on a Wednesday which I know, that is Newswatch’s Production day. He shuttled between the office and the hospital all night. When I had the baby on Thursday morning, he was in the labour room with me. He insisted that he wanted to see everything. He was by my side through the pain and anxiety. 

Dele’s work was very important to him. 

He loved Journalism. He wanted Newswatch to be like Newsweek and Time Magazine. As much as he felt Nigeria was a terrible country in certain respects, he never regretted coming back to the country. He believed here is where the action is, to contribute his own quota”. 

“At times when he would tell me about certain things he had to write about. I would get frightened and tell him its too dangerous. He insisted that he could not help it, because someone has to do it.” 

“One thing I’m certain of, is that Dele was never afraid to die for this country.”

“He loved Youth, its vivaciousness and gaiety. He wouldn’t have wanted to be very old. He always said a man should die while still active. Not old and useless to himself. For him, late ‘60s’ is the most a man should live. Dele had a very open mind about religion. He felt that as long as a man is good to his fellow human beings, he will be accepted by God. He did not believe that you have to pray to God through Jesus Christ or Mohammed to make it acceptable. When Dele does pray, it was always to thank God for all he has done for him with trivialities like his personal needs.” 

“On that grim Sunday, Dele came downstairs from bed, into the sitting room where Kayode Soyinka and I were already seated. As usual he said, ‘what are the papers saying today?’ He normally goes jogging each morning, but didn’t on this particular day. He was his normal cheerful self. For breakfast, he was served moinmoin and Ogi. That was his normal Sunday breakfast. That was what he was eating when it happened. When the accident happened, I rushed into the study and saw his legs split open, bones scattered on the floor, I dragged him out, away from the fire, People asked me later how I managed to cope, that I had Courage. But what could I do? He had to be saved, I thought to myself. Dele is a struggler, he will not die, he will survive.” 

“Dele told me to lift his legs and I said no if I do, the legs will break. All the way to the hospital, he was talking. I was not hysterical because I believed in his will to survive. I thought all through the waiting period that the worst that could happen was that he would remain in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Dele talked until he died. He asked for Aisha. Somewhere during the whole night-marish event. Dele told me, “they’ve killed a great mind, you know”? And I told him not to worry, that they have failed and that we would live, launch our own attack on them when he got well. I was so convinced he would live. I do not think he thought he was going to die. 

Dele lived and died for his work and ideals. He hated discrimination of any sort, at all levels. He believed absolutely in Loyalty and Dedication to one’s cause, especially towards friends. He respected intelligence in people, the ability to reason, analyse a situation by oneself not based on some textbook theories. This incident has strengthened me, but I will not comment on what I’ll do. I do not bother myself about people’s response because I believe it does not matter, I know him very well. What they think does not make a difference to me.”

“Up till now, I’ve not allowed myself to think beyond the fact that he is dead.” 

“Something within me stops me from going beyond that point. I know he is dead, but I’ve refused to dwell on it, think of the implications of it. I more or less feel he has gone on one of his journalistic missions.”

–Culled From The Guardian

Okonjo-Iweala arrives Abuja in first visit to Nigeria as WTO DG (Photos)


Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Saturday arrived Abuja as he made her first visit to Nigeria since she assumed office on March 1.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala was received upon her arrival in the country by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment Nasir Sani-Gwarzo.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Okonjo-Iweala said her visit to Nigeria was to show appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for the support accorded her.

She also hinted that discussion on how Nigeria can leverage her position to benefit from trans-national trade formed part of her visit to the country.

Okonjo-Iweala, a former two-time finance minister in Nigeria, is the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO.

It is hoped she would infuse the WTO with fresh momentum to address towering challenges and a pandemic-fuelled global economic crisis.

Okonjo-Iweala will be meeting with President Buhari, his Chief of staff as well as the Foreign affairs and Finance ministers on Monday.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala is also expected to hold talks with the Presidential Task force on Covid19, the Central Bank Governor and captains of industry, during her stay.


Asari Dokubo topples Kanu, declares himself leader of Biafra, forms customary Govt


A former Niger Delta militant, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo on Sunday declared himself the leader of the new Biafra de facto Customary Government.

Many were surprised by what appeared to be a hijacked of the Biafran struggle from Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

Asari Dokubo cited “injustice and marginalisation” on the Igbo people found in various zones of the country as the reason for his aspiring for a “better life for his people”.

The Biafra declaration was issued in a statement by Uche Mefor, the Head of Information and Communication of his customary government.

Mefor announced George Onyibe as the Secretary of the group while Emeka Esiri would be in charge of the Legal Matters.

Asari-Dokubo, who is an Ijaw, said that the de facto government would address the current insecurity challenges faced by the Igbo as well as focusing on science and technology to make life easier for the people.

He listed the proposed government’s paramount agenda as comprising security by “securing the lives and properties of our people; we are going to invest everything we have in science and technology to increase the scientific and technological discoveries, fabrications and making life easier for our people through science and technology.”

“We are going to pursue rigorously the education of our people; we are going to make sure that we feed ourselves.

“You are all aware of the recent plot where they decided to stop food from the North. They failed woefully; they will continue to fail.

“The government of Biafra States will look to make sure that we only eat what we can produce.

“Nobody can stop us. Nobody can blockade us as they did in the first war.

“We’re not going to fight any war with anybody; we’re walking to freedom. We will not shoot any gun with them, they will prepare their weapon but they will have nobody to kill with their weapon.”

“We as people have resolved that as Biafra, it’s time for us to take our destiny in our hands and bring freedom to ourselves and our children and the generation of Biafrans yet unborn.

“I want to call on our brother, George Onyibe to come on board to join as the secretary of the de facto customary government of the State of Biafra. He will take care of the administrative, day to day administration of the Biafra State. I also call on our brother Emeka Esiri to take care of the legal needs of this nascent government.

“My brothers and sisters, the four of us will kick start the process, others will come on board. We want volunteers who are committed; we want volunteers because there is nothing anymore. We are the people who have volunteered to salvage ourselves and the rest of us.

‌“I also call on Biafrans in the various provinces of the Biafra nations in Aba, Abakiliki, Anang, Awka, Calabar, Degema, Eket, Nsuka, Ogoja, Oji River, Okigwe, Onitsha, Opobo, Orlu, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Umuahia, Uyo and Yenegoa.

“We are going to proceed to set up provincial structures of government starting with provincial assemblies and provincial governance and administrators. Let nobody be mistaking that a Biafra will be worse than Nigeria. There is nothing that will be worse than what we are facing today in Nigeria.”

There has been no reaction yet from the Nigerian government or Nnamdi Kanu led IPOB.

In June last year, Dokubo and Kanu were embroiled in a war of words, over accusations that Dokubo collected N20million from IPOB.

Dokubo fired back by accusing Kanu of collecting hundreds of millions from South East governors. He challenged Kanu to swear on the Torah, to debunk his claim.

FG replies Asari Dokubo over formation of Biafra Customary government


The Federal Government of Nigeria has described the reported formation of Biafra Customary Government by Asari Dokubo as a “theatre of the absurd by a joker seeking attention’’.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria on the development in Lagos on Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will not be distracted by the absurdity.

“I am sure you have heard of the theatre of the absurd, that is the best way I can describe it.

“If Asari Dokubo wants to form and run a fathom government, I think he is free to do so.

“This administration will not be distracted because we still have a lot to do.

“We are not ready to give any attention or time to a joker like Dokubo who is just looking for attention.

“We will just take it as one of these entertainment things.

“The beauty about Nigeria is that it is never a dull country, you must have one thing or the other to entertain you,’’ he said.

Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Force, announced himself as the leader of the new Biafra Customary Government.

The fathom government was announced with names of some leaders by one Uche Mefor, who claimed to be its head of information and communications. 

Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, sworn-in as Tanzania’s first female President (video)


Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan was on Friday morning, March 19, sworn in as Tanzania’s first female president following the sad passing of President John Magufuli from an illness shrouded in mystery.

The soft-spoken Hassan who was Vice President swore with the Quran before dignitaries at the ceremony to usher in the historic emergence of the first female president in East Africa.

“I, Samia Suluhu Hassan, promise to be honest and obey and protect the constitution of Tanzania,” She swore at 10am local time in Dar es Salaam.

The 61-year-old leader ascended to the presidency after President Magufuli’s death on Wednesday due to heart disease, more than two weeks after he disappeared from the public.

Magufuli’s absence since February 27 had fuelled speculation about his health and sparked rumours he had contracted COVID-19, although officials had denied he was ill.


Turkish police raid homes of Nigerians in Istanbul, arrest 5 for possession of hard drugs


The police in Istanbul recently raided the homes of some Nigerians living in Namik Kemal neighbourhood following an investigations that the suspects were peddling hard drugs.

The Esenyurt District Police Directorate’s Office tracked the suspects and identified two addresses and raided both addresses simultaneously.

There, they found drugs, hidden in different locations, including in shelves, under the bed, and in a closet.

A suitcase filled with hard drugs weighing 16.5 kilograms was found hidden under a bed. 5 suspects were arrested in the raid – 4 men and 1 woman.

The suspects were charged to court and the male suspects were jailed while the female suspect was deported.


PROTECTING YOUR MOST VALUABLE PROPERTY


Nigeria 2020 | ECONOMY | INTERVIEW

Developing a robust culture of protecting copyrights is key to ensuring intellectual property in Nigeria.

Theophilus Emuwa
BIOGRAPHY

Theophilus Emuwa is the Managing Partner and head of the Corporate and Commercial Practice Group at AELEX. He is admitted to the Bar in England and Wales, Nigeria, and Ghana. His practice is focused on corporate and commercial law and taxation, where he has over 30 years' experience. He draws on his multifaceted background of law and engineering to provide insightful advice to the firm's clients on transactions and also on tax matters. He was for many years chairman of the Tax Committee of the Section on Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association. He is also a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.

What are AELEX's key areas of business in Nigeria today?
The most active are disputes, which include arbitration and tax litigation. We also cover M&As, which are particularly busy. In 2019, we closed on a couple of interesting transactions. There was one involving The Coca-Cola Company acquiring a local juice manufacturer, which took about three years to close. We also worked for a PE firm that was acquiring assets from another such firm. In our firm, the number of lawyers has grown. A year ago, we had nine partners, while now we have 11. We also have more associates. We hope the economy continues to grow to help us sustain our current size.

How do you remain competitive in a field where there is not much specialization?
You start by looking at the clients you provide services to, as opposed to what practice area you want to be active in. Different clients have different needs, and they avail themselves of the firms that best service those. In order to service clients, I need the full complement of skills and services. You are not always just selling a certain service, but a package of services. There are areas of strength, and in these areas, we can differentiate ourselves. We have a reputation in certain areas, which we can leverage to sell those services and familiarize our clients with the general quality of our offering. Corporate relationships allow us to offer numerous services across many service areas.

What involvement has AELEX had in the entertainment industry to date, and what sectors offer greater business potential for law firms tomorrow?
We have had some involvement through deals in television, for example. Entertainment is an area that requires much thought about potential clients. Providing services to corporations is different from providing them to the individual, because the corporation has layers to deal with. With an individual, you have to do a bit more hand holding. Our clients are more corporations than individuals, but individuals in entertainment are making the money. We have to get them to appreciate that there is value in our services.

What would you recommend producers, musicians, and artists do in Nigeria to protect their intellectual property?
People need to understand that protecting intellectual property is worth their while. Copyrights are particularly important for the arts, and protecting it when someone infringes on it requires money to challenge it. In many countries, there are collecting societies that act on behalf of artists. Artists join a collecting society and its task is to discover who is violating copyrights and then challenge those individuals or corporations. The collecting societies in Nigeria have challenged major companies for using property they have not paid for. This is one way to protect these rights, but people need to understand the importance of this. Bit by bit, the knowledge and structure is being developed to better protect these rights across the industry. In Nigeria, every artist seems to think that they should set up their own recording company, and this means that it is difficult to aggregate. We have not seen this critical mass develop yet. If you get big enough, you can have enough cash to invest in smaller players or artists when they are still in their infancy. The absence of this keeps the industry from really developing.

What is your outlook for 2020?
At the end of the day, we are service providers. Someone has to want what we are selling. Companies must be doing business and needing legal services for us to continue flourishing. If the economy is not doing so well, then fewer people will be doing business or looking for legal services. This year, we are hoping that election uncertainty will have passed, and we will be able to look forward to a clearer picture. There is more clarity concerning budgets, so we hope there will be more funds available to finance activity, which will translate into greater stability and opportunity.