Popular economist, newspaper columnist and public affairs commentator, Dr. Dele Sobowale, was the cynosure of all eyes at the weekend, when he celebrated his 75th birthday anniversary in Lagos. Many speakers at the event, which took place under the theme, “Celebrating God’s faithfulness”, poured encomiums on him.
Vanguard publisher, Mr. Sam Amuka-Pemu, said Sobowale deserves to be celebrated because he is a fine gentleman. According to him, the columnist is one of the best things that have happened to the newspaper. “I want to seize this opportunity to say thank you to chicken boy, Dr. Dele Sobowale, who is celebrating his birthday today.
“I want to confess that Dele Sobowale is one of the best things to have happened to Vanguard. He is a great asset to Nigeria; he is one of those helping to shape the future of Nigeria. To me, he is a professor emeritus. He deserves to be celebrated; he is a fine gentleman,” he said.
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Former Akwa Ibom State Governor Victor Attah described Sobowale as an unusual Nigerian because of his antecedents. “He is a very unusual Nigerian. Look at the clubs he belongs to. When it comes to writing; that is where I doff my hat for Sobowale. I read him every Sunday unfailingly. We share one thing in common: a desire for a better Nigeria.”
Former editor, Sunday Vanguard, Mr. Fola Arogundade, under whose time Sobowale started writing weekly columns for the Sunday title in 1994, said the column helped to increase the readership of the paper. Arogundade added that it also got the paper into trouble, because of Sobowale’s style of writing.
The event was attended by former Minister for Budget and National Planning Senator Udoma Udoma, former Lagos State University Vice Chancellor Prof. Abisogun Leigh and former Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Abolaji Abosede. Members of Waka Club, Lagos and old boys of Sobowale’s alma mater, Igbobi College, Lagos.
The reception was preceded by a thanksgiving service by the Massey Morning Daily Praying Band, Lagos.
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