25 mysterious things that happened at Dimgba Igwe’s 1st Year Remembrance | + How 2 Govs, Orji Kalu, Slot boss clashed over highest donor award

VIP Guest Launching 50 World Editors @ NIIA

Tuesday September 15th
2015 was the D-Day for the launching of the much celebrated book “50 World Editors: Conversations with
Journalism Masters on Trends and Best Practices”.
The book which is a ten
years research project by tabloid Journalism legends, Mike Awoyinfa and his late partner Dimgba Igwe is described as ‘Journalism’s Bible’.

The launching
which also marks the one year anniversary of the demise of co-author Dimgba Igwe who was knocked down by a
hit and run driver  while observing his
jogging exercise in the early hours of Saturday September 6, 2014 around his
Okota, Lagos neighborhood  started at 10
am and ended at 1:30 pm.

The event drew the presence of the
cream of Nigerian media industry and top dignitaries from all walks of life to
the Nigerian Institute of International
Affairs
(NIIA) venue of the launch on Tuesday. Leading the cream of guests
at the event was President Muhammad
Buhari
(GCFR) who was ably represented by Mrs. Oluseyi Abegunde, Director of Information; Federal Ministry of
Information, Abuja. The Chairman of the Occasion was veteran journalist turned
politician Chief Olusegun Osoba
while APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola
Ahmed
Tinubu was represented by Professor Adebayo Williams, a scholar
journalist and novelist. Others are Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello. Mr. Folarin Adeyemi,
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy
represented Governor Akinwunmi Ambode
while  Reverend Emeka Abone, Executive
Vice Chairman, Slok Group,
Represented, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu,
Chairman Slok Group and The Sun Publishing Ltd. The Sun Managing Director and
Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Eric Osagie was
the book reviewer.
Your Africa’s number 1 celebrity
encounter blog Asabeafrika was there
and brought you snippets from the event. Enjoy.

Their New Dad; Chief Mouner, Mike Awoyinfa with Dimgba Igwe’s daughters Glory and Victory while delivering his Speech
Veteran Journalists Ray Ekpu & Soji Akinrinade (M) with guests at the book launch


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Journalism’s Greats storm NIIA for
Mike & Dimgba
This event
had a conglomerate of young and old journalists who dominated the crowd of
guests.  Chairman of the occasion Aremo Olusegun Osoba a veteran
journalist who is also the former
Governor of Ogun State in South West Nigeria and a chieftain of the recently resuscitated
Social Democratic Party lead the
journalism family to the event as he brought class and razzmatazz alongside his
arrival. Others in this league are; Araba
Tola Adeniyi
aka Abba Saheed, Ray Ekpu, Soji Akinrinade,
Mohammed Haruna, Odia Ofeinum, Bayo Onanuga, and  Dare Babarinsa. In the younger cadre
were the likes of Tunji Bello, Louis Odion, Eniola Bello
(Enny B), Kayode Komolafe, Larry Izamoje, Comfort Obi and many
others.
Meet Nigerians who sent in double
agents to the book launch
Some Nigerians
actually manifested how powerful they are by sending in double aides to
represent them at the historic event which also marked the one year anniversary
of late Dimgba Igwe’s death. Leading
the pack of Nigerians who sent in double agents to represent them is the Lagos
state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode who
sent in both his SSG and a leading
official of the state ministry of information and strategy. Although the SSG, Tunji Bello is an old student of the Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe School of journalism as they both discovered him in Weekend
Concord Newspaper
in the 80s.

The GDA (R) with other guests at the book launch

Tunji
Bello
allegedly came in his private capacity as ‘an old school boy’ and
also to represent his boss; however, the presence of the Permanent Secretary,
Lagos State Ministry of Information, Mr.
 Folarin Adeyemi
earned the governor
the reputation of someone who sent in “Double Agent” The second person who sent
in double aides to represent him is former Governor of Abia state and publisher of The Sun Newspaper, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu. Apart from sending
in the book reviewer Eric Osagie who
is equally the MD & E-in-C of Sun Newspaper to help him drop his
donations, Dr. Orji Kalu equally
sent in Reverend Emeka Abone, (Vice
President, SLOK Group and Director
at The
Sun
Publishing) to equally represent him. Funny enough, all these
double agents sat on the high table as VIPs.

Dimgba Igwe’s widow, Obioma with two lovely daughters, Glory and Victory

The Governors & their many
reasons for absence
One thing
about this particular event was its deliberate harvest of veteran journalists
and a cream of media executives to the detriment of politicians. It was
obviously a media men affairs as majority of the state executives invited had
one reason or the other for their absence. For instance, the comrade Governor
of Edo state, Aliyu Adams Oshiomhole
sent a an “absence memo” through his Commissioner for Information and strategy,
Louis Odion who is also an old student
of the Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe’s School of Journalism
saying he couldn’t make it due to his “Exco Meeting” which fell on same date
(Tuesday?)  For Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State who sent in
veteran journalist and columnist  Mohammed Haruna to represent him, the
reason was as cheap as “The Governor is rushing to Catch a Flight” which does
not correlate with not attending a book launch. In his own excuse memo, Osun
State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola said through his aide, Dr.
Waheed Ipaye
that he would have loved to be at the occasion but for what he
termed “Existing State Matters”. Others gave various reasons as well but a
social analyst in the gathering believes the governors are only afraid of the
“New Sheriff in town”.

Comedian of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Gbenga Adeyinka 1st

Gbenga Adeyinka is MC
Famous
comedian of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Gbenga Adeyinka the First was the Chief Comedian and moderator of
the event as he moderated the event from the beginning to the end with his
witty and creative comedy. He really gave a great account of himself at the
venue.

Veteran Journalist & Columnist Mohammed Haruna

How Journalists became ‘Area Boys’ by
Aremo Olusegun Osoba?
Aremo Segun Osoba who chaired the Occasion gave some
sitting media practitioners what can be termed “hot memo” while offering his
speech. The former Daily Times and Herald News star reporter lamented the
rate at which morale has dropped among journalists due to lack of payment of
wages by publishers.  The veteran
journalist and politician lamented that non payment of salaries has caused an
increase in ‘fake journalists’ and has turned genuine journalists to ‘area
boys’. According to the former Ogun state Governor, Publishers should not allow
the journalism profession to be ridiculed because journalists are being owned
salaries. “A worker is worthy of his wages, and no matter what it takes, no
journalist should be owed” Osoba stressed. He described late Dimgba Igwe as a man of great legacies
“Before he died, we were in Katsina
and we discussed the future of newspapers, little did I know that the meeting
would be our last” Osoba lamented.

Chief Mourner and Co-Author; ’50 World Editors’ Mike Awoyinfa

What President Buhari said about
Dimgba Igwe
When Mrs. Oluseyi Abegunle the
representative of President Muhammad
Buhari
stormed the stage to deliver the presidential speech at the venue,
many never imagined the speech will live up to its billings. But by the time
she ended her speech, it was clear that Dimgba
Igwe
was well known to the knowledge of Mr. President as he described him
in glowing terms.  The Super Perm Sec
from Abuja who read the president’s speech said the co-Author of the book, “50 World Editors” was not a tribalist
but a nationalist who believed so much in Nigeria because he had friends from
different ethnic groups in Nigeria. The speech read further “Like all
Nigerians, I was shocked at Dimgba’s
death, but we should know that he died a hero. Dimgba and Mike’s story
is the story of a Nigerian dream where two people from different tribes live
together and are friends for years. I planned to be at the launch personally,
but because of my visit to France, I
could not make it. I urge Awoyinfa
to carry on and prove to the world that despite our differences, we can still
co-exist peacefully”

Veteran Columnist Mohammed Haruna with a guest stepping home after the event

Between Odia Ofeinum and Louis Odion
All through
the event, veteran poet journalist, Odia
Ofeinum
never allowed Edo state Commissioner for information and Strategy, Louis Odion have his peace. The elderly
poet like a Romeo to his Juliet kept whispering something “sweetie” into Louis’ ears, and in most cases the
handsome Louis either reacted with a
smile, a laugh or a nod. But it took a long while into the end of the program
before the former Weekend Concord; Thisday and Daily Sun editor realized what his old colleague wanted.  The poet-journalist slipped an SOS envelope
into Louis’s hand titled “One-Author-Exhibition”. The elderly man wanted the
Edo state commissioner for strategy to ‘strategically’ hand over the bill to
the comrade-governor, Adams Aliyu
Oshiomhole
for support and sponsorship.

Veteran Journalist Soji Akinrinade (R) with a guest

The fear of “The New Sheriff in town”
The
atmosphere of the event was devoid of any act of flamboyancy as many who came
out to make donations declined to make their donations public, instead,
majority promised to either see  Mike Awoyinfa in camera or go in
through other means; Professor Adebayo
Williams
actually started the entire drama by telling a bewildered crowd of
guest that he could not announce his donation from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
as “a new sheriff is in town” and “the Sheriff is well represented here”
(Referring to Mrs. Oluseyi Abegunle
of Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation) Other donors equally
followed the Prof’s line by making their donations anonymous until when Osun
state  Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola’s man broke the row!

Veteran Journalist Araba Tola Adeniyi with Source Publisher, Comfort Obi

How Slot boss, Nnamdi Ezeigbo bought
a copy of “50 Editors” for N500K
If there is
one man who must have cherished the ten years research and hard work of Mike Awoyinfa and late Dimgba Igwe on the book “50 World Editors”
more than anyone else, that person is SLOT Telephones Chairman, Nnamdi Ezeigbo. The very innovative
Telephone business guru stormed the event with his pretty wife, Nkechi and spent just an hour before he
took his exit. As he made to leave the venue, the Igbo business man was sighted
signing a GT Bank cheque of Five Hundred Thousand naira
for just a copy. His act, though very silent was instructive of the fact that
the SLOT guy is a big reader. A reader is indeed a leader.

Rep of President Buhari Mrs. Oluseyi Abegunde, Mrs. Obioma Igwe & Aremo Segun Osoba launching the book

How Prof. Adebayo Williams smuggled
Dele Giwa’s flesh into the event
It was
during the rendering of his speech and intent to launch that Professor Adebayo Williams, the scholar and journalist who represented Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu smuggled late Dele
Giwa’s
flesh into the venue. He started by
by saluting
all the veteran journalists in the house like Chief Tola Adeniyi, Mohammed
Haruna, Ray Ekpu, Soji Akinrinade who he described as “The General in the
profession”, Louis Odion and many others seated in the venue. He later launched
the book by saying “I will not speak for long, I am representing Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and he has asked me
to launch this book with an undisclosed and an undisclosed-able amount of money
because you know as they say, ‘there is a new sheriff in town’ and he is well
represented here.  The Prof added “Two
things to say; a lot of people here today has contributed not just to the
history of journalism but the history of Nigeria. It is often said that
journalism is the fourth estate of the realm but as a matter of fact in
Nigeria, it is often the first estate. So, many, many journalists have been martyred
in the course of Nigeria’s history and this book should be a tribute to all of
them. I will also say that the Nigerian political theatre has turned out so
many politicians who began as journalists. Just look back, Awolowo, Zik and Chief Segun Osoba here and that being
said, a lot of journalists have suffered. But I want to bring this to a close
by reminding Ray Ekpu of a
particular incident. I went to his house a week after Dele Giwa has been
murdered and Ray told me that “Do
you know that last night I went to pick something in Dele’s residence and I
tripped on something and when I picked it up, it was a huge chunk of human
flesh. That was Dele’s flesh”. I thank God we have survived this far”.  The Prof ended his speech as the crowd
applauded.

Thisday
Newspaper GMD, Eniola Bello with IPI Secretary in Nigeria & Former
Kwara State Commissioner for Information, Raheem Adedoyin

Ex-Kwara Commissioner, Raheem Adedoyin stood for IPI
Raheem Adedoyin a former Commissioner for
Information and Strategy in Kwara state was the cynosure of all eyes when he
stormed the podium as he eulogized the authors for a job well done and equally
saluted the memory of late Dimgba Igwe as one of Nigeria’s best. Adedoyin who is now the Secretary of International
Press Institute (IPI) in Nigeria later donated a sum of hundred thousand on
behalf of IPI before marching down the stage amidst applause.

MD,
Vanguard Newspaper and former President, Guild of Editors, Gbenga
Adefaye (M) with Alhaji Hakeem Bello (R) with another guest

How Igwe, Awoyinfa helped Orji Kalu
by Lagos SSG

 He did not just come as a representative of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, even though
his presence over shadowed that of Folarin
Adeyemi,
Perm Sec- Lagos state Ministry of Information, Tunji Bello, a veteran journalist
and  the present Secretary to the
Government of Lagos is an old student of the Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba
Igwe
School of Journalism. Hear what he said about his old boss “Mr. Dimgba Igwe and his brother and my boss
for life, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa actually
brought in a lot of innovation to the feature desk of National Concord at that
time, and that was where we had the idea of Weekend Concord. It was a
Friday column at that time, it wasn’t a newspaper. It was a Friday column in
our paper and that was when Dr. Doyin
Abiola
the editor-in-chief at the time, now thought of an idea and said
‘ok, we can create a Saturday paper and that was how Mr. Mike Awoyinfa was
given a chance and he created the Weekend Concord out of Friday
features desk. In fact, the founding team of Weekend Concord at that
time, half of them came from feature desk. People like Richard Mofe Damijo, Dele
Momodu, all of them came from the
features desk.

Ray Ekpu wih Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin

When we left Weekend Concord and we were
setting up Daily Sun, I remember that I was also part of that crew and the
publisher of The Sun will remember, he had a different newspaper in mind but
when Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba came on board, they made a
change because I was also part of that team and that was how they came with the
idea of The Sun and the story is there for everybody to see today. So,
we are celebrating some of the people who have made impact in journalism and it
is in course of this that I came to honor my former editor and he is still my
boss. So, I am here and I will make my own donation privately”.

Some Lovely guests at the event

The Homosexual gist by Louis Odion
One man who
made many laugh out Loud (LOL) at the event is the Edo State Commissioner for
Information and Strategy, Louis Odion.
The very old student of the Mike
Awoyinfa
and Dimgba Igwe School
of Journalism represents Edo state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole and he said;
“First thing
first, sincere apologies from comrade governor, he would have loved to be here
today, particularly to honor the author but this event coincides with our state
executive council meeting which holds today. 
So, he asked me to represent him. I am coming in two capacities
actually, to represent the Governor and also myself. Listening to my MD for
life Mr. Awoyinfa, listening to him
talking about his departed twin brother, my mind went back to when we were
together in Daily Sun. when Sun started in 2003, he happened to be the MD
then and Dimgba was the DMD. When he said he lost his life the
day Dimgba died, I think that was
very, very true. As a matter of fact, anyone who knew Dimgba Igwe and Mike
Awoyinfa
wouldn’t believe that Mike
will survive for a year after Dimgba’s
departure. Mike was on the quite
side, Dimgba was the one who did the
talking even whenever we have board meetings in those days it was Dimgba who presided. They had this
indescribable bond between them. So, I like to congratulate Mike Awoyinfa for keeping the flag
flying. It is not easy but I think you have also proved a point with this”.  The Commissioner later made the listening
crowd to laugh out loud “I will like to share a joke. Once in the past, a
popular publisher in Lagos told a colleague, he said “the way this people (Mike
& Dimgba) move around together, holding each other, are you sure they are
not gay?” (Roaring Laughter)  On that
note, I will like to launch two copies on behalf of comrade governor, Governor
Adams Oshiomhole in a sum he has
asked me to keep confidential to the author. And I will also launch a copy by
myself with a sum of fifty thousand
naira

Lagos
State SSG, Tunji Bello, Daily Sun, Ghana Bureau Chief, Shola Oshunkeye
with Thisday Newspaper Executive Director, Kayode Komolafe

The Poorest Governor Award
Winner of
the Poorest Gubernatorial donation is Governor
Idris Wada
of Kogi State. His Representative, Mr. Mohammed Haruna the
veteran journalist started by recalling his last moment with Dimgba Igwe at a Guild of Editors event
in Katsina state few days to his death. He described the late Dimgba as a sincere and honest person “He
is a columnist who writes with integrity and who writes without malice. I
remember when I was critical of Okonjo
Iweala
over a particular subject, he took me on and you could see from the
way he is writing that this is somebody who was writing straight from his
heart, he meant what he said and he marshaled his facts, he marshaled his
arguments. This is the gentleman that we will truly miss”

Pastor Paul Toun, General Overseer, Evangel Pentecostal Church (M) with wife and a guest

Haruna who is a famous columnist told the
gathering why Governor Wada couldn’t
make it down, hear him “Governor Wada had to catch a flight and he said that I
should announce that he is buying two books for a hundred thousand naira.
I myself, I am going to buy four books for Fifty
Thousand Naira
. I still have an important editor that some of you will
know, she is the first and the only female editor of New Nigeria (Bilikisu Yussuf who later died on Thursday 24th
of September during the 717 stampede
at Mina, near Mecca, Saudi Arabia)
and she was a columnist and a board member of the IPI, she couldn’t come, she
really wanted to be here but she is probably on her way to Saudi Arabia for Hajj. So, I have taken four copies; a copy for
her, a copy for myself. I used to teach in the Mass Communications department of
Ahmadu Bello University. I believe these
books will be very, very useful for the students. So, two of those copies I am
going to give to the department. Thank you very much”

Chairman of the Event & former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba with Professor Adebayo Williams

The Richest Governor Award!
 Governor
Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola
won award for Richest Gubernatorial donations. His
representative Dr. Waheed Ipaye who
broke the row of fear of “a new sheriff” in town said proudly “I recognize the
presence of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ably represented,
the chairman of this event, incidentally he is one of our leaders, Chief Segun Osoba, the author…’let me
stand ‘under’ existing protocol. Distinguish guests, ladies and gentle men. I
am here to represent the Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji
Aregbesola.
He sent his unreserved apology for his inability to be here
this morning. He would have loved to be here, to rejoice and of course be in
the same mood with the family of the late Dimgba
Igwe
, particularly in the first year anniversary that we lost this rare
gem. But because of the existing state matters, he could not be here today,
hence I am representing him. Ipaye
described Dimgba Igwe as one of the pillars of support
who helped Governor Rauf Aregbesola
recover his stolen mandate in Osun State between 2008 and 2010 when the
governor and his team were visiting various tribunals and courts to fight for
the release of the mandate. He recalled how Dimgba supported them through articles and opinions and for such,
he was a rare breed.  Ipaye said “He gave
encouragement and made a sacrifice and because of all these attributes, the
governor was able to fight on and of course, he got his mandate back, now
running for his second term. So, we want to appreciate the family of late Dimgba Igwe for holding themselves together
for the last one year and particularly to forge ahead despite the loss of this
great man and industrious son of Nigeria”.

Mr
& Mrs. Awoyinfa with Mrs. Gloria Oriakwu aka ‘Aunty Mazu’ with
others soround Mrs. Obioma Igwe as she renders her emotion filled Vote
of Thanks

Dr. Waheed Ipaye who is presently contesting for the
post of Chairman, Ojokoro LCDA became the first man to announce a big amount
without fear. Hear him “Incidentally majority of the donors live in Lagos where
the EFCC has its headquarters, so they could not make their donations in
public. But Osun is far from Lagos.
So, we don’t know if any EFCC official will want to come to Osun. On that note we are taking 10 copies of this book for Five hundred thousand Naira

Mrs. Bukola Awoyinfa with Mrs. Obioma Igwe shares moments of emotional pain

How Mike Awoyinfa ensured Dimgba was
buried in an expensive casket by Eze Ndigbo
His name is Eze Uche Dimgba the Eze
Ndigbo of Ikeja land
and Okdotemba
1
of Igbere land in Abia state. He narrated how Mike Awoyinfa
reacted when a casket was to be purchased to burry late Dimgba Igwe
”It was a
terrible moment during the planning of our brothers funeral and Mike Awoyinfa was not himself all through. Whatever we said, he will not
alter a word. I was now thinking in my mind, if this man continued like this
let it not be that one corpse will not turn to two o, we continued planning.
When we got to the place where we want to write the amount to buy the casket
for Dimgba, he (Mike) rose up like a
lion, he said ‘no, no, no, no, that amount is too small’ I said why?’ he said
‘I have already made arrangement of the casket we are going to use to bury my
friend and my brother’. Then I asked Dimgba
Igwe’s
immediate younger brother who was with us. He reminded me the amount
Dimgba Igwe used to buy the casket
which he used to burry his mother. I now said ‘okay’ and we approved that
amount. When we got to Igbere, I saw
life come back to Mr. Mike Awoyinfa.
He had always been a part of us in Igbere
when Dimgba was alive. In any
ceremony we organize there, he will be attending. At the end of the day he
(Mike Awoyinfa) made a promise and said ‘I will never disappoint Igbere people and Dimgba Igwe’s family’.

1st and 4th MD & E-in-C of Daily Sun, Mike Awoyinfa and Eric Osagie

I
have been watching him and he has been consistent. I read the advert of this
great event on the internet when I was in the US and immediately I came back I
received a text and I said ‘I will be here today’. The Igbo traditional leader
went further to admonish Nigerians on peaceful co-existence “I wouldn’t thank
you enough but I want to tell Nigerians that the relationship between this two
people is an eye opener for those of us who are very, very tribalistic. This is
a man from Yoruba land and the other one from Igbere in Abia state,
they lived like brothers, and they do everything together. And even death did
not depart them. So, after today, those of you who still do not see anything
good from the other tribe will think better now because we have to live
together like brothers. It doesn’t matter where you come from, Yoruba, Hausa or
wherever. This man (Mike Awoyinfa) is a true Nigerian and I want to
congratulate him, I want to say God will continue to bless you” The Igbo Chief
like Louis Odion made guests have a LOL as he departs  “But remember that you made one promise also.
You know Dimgba used to call you
“Iniquity” and you said that you will not be “Iniquity” again (Laughter) I am
still waiting for you to do that. If you get out of iniquity, I will follow
you”  “today is a great day, we are no
longer sorrowing but we are celebrating. I have already made my cheque
available which I will hand over to Mike
Awoyinfa
before I leave here today. Congratulations. God bless you”.

A banner of the Late Great Journalist and Tabloid Legend, Dimgba Igwe with the set to be launched books

The Highest Donor Award goes to…
The highest
Single Person donor Award was picked by Dr.
Orji Uzor Kalu,
Chairman SLOK Group and Sun Publishing Ltd.  He picked the award in absentia as Eric Osagie, the MD and Editor-in-Chief
of the Sun Newspaper announced his
donation by saying “Our Chairman could not  be here personally because he had to travel
abroad, Most of the time he is out of the country, he has asked me to make a
donation of One Million Naira for
him. And it will be redeemed today or tomorrow. And for Sun publishing Ltd, we would buy some copies for Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira”.

The Journalism Bible; ’50 World Editors’

The Peter Obi drama
It actually
happened with the presence of one Vincent
Ejikeme Ezewajiakwu
who claims to be a former commissioner under Governor Peter Obi of Anambra state. He
was actually mistaken by Gbenga Adeyinka
the MC as a reigning commissioner for Information and Strategy. What actually
happened was that this ambitious Anambra man must have sent his name forward
promising to launch a copy not knowing that he only wanted to flaunt the
unnecessary “absence of his former boss” in a big way. The MC had handed the
microphone to him when the drama unfolded to the embarrassment of distinguished
Nigerians like Aremo Olusegun Osoba and other members of the high table.
Hear our man speak “Please, let me use the microphone” he commanded Adeyinka who quickly handed it to him. “Good
afternoon, Ladies and Gentle Men, members of the High Table, distinguished
guests. I am here on behalf of his Excellency, Peter Obi (Crowd surprised as they didn’t hear Obiano) who is
unavoidably absent, yea, former governor of Anambra state please!” Ezewajiakwu re-emphasized what is now
silently sees as aggravated foolishness “I am personally representing him and I
am a former commissioner not a present commissioner” the funny man declared
amidst mixed reaction from an embarrassed and murmuring crowd of guests.  “Please! So, I am here to represent him, he
told me to inform you that he is in Europe, especially Switzerland that he would have been here but as soon as he comes
back, that he is going to do the needful. He didn’t ask me to make a donation
on his behalf but just to represent him physically”. The Microphone was quickly
taken from him to halt further embarrassment.

SLOT Telecommunications Ltd boss, Nnamdi Ezeugo with wife, Nkechi
Edo State Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Barrister Louis Odion with Poet Journalist Odia Ofeinum

What Larry Izamoje promised Mike
Awoyinfa
The founder
of Nigeria’s number 1 Sport Radio Station, Brilla
FM
appears to have stormed the event with an uncommon wisdom within him.
When he was called upon to launch the book “50
World Editors”
He went philosophical after his salutation to the high table
guests. “I am a reporter. I can assure you that I will report everything that
has happened here (Laughter) the Brilla
FM
boss went noticed public sarcasm on him and said  “Somebody is saying ‘leave that to the boys’
the boys will report everything. Rather than launch, we will make Mike an offer. Once you know the sales
points for this book, let us know and on Brilla
FM
stations here in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna and Onitsha, we will aggressively
promote those outlets for one month. We believe in your dream and that of your
friend Dimgba; that people who
aspire to become first brain journalists like you would have good books to read
and be guided. Therefore, we will take this matter out of these four walls to
the world (Applauses). Because we also have writers in our own offices, we have
taken 3 copies of your book; I will add the fourth one as I leave so that our
men will also have something to read. We have dropped a small cheque which we will
not report. I congratulate you and I ask that God will continue to have his
mighty hand on the family of our friend”
Brilla FM founder, Larry Izamoje (L) with a guest

The Ezeugos of SLOT Phone with Bishop Erumoka

We are Part Authors of 50 World
Editors by Tony Onyima
It was the
voice of immediate past commissioner for Information and Strategy in Anambra
State, Tony Onyima  the man who took over from Mike Awoyinfa as MD
and E-in-C  at The Sun Newspaper. He
said “Distinguished ladies and gentle men, I find it very, very emotional to
stand up here and make few remarks. Between Mike and Dimgba, I had the pleasure and privilege to work with them
and it was very pleasurable and at times not too pleasurable because I needed
to manage two of them at any point in time. I learnt a lot from two of them,
from Mike I learnt the power of
silence and from Dimgba, he went
beyond the call of duty because at any point in time, he is interested not only
in your official life but in your private life. It was a very big task for me;
you can imagine, when I was asked to take over from these two gentle men. It
was difficult but with the support of the entire SUNshine family, we were
able to make our stripe. It was very unfortunate that this sad thing happened
on that unfortunate September 6th
morning. I want to thank God that his entire family and friends have endured up
till now. This book, like Eric said in his review, I think all of us can claim
rights as “part authors” because during those travels around the world, while
they were away we were keeping the house for them. Louis, Eric and all of
us can claim authorship of the book because at times when they come back,
typical of Dimgba the teacher, he
will tell us what and what has happened and who and who they met. At one point
in time we were asking ‘Oga, when shall we see this book?’ he said ‘Hold on’. For
that reason, ladies and gentle men, I will have to do what I consider very,
very unique. I belong to many school of journalism; one is the Nduka Irabor School of journalism.
Another one is Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe School of journalism. I will take five copies of this
book and I will make sure these different schools I belong get one copy each.
And the other copies will go to my real school; I will send them to my
department. And I will do that with a very small sum of Eighty Thousand Naira”.

VIPS Launch the book ’50 World Editors’

Chief Ziggy Azike is most historic
Personality of the event
Influential
lawyer and politician, Chief Ziggy Azike
KSC became the most historic personality and guest at the launching of the book
“50 World Editors”. History has it
that in 1989, he was at the launching of Mike
Awoyinfa
and Dimgba Igwe’s first
book “The
Art of Features Writing”
where late Chief MKO Abiola was the Chief launcher. As he stepped out of the
event he confirmed the story to Asabeafrika “Yes, I was here when
they launched their very first book, and I remember I and the late Chief MKO Abiola were both major
celebrants of that day and the next edition of Weekend Concord, both of us were on the cover where he raised my
hand. So, I am just repeating history. I am happy that it is a good history”
the Principal Counsel of adroit lex & Co confirmed to
this blog.

The Book Reviewer Eric Osagie, MD & E-in-C, Sun Newspaper

And Obioma Igwe broke down in tears
It was while
delivering her speech and vote of thanks that the widow of the late Dimgba Igwe, Mrs. Obioma Igwe who was ably supported by her two beautiful and
charming daughters Glory and Victory broke down in tears. She
suddenly stopped and buried her head on the podium crying not until a
reasonable crowd of guests in the hall encouraged her by saying “You can do it,
you can do it, you can” and followed up with applauses did Mrs. Igwe recovered her composure and continued the speech. She was
later supported by her husband’s twin brother and friend Mike Awoyinfa and wife, Bukola.
Funny enough, Mrs. Bukola Awoyinfa
later lost her composure as well as she unleashed a torrent of tears while
leading Mrs. Igwe out of stage. The
two women both cried and consoled each other. It was a very interesting moment.
Very sober one.

Victory Igwe

A book by Mike Igwe & Dimgba
Awoyinfa…..

Very funny
comedian and Master of Ceremony Gbenga
Adeyinka 1st ,
CFR (Comedian of the Federal Republic of Nigeria)
rounded up at exactly 1:30pm by thanking guests who attended the launching of a
great book by, listen; Mike Igwe and
Dimgba Awoyinfa! (Laughter in the
entire hall) he threw the joke after the rendition of National Anthem.
  

Guests at the event
Guests at the Book Launch
Guests @ the Book Launch

Glory Igwe
Eze Uche Dimgba, Eze Ndigbo of Ikeja with Mrs. Bukola Awoyinfa & Mrs. Obioma Igwe

Chief Ziggy Azike
Chief Ziggy Azike with a guest

Chief Tony Onyima (L) with a guest

Chief Press Secretary to Immediate Past Governor, Raji Fashola, Alhaji Hakeem Bello with Lagos SSG, Tunji Bello
Aremo Olusegun Osoba giving his Opening Speech at the Occassion
Araba Tola Adeniyi (L) Mohammed Haruna (R) with a guest
A VIP Guest at the book launch