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At OAU, history reclaimed Omatseye

Because he was an element of literary figure who found himself in another course, the Department of History of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, finally reclaimed Sam Omatseye, chairman, editorial board of the Nation Newspapers, Lagos. This happened last week in Ife, Osun State, when he was hosted to a dinner party as part of the Distinguished Alumni lecture programme which he delivered in the university. The department of History was happy to welcome him back home to Great Ife. Edozie Udeze was there.

In most social parlance in Nigeria, when a man of the people long sought after by the larger population of the people appears in the arena, the overall acclaim is usually: ‘Yes, the eagle has landed, or the iroko is here in our midst. Oh, this is a big masquerade’. It was same euphoria and acclaim when last week the entire students of History department of OAU alongside all the principal officers of the departments that made up the Faculty of Arts of the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun State, gathered in the boardroom of the Faculty to honour, celebrate and accord recognition to one man. That man is Mr. Samuel Oritsetimeyin Omatseye. A well-deserved party, it was aptly themed: Welcome back home to Great Ife. Omatseye is the Editorial board chairman of The Nation Newspapers, Lagos, where he has been in charge since 2006. But the core of the issue at Ife was for Omatseye to deliver the Faculty of Arts Distinguished Alumni lecture, the second edition of the series.

But half way into the series of discussions and preparations to invite Omatseye to deliver the lecture, they discovered that he is a Historian. Omatseye was admitted into Ife to study History as his major. However, like most people who naturally show love for what they hold so dear to, he tilted more towards English Literature than History.

So, now History has decided to reclaim their own hence the bounteous dinner party held in his honour. It was designed to welcome him back. The moments of the evening were not merely to eat. It was to banter, crack jokes and pour encomiums on Omatseye. It was time for the gown to mix with the town. It was time also to tear into the heart of a man who loves to use literature to embellish and celebrate stories, stories that remake a society in dire need of rebirth, redirection and renewal.

In all this, the citation on Omatseye opened people’s eyes to the realities of what Omatseye truly stands for in the journalism profession and beyond. It said: “There are evenings when a department does not merely host a dinner; it hosts a moment of memory. There are evenings when we do not simply welcome a guest, we receive a man whose sentences have travelled farther than his footsteps and whose ideas have made their home in national imagination and global discourses. Tonight (therefore) is such an evening! The Department of History is honoured to welcome Mr. Samuel Oritsetimeyin Omatseye. He is a journalist of global renown, columnist, poet, novelist, playwright, teacher of letters. He is one of the most recognizable public intellectual voices of his generation.”

As expected, this generated applause in equal measure. Poised by this evocative proclamation, Dr. Solomon Okajare who handled the microphone more like an ace stand-up comedian, regaled the gathering with stimulating comments, jokes and stories of the reasons for the outing. His proper recourse into the past, his natural penchant about why History beckons on literature or why the two often act like identical twins, further gave validation to why Omatseye celebrates history or if you like, emboldens issues with literary affirmations.

But for Okajare, himself a Historian, history has a way of sipping into you, recharging your memories back and forth. He said that Omatseye takes time in engaging the people that matter in his In Touch column. His works inadvertently keep you on your toes. His remarks are deeper, engrossing in content, in the espousal of ideas; ideas that do not spare any secret. But he uses references both from history and literature to elaborate his presentations.

Dr. Shina Alimi, head of the department of History said: “Today is more than a historical gathering. It is a moment of recollection between generations, a meeting point of past excellence and present aspirations… Our guest today represents what the study of History seeks to achieve: a critical mind, a commitment to society and an enduring engagement with ideas that shape communities, nations, and the world”. Omatseye has certainly allowed his study of History to open doors for him, big doors that help to announce his presence in far and near places. “Yes, we are proud of you”, Alimi intoned.

Seated on the high table was the Dean of Arts, Professor Gbenga Fasiku whose rich embroidered traditional attire befitted that of a prince. With him were Omatseye and Alimi. The lights in the room glittered and beamed with love, joy and abundance. Across, sat all the heads of the departments in Arts. From Religions to Music. Heads of Literature in English and his counterparts from Linguistics, Languages, Philosophy and others were there. Their faces shone and shimmered between love and admiration. All over in the hall, behind, across the corners of the room, were students, mostly officials of the Students Historical Society of Nigeria. They were eager and excited.

They all beamed with hope. Omatseye, as always wore his traditional smile as he typified success and encouragement in a society where students study and graduate but often lose direction. But Omatseye embodies light. He symbolizes vision; vision enshrined in his consistent quest to overcome the odds of life. He is a beacon, a soldier in the field of the pen profession. And he has told them, all, everyone, for that matter that history gives you the leeway, the free ticket to traverse the world and be who you are meant to be.

There is this random saying that a Historian is more analytical in a way the other disciplines are not. Therefore like a good and deeper analytical mind, Omatseye is an enigma, a colossus, using those rare historical tendencies to deal with issues. These issues he always brings nearer to the people in and out of season. In his books, he is critical, profound. In his T.V comments, he is excellent. In his journalism sojourn, he fears no foe. So he imbues himself with the courage of a lion’s heart.

And, the Dean made it clear when he said: “Faculty of Arts has over the years trained some of the best brains in the society. Before then, let me also welcome home Sam Omatseye, one of our own who passed through this Faculty many years ago. Let me also welcome Mr. Femi Macaulay a great Alumnus of this institution. Tomorrow, I will announce him to the English department”.

He went on, broadening his worldview on the products of OAU generally. “What you see anywhere you encounter a great Ife is the quality of his person, what he or she learnt while they were here. Omatseye is one of the best we have had, a great man recognized world over as one of greatest and best journalists ever. A man that pulls weight with his pen, his brain, his views and analysis. This is a place where we sow the seed, deeper seeds of knowledge that takes you to the end of the earth”.

Fasiku, a Philosophy scholar was concerned about using the likes of Omatseye and his professional strides to encourage the younger ones. “It is not what you studied that takes you to the pinnacle. It is rather what and how you apply it that defines you and who you are. Ife is a force to reckon with. Let me also appreciate the department of History for this great honour and recognition”.

He recalled how in the past, it was only the department of History that kept producing Deans of Arts. He thanked the teachers for their resilience in the years past and noted that as at now History has over 500 students as undergraduates. “Every year, we admit about 102 students as freshers in history. So as at now, we have between ten to twelve thousand students in the Faculty of Arts”. Already the Faculty has a shelf in the library named after The Nation with Omatseye as the subhead. Then Omatseye whom he said has come to become and epitomize a special shinning light for the young must be celebrated.

He noted “So, when I whispered to the HOD of History that Omatseye is a Historian, it was proper therefore that we instituted this welcome dinner”. He appealed to Omatseye to look into ways to help the Faculty in form of instituting academic prizes in different categories. Omatseye has done very well especially during the military regime. Today, he is one of the foremost persons in his career.

“We have the largest Faculty in the university and we need new buildings. We want to reach out to you to help us where you can to draw the necessary attention to our needs. There are many things we need to upgrade and since we have seen the deep love you have for OAU, we want to appeal to you to come to our assistance”.

In his response, Omatseye thanked those who deemed it worthy to welcome him back home. Beaming his natural quintessential smile, he recalled with profound sense of nostalgia what it was like to be an undergraduate of OAU decades ago. He remembered with mixed fondness some of the History teachers who impacted on him in different ways.

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Professor Benjamin Oloruntimehin was the foremost in his memory. He also recollected his encounters with Professors Akinjogbin, Olaniyan, Olorunfemi, Anjorin, Olunmola, Anyadike and others. “Yes I got deeper background in History” he announced with pride. “But literature equally took hold of me. I was more in touch with literature in most situations when I was here. However, together with history, communication becomes richer for me in all my writings”.

He recalled how he first met Fasiku at the Academy of Letters in Lagos. He had memories of their days and how Femi Macaulay was the best in English literature. He was one student who never came to class with either pen or paper. Yet he was fond of making As in their English courses.

In response to the requests made by the Faculty, he said, “I have heard all your requests. Where necessary, we can do our best to help. We will look at all of them and see where we can come in. I have to sit down to look into them all” he said.

He recalled his days with Babafemi Ojudu who was his set. He also remarked of how they used to sit out on a bench in front of the Faculty to argue and set some records straight. He now said “One of my classmates described me most often as an element of literary figure who found himself in the wrong course. It was good to be here and to remember some of those moments”.

Omatseye does not only make allusions to literature when he writes. Maybe most people are carried away by that. He also makes judicious references to historical facts and deeds when he writes. For him history and literature are inseparable and both are necessary to enrich a society in terms of information, in terms of communication.

The tradition of story writing finds their interaction in both disciplines. The evening came to an end with a dinner and snippets of drinks. But then Omatseye did not fail to pay tributes to his friends and colleagues who accompanied him from Lagos. He showed special respect to Femi Macaulay, a friend of many years. He also doffed his cap for his childhood pal and publisher Victor Agbro who arrived Ife in company of his wife. Also recognized were Sammy Akpobosi and Joe Agbro Jnr. who were in the house.

One of the students entertained guests with a performance that elucidated applause. His hippop style thrilled and he was duly appreciated as he gyrated with his poetic renditions.

February 8, 2026
Omatseye’s Juju Eyes excites LASU students

The town-gown relationship between the Lagos State University, Ojo and the media industry, received a big boost when author, columnist and Chairman Editorial Board of The Nation Newspaper, Mr. Sam Omatseye held a reading session of his recent book Juju Eyes.

The event organised in collaboration with the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies of the university, was a continuation of the partnership between the author and the faculty in supporting progressive academic programmes of the faculty. One of the lecture halls, venue of the reading, was filled to capacity by students, lecturers, book enthusiasts and friends of the author, including the publisher. The two-hour session was coordinated by Prof Tunde Akanni, one of the senior lecturers at the Journalism Department, had in attendance Prof Rachel Bello of English Department, Dr Suleiman Hassan, Journalism Department, Dr Ganiyat Tijani-Adenle and Mr Adejobi Oladele Adetunji, of English Department among others.

The audience defied the morning rain fall last Wednesday to quench their thirst to know first hand, the thrust of the new book, Juju Eyes. It is a story that situates Nigeria and some other climes in the model way of corruption, exposing all elements of evil that bestride a society.

The reading was the first of a three-leg reading session that will also hold on June 17, at the Faculty of Arts Boardroom, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos @11.00am and on Sunday, June 22, at Roving Heights Bookstore, Landmark Event Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos @4.00pm.

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Published by Sunshot Associates, Juju Eyes has its thematic concept rooted in Africa’s mythic village scene but which morphs into modern city dwelling and how these two intersect. Juju Eyes follows the life of a young lady, Shay who like Nigeria, suffers betrayal from a close quarter and is made to live a life of many lies and abuses just to survive.

Omatseye who read from selected sections of the book pledged to reward any student

who can write the best news report on the event with one hundred thousand naira. ” I pledge to give one hundred thousand naira to the best news report by any student present at today’s reading,” he declared.

Omatseye described “Juju Eyes” as an ‘intersection of vanity and superstition, and how a rebel in the Nigerian soul wields this intersection often to our own hurt. In every sphere of our lives, we make gods and try to kill them until we realise there is no such thing as divine suicide.’

In his usual magnanimity, the author reduced the cost of the book from ten thousand naira per copy to two thousand five hundred naira in order for the students to buy the books.

Fielding questions from the audience, Omatseye disclosed how he came about the storyline of the book as well as its title.

“I got this expression from the steward of one of my friends in Port Harcourt. I heard him call his girlfriend juju eyes. And I asked him, why would you call your girlfriend in juju eyes? He said it is because they worship her as juju eyes,” he said.

He recalled that at the onset he had wanted to write on a very prominent man who committed so many wrongs yet very successful and rich. The focus however changed when he encountered the story idea that morphed into Juju Eyes with Shay as one of the leading characters.

He noted that the book is a story of women, that even women would not want to say themselves. And about men, that men would not want to say themselves.

“It’s a story of miscitement, of lies. After all, the madness put in there is a very terrible thing.

One of the most fascinating characters in the novel is the mother of Shay, who is more of a villain than Olampe because she leaves her daughter to the hands of the lord. Just because she is benefiting from the corruption. And she lets her daughter go. And then after a while, she is feeling guilty.”

Dean Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, (FCMS) Prof Jide Jimoh, the chief host of the event, described the town-gown relationship between students and the industry as a critical aspect of learning and meaningful development of both students and the host community.

He highlighted some of the challenges of information technology era where students no longer engage with the public, their senior professionals and practitioners on the field.

He recalled that at the inception of the faculty, it was resolved that town and gown relationship would be given priority. “And you can’t expect less. Most of us that started this faculty and staff were practitioners, journalists, media, PR, advertising practitioners.

“We feel that we can marry this practical experience with the theory. So we can see the transition, we can see the movement. But we are also being fought by ethical and professional challenges that go with writing. “The internet or social media has made a journalist of everybody. Well, we are not saying journalism should be a closed shop. But, if you want to learn mechanics, you should be able to distinguish between 12 and 13 spanners. So you need to at least learn from those who are there or who were there before you,” he added.

He stressed that there are some ethical and professional abuses, which he said, are why people post nude and scary pictures capable of defying society because they do not have that ethical and professional background.

He assured that the faculty will continue to teach both the theory and practise of the profession. “So when we have the opportunity to have a practitioner speak to us, we don’t take it for granted,” he said.

June 15, 2025
Omatseye reads from Juju Eyes at LASU, UNILAG book reading

Historian, writer, journalist and the Editorial Board Chairman of The Nation newspaper Mr. Sam Oritsetimeyin Omatseye has released a new novel titled Juju Eyes (Sunshot Associates). Omatseye will expose the new work to Nigeria’s reading public with three planned three readings for June 2025 in Lagos. The first reading will take place at Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo today by 11.00am at TETFUND Building, Faculty of Communications and Media Studies.

Omatseye’s reading is in partnership with the Departments of English and Media Studies.

On June 17, Omatseye will read at the Faculty of Arts Boardroom, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos @11.00am and again on Sunday, June 22. He will also read at Roving Heights Bookstore, Landmark Event Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos @4.00pm.

Omatseye said “Juju Eyes is an intersection of vanity and superstition, and how a rebel in the Nigerian soul wields this intersection often to our own hurt. In every sphere of our lives, we make gods and try to kill them until we realise there is no such thing as divine suicide, or is there?”

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In July and August, Omatseye will square up with Florida-based Nigerian-born writer and Creative Writing lecturer at University of Florida Uwem Akpan to a reading in selected cities across Nigeria. Akpan will be visiting Nigeria to read for the first from his critically acclaimed and controversial novel New York My Village (Parresia Publishing). Omatseye will pair with Mr. Akpan on his second novel My Name Is Okoro, a work in tune with Akpan’s New York My Village in its exploration of the negative impact of the Nigerian Civil War on minorities of the Niger Delta for whose oil wealth the war was fought in other guises.

Juju Eyes is the third novel by Omatseye who has also practised journalism in the US. Omatseye’s new novel has been receiving rave reviews on account of its unflattering realistic portrayals of Nigeria’s current socio-political scene, with one reviewer describing it as “a vast, sweeping, epic narrative that under-covers the underbelly of society in unflattering manner.”

Published by Sunshot Associates, Juju Eyes has its thematic concept rooted in Africa’s mythic village scene but which morphs into modern city dwelling and how these two intersect. Juju Eyes follows the life of a young lady who like Nigeria suffers betrayal from a close quarter and is made to live a life and lie thrown her way by her country just to survive. Omatseye does not shy away from politics, a subject he devotes his weekly In Touch Monday column at The Nation.

Other works by Omatseye include Crocodile Girl (first novel), Dear Baby Ramatu (poetry – 2009), A Chronicle Foretold (2016), Tribe and Prejudice (2017), Mandela’s Bones and Other Poems, Lion Wind and Other Poems and Scented Offal and The Siege (drama) that was performed to celebrate Prof. Wole Soyinka at his 80th birthday.

June 11, 2025
In Ibadan, Juju Eyes romances Booksellers

Booksellers Limited, Ibadan, Oyo State, was the venue. The venue of the first location that hosted Sam Omatseye’s newest book, Juju Eyes. The public reading of the book by Omatseye was captivating for Dr. Kolade Mosuro, owner of Booksellers, was delighted to welcome guests from all over. It was an appropriate romantic moment between the enticing Juju Eyes of Shay and the irresistible aura of books that ushered all into the bowel of Booksellers. Edozie Udeze was there.

That the city of Ibadan is the pace setter in terms of knowledge and civilization is never in doubt. There is a place at Jericho in Ibadan called Booksellers Limited. It is located on Magazine Road along Challenge -Jericho axis, two places where the heaviest and largest companies and establishments have been present in Ibadan from time past. Inside the Booksellers sprawling compartments are books. Books on all subjects and themes in the world adorn the stores and the shelves and all corners.

And the owner of the business Dr. Kolade Mosuro knows nothing but the business of books. He smells books; he procures books from all corners of the world to market and sell. It gives him joy and satisfaction when he sees lovers and seekers of knowledge trooping in from time to time to buy books. It was so on Saturday, May 17th. This time the Booksellers headquarters was the venue of the public reading of Sam Omatseye’s new book, Juju Eyes. For three hours or so, the excitement inside the hall was pitch high. Mosuro was in his best element, ever more gregarious, excited and joyous to welcome the author, this exceptional storyteller.

Part of what happens to a new book is that the public gets to know more about it particularly when it is hot and fresh And the reading by Omatseye and some students of Government College Ibadan, Queens School Ibadan and Lead City College Ibadan truly added an accelerated stimulation to the outing. Through them the books spoke to the inner minds of people present. As usual, Omatseye, Chairman of the editorial board of The Nation, an artist like no other, beamed with joy. The glow of the afternoon and the number of quality audience that came to get acquainted with the Juju Eyes of Shay Ekanem, the major character of the book synchronized with the eagerness to find out from the author reasons why he embarked on this type of story. It is a story that situates Nigeria and some other climes in the model way of corruption, exposing all elements of evil that bestride a society.

All these are only embedded in the story, stigmatizing and addressing Shay as the conveyor of everything good, everything bad and all that is ugly. The story ripples with issues of bad struggling over good and evil trying to become born again. It is like an anathema, some kind of incurable situation. Mosuro first fired the salvo. He said Omatseye sits atop the editorial board of The Nation Newspapers where the editorial content of the paper controls and directs the conscience and soul of the nation. “You can now see why and how the author brought that sort of quintessential ideology to bear on the quality and style he exhibited in this book”

All eyes then turned to Omatseye known for his easy but crafty way of distilling stories into poetic nuances. The hall therefore waited expectantly as the students began to read some portions. Soon after, Mosuro teased the audience with the author’s note and the background that triggered the story. A student read the prologue. The prologue states why the story took the shape it is today. Shay, a girl of four years could overpower and destroy a deity, a goddess and then created a confounding confusion that even the author could not fathom or resolve. It is only a woman with an impeccable inner and outer beauty, aura and power like Oluseyi Ekanem aka Shay who is capable of such panorama. The deity now needs a companion, but Shay is like a bone hung on the neck of a dog. The bone cannot fall and the dog cannot eat the bone. A woman made so impenetrable by unseen forces bigger than those of the deity, the goddess and the priestesses, all put together, make Shay a problematic, confusing and all powerful lady.

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It is a confounding tale rendered to symbolize a society on the brink, a society filled with too many confusing elements propelled by evil demons, wickedness in high and low places. Expertly told, the story is more than a fiction and the characters also juxtapose all the issues of wanton leadership overtime. As the student read she said, “suddenly the four year old yelled. And Maami ran to her daughter. She was still holding the heart, but she pointed the mother’s eyes to something else. (Then) a fire started. Maami held her daughter and they started to run. Before they had run a mile, they looked back and the forest was on fire”.

Now imagine a little baby girl of four disgracing a bigger witchcraft by setting her forest on fire and escaping pronto. But as the creator of this enigmatic scene, Omatseye has not been able to resolve the whereabouts of the heart or whose own it was. That is part of the intrigue and dilemma and magic of the creative ingenuity and enterprise for which Omatseye and most iconoclastic storytellers are known all over the world But the magic of the heart of a goddess in the hands of a four year old baby far astounds the worst mystery of the creative fiction. And with this confusion and more, Shay became a gifted she-goat, an avowed whore, a woman who decided to torment men at will. She chose to tear down all their wall of resistance. She held in her hands all the men who dared to date her.

The forces behind her, the eagerness with which she destroys men with chronic beauty as her arsenal, Shay has suddenly become an epitome of a rudderless and ruthless society. The story runs from stage to stage, climaxing into immorality and other evils being the centerpiece of it all. For the beauty of a woman can fall the greatest of men, more so when the lady is that ready to unleash her powers and venom on willing men who dare to come her way. The second reading was basically titled A New Phase which is the chapter three of the book. Interestingly, the student read with profusion, proper elocution and phonetical accuracy. They held the audience spellbound with their power of presentation. They made the sweetness of the story sink into the minds of the people. Guests were intrigued. The art of story reading is a craft in itself and students have mastered that early. The joy of the afternoon was more in the choice of the chapters that were read. Foundational chapters, Shay is seen in the University of Calabar as she is propelled to contest for Miss campus. It was her entry and overall win that catapulted her into the realm of the society where she acquired more pride and indeed reinvigorated her prowess to seek to challenge her victims with her aromatic and deadly aura. In a local parlance her type is synonymous with “if you follow Shay, you will enter your grave quick quick”.

The student intoned, “after she won Miss Unical, many admirers including society reporters thought otherwise. They described her as natural on stage. The social media waited for her next exploits. They recommended her for the Miss Nigeria contest. She had become not just a campus belle, or a regional vision. She was a beauty as export. Shay took a while to come to terms with her new status because she was dazed by this fresh flurry of sunshine”.

Chapter seven was also read by one other student. Themed Aboniki, the chapter sensationalizes the role of this powerful balm in the lives of many old people. This is the ointment that Maami, Shay’s mother had almost turned to her second nature. The aroma of Aboniki makes her daughter always want to buy more and more to quench her arthritis. “At quieter times, when the Aboniki gel was not melting in Sheens all over her body, she sipped warm water or slurped pain killer. Her best peace was after she has swallowed her sleeping pills and lapsed into the silence of the night”. This chapter describes Shay’s relationship with her mother, a woman she was not too proud to present to her friends. Yet she never failed to provide her with aboniki to kill the pains of old age.

The author himself read a portion of bornfire, chapter sixteen, a scene he said took place in Ibadan. There you encounter one of the craziest things politicians do to keep their power intact. In actual fact, bundles of naira were burnt in order to secure political future for Osa, someone looking for power. Chief Lambe is a political god father, a political power maker. He decides who goes for what position, as long as you come to terms with his conditions. “He looked with horror when a stove was lit and the flames burst in its blue terror from an oven. The oven was queer. She had not seen its type before. The kilm was like a baking oven, but it had blue flames sticking out like a tongue. It also had its face cover … She was dazed when the first bundle of a million naira was thrust into the tongue of the blue devil and it was devoured”.

When it was time for a conversation with Michael Olatunbosun of Splash FM, Ibadan, as a clever and robust writer, Omatseye parried some questions. He was keen about some; some of the conversations hinged on sensitive issues. Nonetheless, Omatseye was equal to the occasion. He never told us exactly who Chief Lambe was, this chronic money burner. He said it was not Adedibu when prodded nor any other well known political figure. However, the man truly existed and what he did was replicated in reality.

Omatseye accepted that while he wrote the story man y other dimensions crept into it.” Yes, it is an opportunity to delve into some issues that bother our nation. The story is the story of Nigeria, all aspects of its everyday life, what the people do and what the leaders also do. Shay is the complication called Nigeria. She is good now, next moment the evil in her takes over. She is not totally in control of herself and her behavior. Therefore she is a vessel through which a society is revealed via this story Juju Eyes “. The audience kept hammering him with questions bothering on how much information he has about the inner workings of government, How Uncle ID deflowered Shay and why such issues happen in Nigeria everyday and no one takes responsibility. The questions showed that people are at home with the content of the book. It was clear those who read still read and even read with clear minds and perceptions. The book harps on religion, on leadership, on miracles, fake and real -a whole gamut of a pretentious society.

Professor Femi Osofisan sat all through with glimmers of smiles on his face. Someone came from the Nigerian Copyright Commission, also from News Agency of Nigeria. Some broadcasters from within and around Oyo State. When it was time to sign autograph, it was obvious that about 80% of those who attended purchased the book. If you wish to see the Juju Eyes in the eyes of most runs girls on how such people operate with reckless abandon, then read the book to know and appreciate. The evening ended well with the Booksellers bubbling with more customers coming from all over to purchase more books, Juju Eyes Inclusive.

On the trip with Omatseye to Ibadan and other places for the purpose of Juju Eyes were two of his blossom pals – Victor and Samuel. Their presence added glamour and influence to the outing. The books were in their custody. It was in their care to handle and dispense judiciously. The moment of the days of the reading and conversations with the author and the book offered them time to make the books available promptly and in good earnest.

May 25, 2025
Omatseye and Obasanjo: Of hope and disdain

On 12 March, 2024, Sam Omatseye, Chair of the Editorial Board of The Nation, launched, in Abuja, a book titled Beating All Odds: Diaries and Essays on How Bola Tinubu Became President. On 19 October, 2024, Omatseye delivered an address at the University of Cambridge, in the United Kingdom, on the topic “Redemption or Perdition, what now for Tinubu reforms.”

Omatseye stated: “Before I address whether the reforms of President Tinubu will lead to perdition or redemption, it is important to understand the context of how he defeated his two major opponents. The two other presidential candidates were Abubakar Atiku and, of course, Peter Obi. Atiku was the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Obi, as I stated earlier, held the banner of the Labour Party. Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes, Atiku polled 6,984,520 votes while Obi had 6,101,533 votes. It is obvious that those who did not want Tinubu as president were more than those who wanted him to lead the country. If we combined the votes of the Labour Party and the PDP, they amounted to about 13 million votes compared to Tinubu’s eight million. If we consider the bitterness of the polls, especially the religious ferment and ethnic odium, it is understandable why the majority of the country still aches and swears.”

He further said: “Immediately the electoral chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, announced the results, both men rejected them and proceeded to challenge the verdict in court. During the campaigns, they accused him as a thief, without evidence; as a convicted drug baron, even after the United States government through its embassy had cleared him; of forged certificate as a student of Chicago State University, even though the university confirmed he was a student. Yet, when Atiku’s school discrepancies were released, there was little bubble, or when Obi was revealed to have used his own late brother’s certificate, there was silence. In fact, when I recently discussed this with an Obidient – that is, what the Obi followers call themselves – the fellow said he had never heard such a thing.”

In the address, Omatseye further declared: “While they say Tinubu stole state funds, Obi’s followers were not willing to address what their man had publicly acknowledged: that he (Obi) had invested state funds in a family business when he was a governor of Anambra State and that he maintained an off-shore account against the law when he governed Anambra State. Atiku himself had also been accused of selling off public companies at giveaway prices and had fattened on public funds. Few were willing to interrogate them. But Tinubu became the butt of a barrage of umbrage. I am not here to say he is innocent of anything, but just to chart the architecture of rage that pervaded the man’s rise to power.”

And the rage, by the way, also had its beginnings in the heinous attack Tinubu was subjected to even within his own party, leading to the primaries. Omatseye observed as follows in his column in The Nation on 11 March, 2024: “I knew the president – Muhammadu Buhari – did not want him. The peacocks and vampires around him did not want him. Some stakeholders in the country did not only resent him, they were afraid of him. The plot thickened quickly. Conspiracies festered in sewers and in the open. … At every turn, they stumbled into crosswinds. Their own weapon turned their own folly.”

Sam Omatseye also noted in the Cambridge lecture: “In spite of all these headwinds, Tinubu triumphed. Hence, I called the book, Beating all odds. As the two opponents challenged the polls in court, their supporters stoked the flames of subversion. Some of their followers even asked the army to overthrow democracy. It has been a virtual bedlam in the country since he took over office as president. More than half of the country did not accept him as their leader, and whatever he did, good or bad was bad.”

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In addition, Omatseye posited: “In his inaugural address, his quote, “subsidy is gone,” has been a refrain of rebellion. He might have believed, perhaps naively, that since everyone agreed that the regime of arbitrage and corruption known as subsidy of oil was bad, it would attract universal acceptance once he announced its history. But when the consequences began to hit with core inflation rising like a hawk, they began to accuse him of bad faith, ineptitude and insensitivity. The cost of food, transportation and fuel staggered the market and the poor.”

It is in the context of this fouled social atmosphere that, on 15 November, 2024, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, possibly the most visceral of President Tinubu’s traducers, delivered a lecture at the Chinua Achebe Leadership in Africa Forum. He opened the Keynote Speech, titled “Leadership failure and state capture in Nigeria,” as follows: “Without being immodest, I will begin by saying that it is appropriate that I was invited to deliver the keynote address at a gathering in honour of the late Professor Chinua Achebe. Not just because I have been Head of State and President of Nigeria on two different periods of our beloved nation’s history – most will agree fairly successfully – but because I have known the man, his work, and his values for as long as our nation has been in existence. He was a great and distinguished Nigerian.”

He continued: “I invoke jest to parlay into a much darker topic for which we are gathered here to address: The failure of governance in Nigeria and the near collapse of our Nation State.” Furthermore, he said: “The 2023 elections in Nigeria were ‘a travesty’ by all rational measures. Following that problem prone exercise, electoral system reform is now among the top targets for change in Nigeria.” In addition, he talked about “politicians corruptly getting themselves declared as winner in an election where votes do not matter and asking winner declared loser to go to court where justice cannot be assured is the easiest and best way to kill electoral democracy.” Moreover, he said: “What is happening in Nigeria – right before our eyes – is state capture: The purchase of national assets by political elites – and their family members – at bargain prices, the allocation of national resources – minerals, land, and even human resources – to local, regional, and international actors. It must be prohibited and prevented through local and international laws.” He then went on and on in what looked like a hatchet job for whoever.

Walking in the footsteps of Obasanjo, singer Davido dissuaded foreigners who wished to relocate to Nigeria to bury the thought because, according to him, the country’s economy was in shambles. To this, Reno Omokri observed, in a Facebook post on 25 November, 2024: “Davido’s father recently testified of his breakthrough in his investments in Nigeria in multiple fields. Mr. Adedeji Adeleke gave a good report on how his $2 billion power plant in Nigeria is thriving and has blossomed to the point where he generates 15% of Nigeria’s electricity. May God bless him for that testimony, which is at variance [with] and contradicts what his son, Davido, said to the world about Nigeria’s economy being in shambles.”

On 30 June, 2008, in a speech titled, “Barrack Obama: Speech on Patriotism,” former President Obama said: “I learned that what makes America great has never been its perfection but the belief that it can be made better. … Of course, precisely because America isn’t perfect, precisely because our ideals constantly demand more from us, patriotism can never be defined as loyalty to any particular leader or government or policy. As Mark Twain, that greatest of American satirists and proud son of Missouri once wrote, ‘Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.’ … Our greatest leaders have always … defined patriotism with an eye towards posterity. George Washington is rightly revered for his leadership of the Continental Army, but one of his greatest acts of patriotism was his insistence on stepping down after two terms, thereby setting a pattern for those that would follow reminding future presidents that this is a government of and by and for the people.”

But it’s not always that Obasanjo has had Davido’s kind of company. He had the opposite of that in former American President Jimmy Carter. When America was in an energy crisis that led to the kind of problems Nigeria is facing today, Jimmy Carter, who was Obasanjo’s friend, sought to inspire Americans to keep the nation afloat as follows: “Whenever you have a chance, say something good about your country.” Implicit in this 2008 entreaty is the Shakespearean admonition: “Discretion is the better part of valour.”

Obasanjo’s attack on specific individuals, institutions and even the country as a whole in his Yale University lecture has elicited a torrent of castigation, and it’s not certain whether the former President anticipated the immensity and depth of the backlash. Olakunle Abimbola of The Nation remarked: “It’s clear: despite his constant huffing and puffing; and empty pontifications, Obasanjo has little sense of fairness; talk less of justice. But God is great! As he opens his mouth to judge others, he condemns himself even more!” Even the reticent Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, in an interview on Channels Television, had remarked, in response to Obasanjo’s 1 January, 2023 self-serving message: “With all due respect to all those involved, don’t let us spend this programme on General Obasanjo’s letter or ideas and what have you, because some of us believe he also is part of the foundation of the problems that we have in this country.”

Former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, also profoundly asserted in a 1 January, 2001 interview: “Well, no country is ever sort of completely fulfilled. The only fulfilled countries are those that are not going forward. Every country is a nation in transition, it’s got a future.” In other words, as a writer on Facebook, Abiodun Ishola Ladepo, noted and counseled, on 29 November, 2024, “No place on earth is Utopia. Utopia is a phantom state. … Don’t be like that ignorant singer parroting denigrating propaganda about Nigeria.”

These views cohere with the optimistic disposition of Sam Omatseye, and he observed that fundamental changes were taking place which presage a brighter future for the country. The array of optimististic views also disavow Obasanjo’s doomsday predilection. Indicating how deep his phobia for Tinubu was, Obasanjo lapsed into innuendo: “My military training and experience taught me that what you capture, you tend to hold under your sole control for as long as you can hold it. That is the case of one governor of a state who still holds the state captive in his pocket 25 years after being the governor of the state. That, certainly, is no mean feat.

December 1, 2024
Economic reforms: President on right path, says Omatseye

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is on the right path with his economic reforms, The Nation Editorial Board’s Chairman Sam Omatseye has said.

The multiple award-winning columnist said despite the positive record the President has recorded, he needs to organise institutions around his policies properly to gain more grounds.

He noted that the current economic challenges had not dampened the prospects for a more glorious dawn.

“But in spite of this, there is progress. Nigeria, for instance, has a trade surplus in the second quarter of this year that rose from 6.5 per cent to N6.945 billion. This was a record; and that is putting in mind that the previous quarter was also a record of N6.527 billion.”

Omatseye spoke at the weekend during a lecture, titled: Redemption or Perdition: What Now For Tinubu Reforms? he delivered at the University of Cambridge in England.

The eminent writer noted that the stock exchange had been on the rise, gaining N1.6 trillion in a single day with an All Share Index (ASI) of 83,191.84, which made it the second best performing in Africa.

“The NGX, Nigeria’s index, rose to 104,562.06, marking a year-on-year peak, establishing it as the second best performing on the continent. This was after it surpassed the 100,000 basis point in January. We cannot forget that it gained N1.6 trillion in a single day with an All Share Index of 83,191.84.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reported that the inflow of money into the country is substantial amount. For instance, a few days ago, CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso said the country enjoyed remittances of about $600 million this year; over $200 million last year. Its call for bond bids is often oversubscribes.

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“These are figures but that has to happen before they can be translated into something worthwhile, especially in tackling the core inflation factors of the economy.

“This is still a work in progress, and as those who know how an economy works, much has to be done,” he said.

Quoting a World Bank report that the country spent $15 billion on fuel subsidies and pegging foreign exchange rate in 2022, the ace columnist said the Tinubu administration had to remove fuel subsidy to stop the waste.

Omatseye said President Tinubu took a bold step to stop the drain on the nation’s economy, which previous leaders failed to do.

October 21, 2024
Omatseye tackles information in a new age

Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Lagos, Mr. Sam Oritsetimeyin Omatseye in a lecture titled Information in An Age of Flux which took place at the Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos, tells the world how information over the years has transformed overtime. It was part of the university’s public discourse series which attracted an unprecedented crowd. Edozie Udeze was there.

The hall was filled to overflowing capacity. The faces of guests in and around the hall shimmered and glittered with smiles. It was not so much as to appreciate the theme of the lecture. It was more of knowing and realizing that the guest lecturer, Mr. Sam Omatseye, chairman of Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Lagos, was the one standing on the podium. From time to time, the hall erupted with hilarious acclaim and infectious laughter as Omatseye, resplendent and quintessential in his speech, teased with unbridled brilliance.

The occasion was the Trinity University public discourse series and the theme was Information in An Age of Flux. The university is located within the ambiance of Yaba where the cool of the environment is serene and suitable for academic exercise. As Omatseye stood stoically to receive citation before the lecture proper, the hall stood still while the academic environment opened its doors to welcome him. As usual Omatseye wore his impeccable smile which is his habitual trademark.

All over the hall with the smallest spaces occupied to the full, students sat in clusters, ears open, eyes blazing with curiosity to welcome this man they have heard so much about. This journalist they read in the papers daily, more so, every Monday. This author their Mass Communication and English and History teachers use on and on as reference point to teach them the rudiments of communication and the act of writing and the ideals of journalism. You could as well see how attentive they were as their teachers sat upfront to have a closer glimpse of the guest lecturer. That in itself was how it was when Omatseye mounted the podium. As soon as he took over tearing at the theme of the lecture the hall became dead silent.

He said, “Time and information intersect like twins”, as his face beamed like a midday sun. “We even need information to know time and time to secure information. Hence the historian is the most important tool to the social scientist”. This is so because the historian, like Herodotus, the father of history affirmed since timeless history, is the custodian of time. “And so if the social scientist needs the historian, memory is the armour of all humans”. Indeed history is official memory. Without memory and history, how can man solve his numerous problems in time and space?

While he regaled on issues, hammering on stages of transformation of information over different periods of history and time, guests in and around the hall cheered him on and on. He tore through time. He gave Caesar what belonged to Caesar and still retained the beauty and the essence of the topic. Education is the key of all knowledge. People, of course, perish for lack of knowledge. For this, Omatseye refreshed people’s memories back and forth. He triggered the ideas into space and made it clear that no society, in fact, the whole world at large cannot survive without the evolution of information. Every stage of life, each generation, so to speak, must come to terms with its own technology, its own bits of information transformation.

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It was the moment the university needed to assert its own prominence in the annals of time. This was why in the beginning, the Vice Chancellor of the University Professor Olusegun Kolawole gave him the leeway to choose the topic for the discourse. Omatseye, an information merchant, master information strategist and impresario, consummate writer and author, then settled for this theme. And of course, like Herodotus, he showed that from all over the world the information age is indeed in a state of flux. This is why it is now known as information age as well as global village. You cannot fault the historian with the accuracy of information and strategy.

•Omatseye (in red tie) with some principal officers of the university

While the lecture went on, the lecture halls of the university were all wired with loud speakers. The idea was for those who could not have space in the hall to listen to the lecturer. And it was crystal clear that students and some members of staff in those halls suspended other activities to enjoy the booming and profound voice of Omatseye. It was such a glorious moment. The whole campus suddenly woke up to this rare and stimulating academic renewal. The ideas espoused by the guest lecturer refreshed minds. They put the staffers on their toes. Omatseye ensured that he used history and punchy references to embellish his stuff. As history is his main forte, he did not spare information in that regard.

As he tore into time, he drew attention to the old Roman Empire; he also swayed into the Greek civilization. He did not pity the old Roman Catholic Church. All in all, history came fully alive juxtaposing with the information and then teaching the public how to use both to expand the frontiers of knowledge and modernity. History is important as a tool or weapon to zero into the events of the old that gave birth to this present moment. When Omatseye said, “technology is the way forward and back”, it meant history is the godfather of information. Without it the world is but a flicker of darkness. “Yes, as philosopher Karl Popper opined, we cannot predict the future because we cannot predict technology”.

However true it is for all time to come, he still noted, “but we can try to mediate by ensuring that the laws are more important than the criminal. That way, we can have both freedom and order and then the beat goes on for the media that is still looking for a new identity”. With some of his long and short time friends in the hall, the frenzy of the moment truly became more electrifying. The lecture became more engrossing, when questions began to come from different people. But in his usual benign and iconoclastic habit, he handled the questions with equal measure.

For him, the role of the mainstream media in the chaotic space occupied by social media necessitates the ombudsman to always assert their role as an umpire. “Yes, people should be made accountable for appropriating other people’s original reports as theirs. You cannot sit in one corner and then claim someone’s story when it is published. The ombudsman should investigate such situations, apportion the right punishments so that others will learn and sit up”, he said. Concerning the issue of balancing the story and knowing when the social media has gone frenzy with its usual madness, Omatseye insisted that there is no way the society can stop relying fully on the mainstream report to get the true and unabridged version of any event.

“The mainstream reporter is on the spot to report issues. He is paid, for instance, to visit Maiduguri to access the flood situation and file his reports. So he has his facts and figures. He reaches out to the people concerned for interviews, comments and so on. These are facts the social media reporters do not or may not have firsthand”, he averred. Omatseye explained that the greatest advantage the modern times journalists have is that technology has made it easier and faster to report events as they are happening as against the previous years when you had to wait for a while for the report to filter in.

He gave example when 200 military officers perished at Ejigbo, Lagos, in a plane crash. “When I got there from my Concord office in Ikeja, there were some military officers already rescuing the corpses. I joined in order to be seen to be helpful. I had to disguise as one of the locals to avoid being suspected. But eventually the DSS people spotted me and gave me the beating of my life. It was a jotter in my pocket where I wrote the name of the plane that gave me away as a reporter”. In the end he did a fantastic job that curried the attention of the whole world.

It is not the number of laws in the society that matter. What matters is for people to obey the laws and for those in charge to also enforce same. The more laws you make, the more people feel you are stampeding their freedom and the tendency to obey them becomes flimsier. Therefore it is good to have laws, but how much of such laws do people obey? What we have to contend with more is the issue of morality and the consciousness to be of good conduct. On that note, the lecture came to an end while the university authorities presented him with gifts as a sign of appreciation. Group pictures were taken in different stages to signal all’s well that ends well.

October 6, 2024
Media’s evolving role in AI age, by Omatseye

The Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Nation Newspaper, Sam Omatseye, yesterday called for stronger legal frameworks and ethical standards to manage the chaos that comes with unchecked virality and Artificial Intelligence (AI) influence on information dissemination.

Omatseye said this in an address he delivered on the significant effects of technological advancements in media and communication during a public discourse series at Trinity University in Yaba, Lagos.

In his lecture, titled: Information In An Age of Flux, the multiple award-winning columnist highlighted how the advancements have revolutionised society by facilitating virality, connectivity, and immediate access to information while also presenting considerable challenges.

He identified key issues arising from technological evolution, including the spread of misinformation, a lack of accountability, the erosion of critical thinking, and the increasingly blurred lines between reality and virtuality, especially with the advent of AI.

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Citing the successful defamation lawsuit by former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, the writer argued that public figures must actively combat slander and misinformation.

He also called for the establishment of a media ombudsman to hold individuals and platforms accountable for the spread of false information.

Omatseye’s call for accountability extended to major tech companies, like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), saying they should be held to embrace a higher standard, despite the imperfections of regulatory efforts in Western countries.

The eminent writer stressed the essence of finding a balance between freedom and order in the digital landscape, urging society to adopt commonsense laws and ethical practices to navigate the complexities of the digital age.

The lecture was part of a broader initiative by Trinity University to engage the community in discussions about relevant national and international issues.

The institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Clement Kolawole, explained that the university aimed to create awareness about its activities while addressing significant topics of public interest.

The vice chancellor underscored the necessity of connecting the community with the university through events that provide a platform for vital discourse.

He emphasised the pressing need for regulation in the social media landscape, highlighting its potential dangers and the critical role it plays in contemporary society.

According to him, the unchecked flow of misinformation can lead to serious consequences, including conflicts and societal instability.

“The evil effect of unregulated communication is so serious that we cannot afford it,” he warned, calling for careful consideration of how information is disseminated.

Kolawole reiterated the importance of continuous learning and adaptation to maintain societal stability in an era marked by rapid technological advancements.

A member of the university’s Government Council, Bayo Kolade, reflected on the significant role of information technology in shaping modern society.

He noted the necessity for individuals, particularly students, to stay informed about local and global affairs.

“We are living in an information age. Information is everything,” Kolade remarked, emphasising the need to develop skills for processing the overwhelming amount of content available today.

September 27, 2024
Our ethnic diversity must engender national unity, says Omatseye

Recognizing the significance of ethnic identity within the Nigerian Union is critical for national growth and development, the chairman of the Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Sam Omatseye, has said.

Omatseye, an award-winning author, emphasised that acknowledging and respecting Nigeria’s diverse ethnic backgrounds is essential for overcoming the sensitive differences that often challenge national unity, arguing that this approach is the most effective means of fostering harmony in a multicultural setting like Nigeria.

Speaking at the maiden celebration and award of excellence to outstanding Urhobo indigenes by the Urhobo Leadership Forum, Abuja (ULFA), Omatseye highlighted the importance of gatherings that celebrate ethnic diversity.

The event, held in Abuja on Saturday, served as a platform to honour the contributions of the Urhobo people and underscore the importance of ethnic recognition in building a unified nation.

Such events, he said, foster a sense of belonging and pride in one’s heritage, which is crucial for understanding the complexities of the Nigerian identity.

Emphasizing the need for greater understanding between the center, the sub-national governments and the grassroots, Omatseye, an Itshekiri, who showed solidarity with his strong Urhobo cultural heritage roots, said, “I am a Itshekiri man. My father is Itshekiri, my mother is Urhobo, so, I am a man with Robo roots.

“Coming to this occasion was also satisfying for me ethnically because it’s a way of attaching myself to my mother’s sensibilities as a human being.

“This kind of gathering is very good because it’s a way of projecting ethnicity within the old sense of the Nigerian Union. And for us to know that before you become a Nigerian, you are either Hausa, Urhobo, or, like me, Itshekiri before you become a Nigerian”.

Omatseye further argued that to ensure fairness and inclusivity in governance, policies must respect and represent all ethnic groups, thereby maintaining national unity.

“When we are looking at the Nigerian system and we are trying to govern Nigeria and put Nigeria together, we should understand that everybody has a stake in it.

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“So it impels us to generate an atmosphere of fairness to everybody. So when people do policies that contradict the whole essence of everybody’s individuality, then it does not make sense.

“Everybody belongs here by choice. If we continue to dig into our ethnic groups, then Nigeria becomes a problem to every ethnic group. It’s important to know that. We don’t want Nigeria to become a problem to every ethnic group,” he said.

To emphasize the need for fairness that fosters unity, Omatseye drew a comparison to smaller nations competing in the Olympics, pointing out that each Nigerian ethnic group has the potential to be a nation.

This reality, he argued, should be a guiding principle for leaders at all levels of government, saying, “I just watched the Olympics and I saw that there are countries that have 33,000, 35,000 population. And I don’t think there’s any ethnic group that has a 30,000 population today.

“So as we are standing here, every ethnic group in this country can be a nation. So we should understand that when we are governing.

“Understand that when you are a governor of a state, when you are president, you are governing every ethnic group that has the right by birth to be a nation. Because everybody is a nation in this country”.

Commending the ULFA, Omatseye noted that events such as this serve as a powerful reminder of the need for equitable governance and the celebration of Nigeria’s rich ethnic diversity.

“Events such as this call for a collective effort to ensure that Nigeria remains a nation where every ethnic group can thrive and contribute to its progress,” he added.

ULFA President Olorogun Peter Igho highlighted the inspiration behind the event, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and rewarding hard work and integrity among the Urhobo people.

He stated that the event aimed to inspire Urhobo people, wherever they may be, to be diligent, persevere, and stay dedicated to the Urhobo cause while remaining responsible citizens of Nigeria.

He stated that there is no better way to appreciate their contributions to the Urhobo kingdom and humanity than by celebrating them, adding that the event aimed to instill hope and confidence in the youth, countering the narrative that their potential is often overlooked.

“Often, we condemn our youth, calling them terrible, but we fail to encourage and inspire them.

“We often say the youth are the leaders of tomorrow, but we destroy their today. How can they believe in their future leadership if we don’t support them now?

“This award is meant to show them that their efforts will be respected and rewarded. It’s a message that hard work and integrity are valued,” he said.

Five prominent Urhobo individuals were honoured during an elegant evening filled with rich Urhobo cultural displays.

According to, the Chairman of the Selection Committee, Peter Odjoji, an Ex-Offcio of the Forum, the awardees were carefully chosen for recognition based on their dedication and contributions to the upliftment of the Urhobo kingdom.

Nyerhovwo Umukoro, a young lawyer was honoured for his academic brilliance that has seen breaking numerous academic records in Nigeria and abroad.

Mudiaga Enajemo of Mudi Africa fame who has distinguished himself for blazing the trail breaking borders designing clothes for prominent personalities at home and abroad including for African Presidents, among whom are John Kuffor, Late Atta Mills, both Ghanaian Presidents, former Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga, and the late Prime Minister of Cote d’Ivoire, Ahmed Bakayoko.

One of the three posthumous awards went to the pioneer President of ULFA, Fred Brume, Fred Brume, a scholar, banker, administrator, businessman, politician, Servant of God and the people and member of Redeem Church for his dedication to the Urhobo cause.

Sadik Daba, the legendary versatile actor of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) drama series, Cock Crow at Dawn fame, was celebrated for his versatility that has continued to inspire generations of young Nigerians considering the outpouring of support during his health struggles and the national mourning that followed his passing which was a testament to the love and respect he earned throughout his career.

Rachael Oniga, though born in Ebute Meta in Lagos but of Urhobo origin was also posthumously celebrated for her versatility that shone through in her performances in Yoruba, English, and Urhobo movies, breaking down cultural and linguistic barriers.

Rachael’s remarkable journey, according to Odjoji inspired countless individuals across tribes and religions, earning her a special place in the hearts of many. Her contributions to the growth and development of Nollywood are immeasurable, with numerous awards to show for it.

In his keynote lecture, Otive Igbuzor said despite significant contributions in various fields, the Urhobo face political marginalization and economic challenges.

He however emphasized the need for dynamic, visionary leadership and increased awareness among the Urhobo people to address these issues while calling for a strategic engagement within the Urhobo community and with the larger Nigerian nation.

“Building the next generation of leaders through training and mentorship was deemed essential to ensure the Urhobo people’s prosperity and fair representation,” he said.

July 28, 2024
Tinubu’s Electoral Victory through Prism of Omatseye’s ‘prosetry’ (1)

There are few people better placed to write Sam Omatseye‘s latest literary offering on the 2023 presidential elections titled ‘Beating All Odds: Diaries and Essays On How Bola Tinubu Became President’. It is the first book on the historic election that was one of the most keenly contested and divisive polls in the country’s history. As a journalist, Omatseye reports the turns and twists of swirling events with an eye for detail and the ability to distill the substance from fast-flowing incidents and developments.

A trained historian, he captures the often unpredictable flow of events, vividly portraying the tossing waves of the restless waters of exciting, unfolding political ebullition (apologies to the great Adegoke Adelabu). Not for Omatseye the coldly analytical, often emotionally dispassionate narrative of the academic historian. Rather, he brings to the historian’s fare the sieving mind of the analyst seeking to sort the wheat or substance of critical occurrences from the chaff. Above all, his writings are redolent of the evocative, fecund, and acute imagination of the poet and he does not distance his emotions from his analyses.

Indeed, I have taken the liberty to christen Omatseye’s brand of journalism, what I call ‘prosetry’ – a unique blend of staccato-like prose characterized by short sentences and poetic phrases deftly strung together. It is an uncommon style in Nigerian journalism. The reporter and the poet seem to be in mutually reinforcing symphony in his writings such that it is difficult to distinguish between poetry and prose in many of his sentences. These characteristics make this book compelling reading and offer ingenious portraits and insights into various characters and groups at play directly and indirectly before, during and after the presidential polls.

In the prologue to the book, the formidable opposition that Tinubu had to overcome to achieve his initially seemingly insurmountable goal is effectively depicted. President Tinubu’s ability to transcend the assortment of adversaries that sought desperately to abort his aspiration suggests that he possesses the fortitude and determination to lead his administration in subduing the no mean challenges that confront his nearly ten-month-old government and ultimately achieve success. As Omatseye graphically writes of animosity to Tinubu’s ambition, “I knew the President- Muhammadu Buhari – did not want him. The peacocks and vampires around him did not want him. Some stakeholders in the country did not only resent him, they were afraid of him”.

Continuing, he writes, “The plot thickened quickly. Conspiracies festered in sewers and in the open. And it began with the party’s top brass. In cahoots with the presidential cabal, they edged out Adams Oshiomhole’s executive as the first major step to immobilize Tinubu’s ambition. They also broached a consensus candidate. Law crippled them as they fell foul of defining the phrase they coined, and they could not even manage the idea of open and closed primaries. At every turn, they stumbled into crosswinds. Their own weapon turned their own folly”.

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How much of Tinubu’s victory was due to his strategic brilliance and how much to the fortuitous workings of fate beyond human comprehension? Omatseye weighs the balance between these two forces. Tinubu’s stubborn refusal to abandon a party, the APC, he had helped in forming, despite all provocation, Omatseye depicts as strategic fortitude and resilience. A less prescient political actor could easily have been tempted to dump the party especially after the Buhari administration gave him the cold shoulder after the APC’s 2015 victory.

According to Omatseye, “it had always been his attitude never to abandon the party he formed. In the heady days of the Buhari era when he was ignored and alienated, he resisted overtures. He saw it as self-betrayal and a cop-out. He was set to fight for his place in his own home”.

The timing of the announcement of his intention to contest for the presidency in January 2022 was a classic of calculated strategic timing. It fundamentally changed the tempo of the emerging race for the post-Buhari presidency and significantly stirred up the political space. Tinubu had seized the initiative and caught other aspirants across parties unawares. He had positioned himself as the pacesetter and, by implication, the front runner.

Omatseye reports, “But he was not a man to predict. Late January, he paid a visit to President Buhari at the Aso Villa, and on his way out he walked into a storm of reporters. “I wondered what I was going to tell the reporters”, he recalled. He decided instanta to tell them he had just discussed his ambition with the President. There was no need to formalize his entry into the race. No fanfare or ceremony necessary. It was there he uttered the phrase, “It is my lifelong ambition”, a quotable quote that juiced up his campaign north and south, spilling over to the first flushes of his presidency”.

But then, there were also some variables that worked in favour of the actualization of Tinubu’s ambition that was clearly not within his contemplation or control nor of his making. They were fortuitous. As Omatseye puts it, “His is also a matter of destiny. He did not have a hand in all his victories. In some of them, he watched himself rise like a swimmer on the crest of a sudden tide, or a shorebird. For instance, he was not the one who coerced the northern governors of his party, some of them with ambition to be president, to coalesce to endorse a southern candidate…It was not Tinubu who set Peter Obi on a collision course with his PDP. He did not set the party on five governors led by then Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike. Or Kwankwaso who turned the Kano tide against the PDP.”

This book is divided into two parts, the author’s private diaries which span from August 19, 2022, to February 17, 2023, a week before the election, and his select columns on the elections ranging from February 18, 2013, to October 30, 2023 and runs into 349 pages. Omatseye’s diary entries record his pithy observations, thoughts and reflections on critical events leading up to, during and after the presidential elections. The diaries are part flashes of thought, part anecdotes, part prophesy and part analysis.

For instance, the key role that former Rivers State governor played in the events leading up to and after the election are recorded in the diaries. On August 19, 2022, the diarist writes that “The biggest point of interest during the week remained the spat between the Atiku camp and the Wike camp in the PDP. There have been back and forth, with one group accusing the other of bad faith. It seems they are playing a game of hide and seek as no side is ready to blink…This furor will continue to distract the presidential ticket from forging ahead as the campaigns are about to hoot into action.”

And on 26th August, 2022, Wike again features prominently in the author’s thoughts. He writes, “It was a feisty week, and it is giving a fair picture of the forces that will shape the election. But in the middle of the story is the struggle for Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. Some of the PDP men, including Lamido, have lashed out at him and devalued his stature in the sweepstakes of the election. Yet, no one, not even Abubakar Atiku, has canceled the need to parley with him. At the beginning of the week, it was about Wike. At the end, it was about him. The speculation is that Wike’s value may not just be about the haul of Wike’s Rivers State votes but the haul of cash that he may endow any place he pitches his tent.”

April 6, 2024