For Duro Irojah
Sir: The mystery about death is that it has the capacity to shock us, over and over again. It is a kind of freshness which continues to mystify. These were the thoughts that ran through my mind when I learnt of the death of Duro Irojah a journalist with impeccable intellectual credentials.
Way back in the early eighties in the then glorious Daily Times, I shared the same intellectual and social space with Duro Irojah on the Editorial Board. In the process, I came to know him more intimately. I learnt in the course of our professional and social interaction that he was a product of that great institution, Titcombe College, Egbe. More importantly, I came to know that Duro got a first class honours degree in English at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. On learning this, I asked him, why he did not consider the idea of going for higher degrees.
His laconic reply was that, such a step would saddle him with the task of teaching numbskulls in equally numbskulls Nigerian Universities. Apparently, Duro had foreseen a lot of the rot, which the Nigerian State will later inflict on our University system. Courtesy of the same autistic and kleptocratic Nigerian State, he fled from the Daily Times to join The Guardian where he eventually became The Managing Editor. He left The Guardian again to join one of the newspapers in the North and thereafter we lost contact.
I always enquired after him however, only to be told that, he was working for a newspaper in Kaduna. Duro was a very gifted and cerebral journalist, and he was very vast in various areas of knowledge - a trait which he carried lightly around him. Most importantly perhaps, he was a very principled human being. At a time when cash and carry journalism became the norm in the Daily Times, Duro Irojah stood for principles and refused to bend with the sad and bad times which characterised the second republic. Of course, he suffered for it since in the course of time, he was redeployed to the Supplements Section of the paper.
I am not surprised that till date, there is a dearth of fulsome and genuine tributes to mark the demise of this great journalist and public intellectual. This is because even at the best of times, the press does not even know how to look after its own. If he had been a money-bag, or worse still, if he had been one of our post-colonial masters, the newspapers would have been full of empty tributes and self-serving photo-opportunities. Duro belonged to neither of these groups who continue to make mockery of the Nigerian project.
But certainly, Duro Irojah will surely be missed by the diminishing tribe of those who believe in standing up for the vision of a greater and higher Nigerian. May the good Lord in his infinite mercies console his family and in the process grant his soul safe repose.
Kayode Soremekun
Ile-Ife, Osun State
Wake Up Call For Anambra Leaders
Sir: It is rather distressing to me and to many fellow Nigerians to watch helplessly the sad and shocking events that have been taking place in Anambra State, particularly in the last one year. The abduction of the Governor of the State, Dr. Chris Ngige, is to say the least scandalous, disgraceful and shameful. It is an act that has dented the image of Nigeria and held Nigeria up to ridicule in the eyes of the world.
As if this event were not pitiful enough, then 50 decomposed bodies and a museum of skulls were discovered in the state. What is more damning is the fact that these diabolical acts took place in the state where the following eminent Nigerians hail from: our revered Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first and last governor-general of Nigeria cum first President of Nigeria; Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Association, Chinua Achebe, the world-renowned novelist of Things Fall Apart fame, Dr. Nwafor Orizu of "horizontal education" repute, Cardinal Francis Arinze, the only Nigerian cardinal alive until recently when Archbishop Olubunmi Okogie was elevated; Dr. Alex Ekwueme, the former Vice-President of Nigeria, late Dr. Pius Okigbo, Ukpabi Asika, former administrator of the Eastern REgion; Rev. Francis Cyprian Tansi, who is soon to be canonised by the Pope; Chike Obi, the outstanding mathematician, Odumegwu Ojukwu, who needs no introduction, the Obi of Onitsha, Ambassador Arthur Mbanefo, Vincent Ike and many others.
I fervently appeal to all those Anambra leaders and elders who are alive today to break their silence and constitute themselves into a Committee of Elders to help restore the dignity of Anambra State. This is an honourable duty owed to Anambra State and the people of Nigeria.
A. Babs Fafunwa
Lagos
