•Journalist, biographer, playwright, politician, administrator and gentleman
It was tragic enough that he died four days to his 57th birthday. The tragedy was deepened by the likelihood that he might have lived longer but for Nigeria’s lamentable security issues.
A report said: “One of his relations, Mr. Yusuf Itopa, who broke the news on Monday, said the 57-year-old died at about 6pm on Sunday at a village near Akure, Ondo State capital. The spot is said to be about 10 minutes to Akure. He said the late veteran journalist-turned-politician was knocked down by an oncoming vehicle while running into a nearby bush to escape an armed robbery attack. Itopa said that three of them, including his driver, were travelling when they ran into a blockade mounted by armed robbers.”
Dr. Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo had attended the inauguration of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State, and was on his way back to his base when the tragedy happened on March 5.
He made a name for himself as a journalist, and those who knew him in that line of work described him as “brilliant” and “incorruptible.” His journalism career started in 1983 when he joined The Guardian where he soared as aviation correspondent. It was on this beat that he met and befriended a number of important figures, including former head of state and ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo. He wrote Obasanjo’s biography, In the Eyes of Time. He also wrote a biography of former vice president Atiku Abubakar, The Story of Atiku Abubakar. Apart from these books on political players, he co-authored Born to Run, a biography of a media celebrity, the late Dele Giwa.
He became News Editor of the newspaper before leaving the country in 1989 for graduate studies at New York University, USA. In America, he worked as a Research Officer at the African Leadership Forum; and also served as the Information Officer, Division of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) between 1994 and 1995.
In 1996, he earned his PhD from New York University, and became Adjunct Professor of Mass Communication at the School of New Resources, College of New Rochelle, New York, in 1997. Between 1997 and 1998, he worked as Press Officer, Department of Public Information, United Nations, in New York. In June 1998, he was sent to Iraq as an Information Officer, United Nations Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator.
Against the backdrop of his personal and professional progress in America, it is interesting that Adinoyi-Ojo chose to return to Nigeria in 1999. He became Special Assistant on Media Relations to Vice President Abubakar. In the same year, he attained his highest position in journalism when he was appointed Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Daily Times of Nigeria PLC. He had another stint at the presidency as Senior Special Assistant to Abubakar on Public Communications between 2003 and 2005.
His involvement in government at the federal level inspired him to aspire to govern Kogi State. His political ambition reflected his passion for social progress, and his self-belief, particularly considering that he didn’t have the kind of wealth expected of political aspirants in Nigeria’s money-driven politics. His enduring dream of occupying his state’s governorship seat was unrealised. His last try in 2015 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ended when he lost in the primary.
It is a reflection of his creative dimension that he never strayed too far from Theatre Arts, which he studied at the University of Ibadan where he got a degree in 1982. His play, The Killing Swamp, was shortlisted for the prestigious NLNG Literature Prize in 2010.
Perhaps the ultimate statement on his writing life is this report: “Just before his sudden transition over the weekend, Mr. Onukaba had completed manuscripts of a new book Peoples of Nigeria, detailing in short crisp language the historical outlines of the many ethnic groups our country is blessed with. He was the co-editor of the forthcoming publication.”
