Essay
Tony Momoh, Idongesit Nkanga, Dennis Abuda – I am tired of mourning
By Mike Ozekhome, SAN
INTRODUCTION
I received three blows, nay, uppercuts, in just one week. It was one week of sorrow, tears, pains and pangs. I lost three very dear friends and soul-mates, all in one fell-swoop. Prince Tony Momoh. Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga. Prince Dennis Abuda. Death is prowling around like a loose cannon. If we are not caught by corona virus, old age (this is acceptable), or air crash through our decrepit air craft, we are murdered in our homes or farms by armed AK-47-welding herdsmen. If we are lucky to escape the snares of vicious high way marauding kidnappers, we are shot at or daggered by blood-sucking boko haram insurgents, fiendish terrorists, ruthless armed bandits and savage armed robbers. So, where do we go from here? Nigeria has become a sprawling field of bloodbath, a crimson theatre of brutality, violence and viciousness. We have lost our humanity. We have sold our souls to satan and his demonic forces. So, where do I start from? I will try.
PRINCE TONY MOMOH
Utter disbelief was the piece of news. Shock was my state of mind. Grief remains my helpless reaction. Repose of his soul is my fervent prayer for him. This quintessential icon of letters and prodigy of a thinker and philosopher, “Prince of the Niger” Tony Momoh, was simply phenomenal in life. Even more so in death. Former Chairman, CPC, (President Buhari’s party that fused with others to found the ruling APC), former Minister of Information and Culture (1986 – 1990) and former Editor and General Manager, Daily Times, the Yerima of Auchi Kingdom exuded and bubbled with the sap of life like a yam tendril in the rainy season. He was one of the greatest wordsmiths of our time. The “grape vine” column of the Daily Times was simply unputdownable. Prince Momoh’s “epic, “Each Man His Time: The Biography of An Era”, which chronicled the biography of the Momoh Dynasty from Momoh the first (1919-1944), is a must read.
Tony Momoh is of a royal muslim line-age and blue-blooded. Born on 27th April, 1939, in Auchi, Edo state, the Prince was the 165th child of King Momoh I of Auchi. The journalistic prodigy once famously said that his father had ‘just 257 children’. That was an entire village, not just children! Prince Tony was the third of the four children for his mother, a junior wife amidst 48 Queens. In an interview, he once said every six months, his father’s wives took a traditional oath not to undermine their husband, children, or one another. Tony attended the Government School, founded by his father at Auchi (1922). He later attended other schools at Okpe, Abudu, Nsukka and Lagos, majoring in Mass Communication and Law.
Tony Momoh, named Suleiman at birth, converted from Islam to Christianity in 1955. He later changed to Tony — taking after his personality idol, Anthony Enahoro, one of Nigeria’s foremost anti-colonial and pro-democracy activists. The Adolo of Uromi is credited to have moved Nigeria’s motion for “self-rule” (independence) in 1953.
Hear him explain his religion: “When I was being sworn in as Minister of Information and Culture, I said I wouldn’t swear by the Bible or the Quran”, and I said, ‘So help me God’. When I stepped out, journalists asked me, ‘They said you are an atheist.’ I said I was not an atheist. They asked why I did not swear by the Bible or the Quran, but only said ‘So help me God.’ I said, “I am a Christian and a Muslim when they are not quarreling, and neither when they are.” So, was Tony a Christian? No. Was he a Muslem like his larger family? No. Was he a “Chrislem”? No. He was actually a Grail Message adherent? The prince had four children- three boys and one girl.
He was a Nationalist and Pan- Nigerian to the core. His belief in a restructured federation went beyond mere rhetorics. He fought for it all his life, even when his party, APC would not touch it with a 10 foot pole. Beyond these, the Prince wore humility like a second skin. He was simply spartan, given more to ideas than material things of life. His lucidity of thought, depth and breath of knowledge, were simply ineffable .When he represented the Otaru of Auchi Kingdom at the elevation reception of Bar Asamah Kadiri, SAN, on 14th December, 2020, I was present. The Prince of the pen and tradition was in his usual elements. I never knew that was the last I would see of him. The prince, who would have been 82 on the 27th April, 2021, has gone the way of all mortals.
Taiwo Obe, a great Journalist, once demystified the mystery surrounding the number 13, which in astrology, is synonymous with bad luck. Have you not noticed that even in advanced America, you never have a 13th floor? Obe noted in his twittwr handle that for Momoh, 13 was his lucky number. He lived at 13, Bush St, Maryland; had law office at 13, Sylvia Crescent, Anthony village, Lagos; became 13th Editor of Daily Times; made 13th Information Minister and Culture; and 13th Chairman, Governing Council, UNIJOS.
The famous writer of ‘Letters to my Countrymen’ was a man of many sides-a Journalist, lawyer, teacher, writer, politician, thinker, philosopher and author of many books.
He was winner of the Selkyo Culture Award in Japan for his “great contribution to society”. A rugged fighter for press freedom, “national unity and integration”, Momoh believed in the Law of Karma- “everything happening to you at any time is a harvest of what you did before, which bore fruits that you are reaping”. He said he was “fully fulfilled” in life. Prince, good night sir.
AIR COMMODORE IDONGESIT NKANGA
Air Commodore (retired) Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga (27th January, 1952- 24 December, 2020), and native of Ikot Nya in Nsit Ibom, was a Nigerian retired Air Commodore. He was Governor of Akwa Ibom State (September 1990 – January, 1992), during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida and handed over to an elected civilian Governor, Obong Victor Atah, at the start of Nigerian Third Republic. Nkanga died on 24th December, 2020, following complications from COVID-19, on the eve of Christmas Celebration. Covid-19, shame on you.
When appointed in 1990, his Deputy Governor was Obong Ufot Ekaette, who later became Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). He, it was, who established the Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation by Edict in April, 1988. Nkanga was later appointed Chairman, Akwa Ibom Airport Implementation Committee, which midwifed the airport opened on November 26, 2009.
Although the primary focus was on cargo traffic and airplane maintenance repair and overhaul, the airport has since been serving commercial local passenger flights.
In December, 2009, he fiercely supported Godswill Akpabio to become Akwa-Ibom State Governor.
In January, 2010, Nkanga became a member of the South-South Elders and Leaders’ Forum.
Married with Children, he was variously educated in many institutions, both locally and abroad. These included Command and Staff College, Jaji, Air University, Montgomery, University of Ibadan, An officer and gentlemen, Nkanga was a renowned Pilot of Special Gulfstream Jet, and Boeing 727, Presidential Fleet. He received the honours of Passed Staff College (PSC) ; PSC Dagger (+); and Forces Service Star (FSS). A devout Christian, Nkanga’s hobbies and Interests were Football, tennis and swimming.
My most memorable remembrance of Nkanga was at the 2014 National Conference. We worked very closely together as leaders of South South, and also as leaders of a special Think-Tank made up of leading influential members amongst the 492 delegates from across the country. Some other members of this heart-beat of the Conference (which were led by Chief E.K Clark, in no order of importance), were Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Emeka Ezeife, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, General Ike Nwachukwu, Prof Ibrahim Gambari (now Chief of Staff), Chief (Mrs) Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Prof. Jerry Gana, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, General Alani Akinrinade, Chief Femi Okorounmu, Chief (Mrs) Josephine Anenih, Dr Peter Odili, King Diette-Spiff, Sen Daisy Danjuma, Prof Jubril Aminu, General Zamani Lekwot, General D.O. Idada-Ikponmwen, Lamido of Adamawa, HRH, Dr Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha, Oba Arc. Aderemi Adedapo, Dr (Mrs) Patricia Ogbonnaya, Senator Khairat Abdulrazak-Gwadabe, Prof Anya Anya, Chief Dan Nwanyanwa, Senator Ken Nnamani, Prof. Akin Oyebode, Gen. J.T Useni, Prof. Iyorchia Ayu, Mr John Dara, Hon. Justices G.A Oguntade and F.F. Tabai, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Prof A.B.C. Nwosu, late Prof. Dora Akunyili and late Chief D.S.P Alamieyiesiegha, etc, etc.
As chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), his voice was resonating across all nooks and crannies of Nigeria, fighting for South South peoples’ rights. He built the Akwa Ibom State permanent State Secretariat complex. Air Commodore, goodbye sir.
PRINCE ELONIYO DENNIS ABUDA
My bossom friend, Prince Eloniyo Dennis Abuda, was kidnapped by unknown gunmen of the underworld, on his way to Lagos from Fugar, in Edo state. He was gruesomely killed by kidnappers who had ambushed him on Saturday 30th January, 2021, along Benin-Ahor-Lagos by pass, Benin city.
Abuda was expected to catch his flight back to the USA, after spending his Christmas holidays with his kinsmen and kindred family. His body was discovered four days later. Not even the payment of huge ransom money to the vampirous and satanic forces of darkness could draw any milk of human kindness from them, to save him. Why not release him with his 3 co-kidnapped victims? Why waste this sexagenarian who believed so much in his country? Fellow Nigerians, that is the sorry state we have found ourselves in, under the very presidency of a retired Army General, Muhammadu Buhari, whose strongest selling point during electioneering campaigns aside the economy and fight corruption to a standstill was to fight insecurity. All three have collapsed like a pack of cards.
For a man who rose through the rungs of the ladder to attain a height where he could be feeding about 1,000 people and training about 200 others in various schools, this was a cruel dastardly end to Abuda. Abuda served humanity; but, humanity rubbished him. Abuda, with a riotous moustache, was ever sunny, gregarious, jocular and possessed whittism. Very hospitable and accommodating, he threw open his Atlanta, (USA), home doors to all comers. As President of American-Fugar Foundation and member and ex official of Afemai World-wide, Abuda was an affable community leader.
Whether he was killed directly by the kidnappers, or died of hypertension, ( since according to Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Phillip Ogbadu, “there was no injury on the body”), the immediate cause of death was nothing but his savage kidnap. It is the ironic story of whether it was the fish that swallowed Jonah, or Jonah swallowed the fish. The important thing is that there was “swallow”.
Mr President sir, you may not be able to arrest covid-19 that plucked away Nkanga; nor old age that took away Tony Momoh. But, sir, you surely can insist on the immediate arrest and prosecution of these dastardly criminals. See sections 214, 215 and 216 of the 1999 Constitution.
For now, I am sad, sad and very sad. Farewell, Prince of the Ikelebe Dynasty. Goodbye Air General, Nkanga. Sleep well, hilarious and handsome Dennis. Rest in the Lord, all of you. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“We live in a culture where we’re bombarded with so much noise and so much insecurity”. (Lisa Ling).
– Feb. 10, 2021 @ 12:29 GMT /
Tags: Dennis Abuda – I am tired of mourning Idongesit Nkanga Tony Momoh
