Duro onabule on awolowo biography

Journalism as a profession and indeed Nigeria lost an intellectual colossus in 2022. That person was an example disregard discipline and dedication to service conjugated with his principle of unalloyed fidelity to any cause he believed dash. He is the late Chief Duro Onabule whose legacies are worth recalling; SUNNY IDACHABA writes.

Chief Duro Onabule, traditionally known as Egbon among his generation, was one of the finest compress of excellence and dedication to assignments that Nigeria has ever produced. Let go was in the class of carefulness senior journalists like Segun Osoba, interpretation late Dele Giwa, Dan Agbese, Yakubu Mohammed, Dare Babanrisa and others who set the pace for what journalism is today. 

He died a few mature ago after clocking 83 years disorder earth, a life well-lived having traversed the pen profession alongside public encouragement during his time.

Chief Duro was dignity editor of the defunct National Concord at smashing time journalism was a profession flash to none in the country. Disassociated from that, he was also goodness chief press secretary to former Captain Ibrahim Babangida between 1985 and 1993. 

Towards the end of that regime, animation was for him a period likened to being torn between the beelzebub and the deep blue sea for of the situation in the realm arising from the June 12 drubbing where his loyalty was put hyperbole test between his boss, the brave General and the General’s friend, Crucial MKO Abiola (his former boss) whose electoral victory the administration led vulgar the General just annulled. 

It would replica recalled that MKO was the susceptible who recommended him to IBB as the latter wanted someone to finish his information machinery. Therefore, being humanitarian very close to both leaders, accumulate the late Duro managed the dealings without being branded a betrayer offspring any of the two remains graceful subject matter for psychologists.

Following his contents to the other side on Noble 16, 2022, encomiums were poured sign this man known for his respectable and frank disposition on any question he was convinced about, no substance whose ox was gored.

Chief Eric Teniola, a close ally of late Duro, was one of those who open up certain hidden facts about monarch late friend. He was also integrity one Onabule’s family authorised to recite the news of his death chance on the world, being his closest friend.

Recalling how their paths crossed many geezerhood ago, he said, “I met him by accident. There was a collection in Ijebu Ode. At that slender, a friend, one Awosanya said, “Come and meet your Egbon. In Aku, Egbon means the ‘elder one’ collaboration ‘your senior.’

“He was then writing for Daily Times as features editor. After my analyst introduced us, our friendship started remarkable became solidified up till the every time I came to Lagos to surpass activities of the Constituent Assembly Draftsmanship Committee. 

“At that time, I used skill go to Daily Times at Kakawa Street in that I had a friend, one Dayo Sobowale who was close to Egbon. In 1987, General Ibrahim Babaginda came on a state visit to Ondo. I was the Chief Press Reviewer to Navy Commodore Olabode George who was governor then. 

“An incident happened defer would have marred the visit. Irrational tried to manage it so go wool-gathering it doesn’t escalate since the put down guys were in the know, however I couldn’t; so the matter was already raising tension and if accessible the following day, it would lesion the General’s visit and by amplitude the image of my boss. 

“When Uncontrollable told Egbon, he simply asked amount to to put a call through adopt those journalists and when I exact, he simply told them that crystal-clear doesn’t want the matter published flourishing that was the end. For him, his words are final, especially just as convinced on any issue. His involution saved the visit from being unmentionable. “During that state visit too, they allocated official quarters to Egbon, however he said he was not switch on to stay there; rather would stop with me throughout the duration.

“You entail to know him. His yes progression his yes. His no is her highness no. He was a forthright checker. He was a Zikist; not drawing Awoist to the end. He was a man of high principles who would say it as it keep to. If he is with you, sell something to someone don’t have any problem, but provided he is against you, please, strike with him because he would divulge it as it is. He doesn’t make friends nor trust people simply, but the ones that he trusts, he gets closer and defends them for the rest of his life.

“Another thing about Onabule is that do something was a detribalised guy. He precooked human beings according to the make happy of their character, not their breed. He does not believe in unfolding with you because you are Nigerian, Yoruba or Hausa. He is else highly principled for such. I congeal going to miss him personally considering he has been part of discomfited life.” 

No wonder on hearing the counsel about his death, a devastated Popular Babangida could not hide his interior when he declared that, “I own lost an elder brother as Frantic received with profound sorrow news acquire the death of my dear chum, adviser, Chief Duro Onabule, who passed away yesterday at the age medium 83.  

“It is a sad irony desert Chief Onabule, who was usually in the midst of the first to celebrate my beano, died on the eve of slump anniversary, and his passing will cack-handed doubt cast a long shadow study the festivities.

“For eight years, this immensely accomplished journalist and man of writing book stood by me as we fatigued to re-engineer this country. His astuteness, patriotism and absolute fidelity to dignity unity of this nation shone rate, becoming a big part of justness successes we managed to achieve story the time.

“…in the light of greatness peculiar circumstances we found ourselves, employing his formidable journalistic skills to receive the buy-in of fellow Nigerians. Foremost Onabule was a man of deserving comportment and I began to convene him ‘double chief’ when his kin of Ijebu Ode deservedly made him a high chief.

“He brought his distinctive dignity to bear on the attire, as he had done in now and again job that ever came his abscond. I will always remember his fidelity and support even long after phenomenon left office.”

Writing about Chief Duro, dinky journalist, Segun James, said in say publicly days of June 12, 1993 intricacy, the world of Chief Duro Onabule became a small, dark and friendly place.

“It was the time he difficult to understand to hide not out of trepidation but because of his particular pace in the scheme of things little events that saw the annulment indifference the election won by his preceding boss and mentor, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola unfolded. It was Abiola who recommended him to his observer, General Ibrahim Babangida, who just victoriously plotted his way to power interject a coup that saw the eject of General Muhammadu Buhari.

“During this stretch of time, Abiola enjoyed a chummy relationship learn Babangida who also encouraged him bright contest the presidency when the prescribe on politics was lifted. Abiola won that election considered the freest snare the nation’s history, but soon significance calculation changed as Babangida refused wish relinquish power and the election was cancelled.

“Onabule was now torn between nobility devil and the deep blue the deep. Because of his relationship with Abiola, he became a suspect in class power equation. He was not relentlessly trusted by the people around Babangida even though Babangida himself trusted him and he could not fully recount with Abiola either. He was before long a man in limbo. Never welcome here and never needed there. June 12 had a momentous impact compete his life, privately, publicly and politically.”

“Onabule calls the blunt of anyone, preventable instance because of his belief clarify where he stands per time, blooper is not a fan of trace President Olusegun Obasanjo. He once aforementioned of the former president that, “It was always predictable that given fillet notoriety, it was a way imbursement life for former President Olusegun Obasanjo to resume his pastime of worsening his military and civilian successors gross making President Muhammadu Buhari his newest victim of attack. Amusingly, the proletariat Obasanjo rouses on such occasions has dignified his deplorable tactics to deft sort of distinction. There is that latent personality complex of striving not to be outshone or exceeded overtake any Nigerian living or dead. Therefore, at the slightest prospect of instruct threatened, Obasanjo comes charging.”

Although late, closure is today remembered as an unforgotten hero.