IN 1984 when I was an intern in the defunct National Concord Newspapers, one of the senior editorial staff who took time to teach me the rudiments of news writing was Mr Femi Onayemi.
He was particularly very patient with the interns as he read our stories, told us what we got wrong and how we can write better. He took some of us to assignments and showed us what we needed to know about covering them as comprehensively as possible.
I remember watching him rewriting stories of other reporters as he asked for more offcut sheets of paper and marvelling how he seemed to be doing it effortlessly.
I returned to my department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos with the training I got and was appointed News Editor.
Though we didn’t meet physically after the internship, I kept hearing about him as he moved from one media organization to the other. Notwithstanding his age, he proved to be the thorough breed journalist of his generation and was acknowledged as an outstanding veteran news reporter and writer.
Thanks to Facebook I reconnected with him and we have remained in touch since then. He visited me in my office at The Nation when I was Managing Editor, Online and I had an opportunity to thank him again for his tutelage during the internship.
I gave him a copy of my book, The Journalism of my Life, in which I recalled how he and others trained and got me fascinated about news reporting.
He told me he was very proud of the accomplished journalists many of us students and young reporters back then have become.
I am always humbled when I read his comments on my Facebook posts commending me for one thing or the other.
I was looking forward to reaching out to him ahead of the new year when a colleague called to find out if I heard Baba Femo as he was fondly called by colleagues and friends.
Baba Onayemi was a great journalist in his own right even when many present-day journalists may not have heard of his journalism exploits.
Born September 6, 1940, in Eruwon, Ogun state, his over 50 years of journalism practice has seen him working with O Daily Times, Daily Sketch, National Concord, The Mail, National Daily and many other publications.
The congratulatory message to him by President Muhammadu Buhari when he clocked 80 years on September 6, 2020, for his 50 active years in the journalism profession is very apt.
Buhari, in a press statement issued by Femi Adesina, the presidential spokesman saluted the commitment of Pa Onayemi to a profession he loves dearly.
If I have any regret about his death, it is that I didn’t have an interview I planned for with him to share details of his career journey and lessons he would love to share for the benefit of practising journalists.
One of the many journalists groomed by Onayemi at the defunct National Daily newspaper, Eddie Kingsley wrote a glowing tribute in the honour which captures the kind of lasting mentoring the deceased gave many.
“I will miss you. You were the first News Editor I worked with. Many production nights with you, I cry. Still crying. Since the news got to me. It hits me differently. Because I love you. I wish I told you. It’s too late now.
“But I managed to let you know that I respect and honour you. These recent times I started introducing you to peeps as Book Editor. I know you were too energetic to just be retired. You showed no signs of retiring. You were strong.
“We shall be comforted. You lived well. Earned a presidential commendation. A diligent patriot. A renowned Journalist. A mentor to hundreds of Journalists.
“Above all a Lover of God. You were a great man. Baba Onayemi. Life. It’s painful. But over 80 years. Peaceful departure. Well…I will wipe my tears. Toast to the afterlife.
“For all the great days we had in the newsroom. For all the great nights we had in the production room, fixing headlines.”
Adieu, Baba Iroyin (Father of News) May his soul rest in peace.