Buhari, Osoba, Obi, Dania of Auchi, Agba, Ibori, Sanwo-Olu, Amaechi, others mourn

By Clifford Ndujihe, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Omezia Ajayi, Johnbosco AgbakwuruOzioruva Aliu & Olayinka Ajayi

ELDER Statesman, media czar, lawyer and politician, Prince Tony Momoh, yesterday, passed on exactly 85 days to his 82nd birthday.

Born on April 27, 1939 in Auchi, Edo State as the 165th child of King Momoh I of Auchi, Prince Momoh was vivacious and full of life when he granted his last interview to Vanguard on January 20, 2021.

Confirming his death, his son, Abdulrasheed Momoh, said he died in a private hospital in Abuja, yesterday afternoon.

‘’Daddy has been ill for some time due to old age. He died some hours ago in a private hospital in Abuja. I am in Lagos now. I will go to Abuja tomorrow, ‘’ he told Vanguard on phone at 7.15 pm, yesterday.

The death of Prince Momoh, who left indelible marks in journalism, law, administration and political strategy elicited eulogies, yesterday, from  some eminent Nigerians.

President Muhammadu Buhari expressed grief at the passing of his long time ally, friend, political loyalist.

President Buhari said Prince Momoh stood with him through thick and thin, adding: “His brand of loyalty is very rare in the politics of today. I will greatly miss him.”

The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, recalled that as chairman, Media and Publicity of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) Campaign Organisation in the 2003 and 2007 elections as well as Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the late Auchi Prince contributed in no small measure to the growth and strengthening of the organizations, leading to the eventual formation of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

President Buhari commiserated with the media industry on the loss of a veteran, who put in a lot to raise the bar of the profession in various ways as editor, manager, administrator, President and Trustee of the Guild of Editors, urging them to sustain his legacies.

He also condoled with the Auchi Kingdom, the government and people of Edo State on this great loss, the President prayed that God will grant the departed eternal rest and comfort family, friends and political associates in this period of grief.

Osoba, Obi, Dania of Auchi, Agba, Ibori, Sanwo— Olu, Amaechi, others mourn

Former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, said Prince Momoh would be sorely missed in the Media profession.

His words: ‘’Prince Momoh was truly a princely journalist. He was a powerful member of the intellectual wing of the profession. He brought deep thoughts and serious mindedness into the profession. He was nicknamed lawyer-journalist by late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and he lived up to it. He left an indelible mark in the media. God bless his soul.’’

Also, former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi,  described Prince Tony Momoh as a renowned Journalist who was committed to the good of the country.

Mr. Obi prayed God to grant him eternal rest, and  called for the continued deepening of the ethos of journalism through looking up to the legacies of men such as Prince Momoh.

The Dania of Auchi Kingdom, Alhaji Usman Abudah; and Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba yesterday described the death of Prince Tony Momoh as a big loss to the country and Edo State.

The Dania of Auchi Sacred kingdom, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State where Prince Momoh hailed from, Alhaji Usman Abudah, described his death as “a big loss. It is a loss to the Ikelebe dynasty of Auchi, it is a loss to Edo State. He was a self-made man, his yes was his yes, he will never look into any matter because you are his relation, he will give verdict on any issue how he sees it. He was the second of the mother’s three sons for Momoh I.”

According to Abudah, who Momoh’s cousin,  the deceased attended Government School, Auchi from where he proceeded to Abudu Grade III Teacher’s College from there he went to Government Teachers College in Abraka, present day Delta State.

Dennis Idahosa, Member Representing Ovia Federal Constituency, Edo state expressed shock and sadness over the death of Prince Tony Momoh, describing it as a huge loss to Edo and the nation at large.

The member representing Ovia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in a statement by his Media Aide, Friday Aghedo described Momoh as an accomplished journalist, politician and patriotic Nigerian.

Former President of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Peter Esele, said: “It was a big loss to Nigeria and Edo in particular. A worthy son of Edo, he contributed so much to everything he  found himself doing. He was well known in the media and politics. Whatever he touched became gold. He will be greatly missed, and I pray God grants the family d fortitude to bear his demise.’’

Former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori said that with the passing of Prince Tony Momoh, Nigeria has lost a remarkable elder statesman – a renowned journalist, the first Chairman, Board of Directors of the Independent Newspapers Ltd (INL), an eminent public servant, a totally detribalised Nigerian, and a pillar of the APC, who nevertheless, had a rewarding relationship with members of the other political parties.

Chief Ibori said: “Though Prince Tony Momoh and I were never in the same party all through, he was civilized enough to respect the boundaries of friendship.”.

Ibori recalled that he and the late Prince Momoh had a rewarding friendship that lasted for decades. This bond became stronger when Prince Momoh graciously served as the first Chairman, Board of Directors of the Independent Newspapers Ltd (INL). He said that in that capacity, Tony Momoh’s professionalism was on display as he reached into the great depths of his experience and journalism prowess to help give birth to an exciting newspaper stable which introduced many novel features into Nigerian journalism.

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Chief Ibori condoled Tony Momoh’s family and the Auchi Ruling House for this pronounced loss and prayed that God will give them the fortitude to bear this loss and grant Momoh’s soul eternal rest.

Momoh’s services impacted on Nigeria’s devt – Amaechi

Also speaking, Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, described late Momoh as a Nigerian compatriot and colossus whose services impacted national development especially in journalism. According to Amaechi: “It is sad to witness the death of such a colossus and a literary giant especially in journalism. He is a Nigerian patriot whose services impacted on the development of the nation. May God give his family the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.”

It’s a colossal loss to Nigeria, says Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu described the death of Prince Tony Momoh, as a colossal loss to Nigeria and the ruling APC.

Sanwo-Olu in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gboyega Akosile, said the death of the elder statesman, politician and journalist was painful and heartbreaking.

The governor urged family, friends and colleagues of the deceased as well as leadership of the APC to work towards immortalising the late Momoh, saying what he stood for and advocated during his lifetime was a better Nigeria.

He said: “The death of Prince Tony Momoh is a great loss to Nigeria. The late Momoh made lots of positive impact in Nigeria during his life time as a journalist, media manager, lawyer, politician and elder statesman.

“As Minister of Information and Culture between 1986 and 1990 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, Prince Momoh served his nation meritoriously.

“As a democrat, he played active roles in the formation of various political platforms at the transition stage of Nigeria from military dictatorship to civilian rule. He led his former party, the CPC to form the APC with other political Parties and contributed positively to the party’s victories in the 2015 and 2019 general elections.

“I sympathise with President Muhammadu Buhari, the entire leadership and members of our party.

I also commiserate with Government and people of Edo State on the loss of their illustrious son.

“I pray that God will grant him eternal rest and give the immediate family and friends the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

His footprints on sands of time

Momoh attended Government School Auchi (1949–1954) and Anglican School Okpe (1954).He was Pupil Teacher at the Anglican School, Auchi (January–December 1955) and Headmaster at the Anglican School, Ubuneke, Ivbiaro, Owan Local Government (January 1958 – December 1959).He went to the Provincial Teachers Training College, Abudu, Edo State and Government Teachers College, Abraka in Western Region (1960–1961).

Later, while working at the Daily Times or on sabbatical, he attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (September 1964 – October 1966) where he earned a degree in Mass communication, and then the University of Lagos where he studied Law. He attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos (October 1974 – May 1975), and was called to the bar in June 1975

Momoh started his journalism career as a sub-editor at the Daily Times in October 1962, rising steadily through the ranks to become Editor and deputy general manager (June 1976 – May 1980).

Momoh was general manager of the Times from June 1984 to Sept 1986.

He was appointed Minister of Information and Culture by General Ibrahim Babangida, holding this position from September 1986 until 1990. He was Chairman of the African Conference of Information Ministers from 1988 to 1990.

Momoh was Chairman of the board of directors of Nigerian Airways from 1991 to 1993. He was appointed a member of the Edo State Economic Advisory Committee in 1991, and a member of the Nigerian Press Council in December 1992. For many years in the 1990s he was one of the directors of Newswatch magazine, said to have a circulation of 150,000 copies in Africa, Europe and North America at its peak

Momoh’s battle for journalism

In 1981, according to Wikipedia,  the Senate led by Joseph Wayas summoned Momoh for contempt. This caused a major legal battle in which Momoh successfully argued that as a journalist he was empowered by the constitution to hold government accountable at all times.

In  Tony Momoh v. Speaker, House of Representatives  (1982) it was held that a person had the right to refuse to disclose their source of information.

However, in Senate v. Tony Momoh (1983) the Court of Appeals held that the press is not a fourth arm of government. A newspaper publisher has no special immunity and the press can be ordered to disclose its sources in some cases.

Momoh the political strategist

The late elder statesman also made his mark in politics where played at the very top. He was one of the foundingmembers of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and director of the Alex Ekwueme Presidential Campaign Organization in1999.

He chaired the screening committee and conducted the PDP Governorship and State House of Assembly primaries in Kano for the 1999 general elections.

Following the ‘maltreatment’ of Ekwueme and other issues, Momoh left the PDP for then main opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, as the 2003 general polls approached. He teamed up General Muhammadu Buhari.

He was chairman, Media and Publicity of the ANPP Campaign Organisation in the 2003 and 2007 elections that fought Buhari’s presidential election battles.. He was also chairman of the Political Committee of the Muhammadu Buhari Organisation.

In January 2011, Prince Momoh was appointed chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in the lead-up to the April 2011 national elections, with Malam Buba Galadima as national secretary. This was the platform on which Major General Buhari sought the presidency for the third time in a roll.

Following Buhari’s loss at the April 2011 elections, Momoh asserted that massive rigging had taken place. However, he described the CPC as a mass movement that was bound to grow and achieve the high goals of its founders.

Indeed, the CPC merged with ANPP, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to form the All Progressives Congress, APC in 2014. the party fielded Buhari as its presidential standard bearer and went on to win the 2015 election. It was the first time that an opposition party would beat the ruling party in a presidential election in Nigeria. Prince Momoh was one of those who led the campaign for Buhari

How to save Nigeria – Momoh

In his last interview with Vanguard, published last Saturday, Prince Momoh, who said the APC had lived up expectation since coming to power in 2015, called for the reduction of the 93 items on the Exclusive List handled by the Federal Government to 24 to quicken the nation’s development.

His words: ‘’Although Police is supposed to be central, even now people (states) are attempting to have their own secure network. So, we must de-congest the political space by reducing the powers at the centre which are 93. The federal government oversees 93 areas of laws that have been made by the National Assembly. We have to reduce them to less than 24. That is how Federations work.

‘’A federation is not a centralised government. We are running a centralised government in the name of a Federation in Nigeria. Where you have regional governments as we had in the First Republic which had powers and part-time legislature, now everything is a full time, it cannot work.

‘’We must look back, have one lawmaking arm at the Centre because that is what we need now and lawmakers will be part-time. Then perhaps, in the regions or so, we have a Parliamentary system because in the states, for now, only the governor is elected, the deputy governor is a spare tyre. The governor has all the money coming to the state, he pockets it and decides what to do with it. But if we have a Parliamentary system in the states, for instance, the majority would form a government and execute the programmes of the zones. So, we have six federating units that the powers at the Centre would go to and then the regions can make arrangements for security like Amotekun.

‘’If you have Amotekun in six zones, within six months there won’t be kidnapping, there won’t be banditry. What we have now is that our federal government is struggling with activities it cannot supervise or even effectively monitor. Until we have the will power to de-congest the political space, I do not think Nigeria can work.’’

Vanguard News Nigeria