Some 365 days after his death, celebrated veteran journalist and a former Vice Chairman of The Sun, Pastor Dimgba Igwe, literally returned to life last Tuesday at the conference hall of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, during the launch of ’50 World Editors,’ a book the deceased co-authored with Mike Awoyinfa, his ‘twin brother’ and colleague.
A hit-and-run driver had snuffed the life out of Dimgba Igwe in the morning of September 6, 2014 while he was on a work out, along with some other joggers near his Okota residence of Isolo local government area of Lagos state.A year on, Awoyinfa, pioneer Managing Director of The Sun is still to come to terms with the reality that Dimgba Igwe is no more. “As long as I am alive, then Dimgba Igwe is not dead,” Awoyinfa affirmed, adding that the late Dimgba Igwe will continue from the Great Beyond, to co-author subsequent books with him. “Every September, I am going to launch a new book here and I will always write the name of Dimgba Igwe as the co-author,” Awoyinfa said, flanked on the podium by his late colleague’s two daughters, Glory and Victory. Awoyinfa said death was not capable of separating him from Dimgba Igwe, describing the departed as the leader and voice of their partnership spanning about three decades.
Why I got angry with Jesus
Noting that he has since asked for forgiveness for allowing his emotions to nearly betray his trust in God, Awoyinfa went down memory lane to relive his reaction in far away United Kingdom, at the news of Dimgba Igwe’s passage. For Awoyinfa, the impact of the news on him was so devastating to the extent that he came short of challenging God to a wrestling contest, for allowing Dimgba Igwe to die. He said he rolled himself on the floor and continuously screamed, to the astonishment of those who were around him then, that, “my pillar of support is gone!” at which che wife reproached him and reminded Awoyinfa that, “Jesus is your pillar of support.” But an inconsolable Awoyinfa retorted, “then why did Jesus allow this to happen? As a reporter, I must ask questions.”
For Dimgba Igwe’s widow, Obioma, efforts to hold back the tears when she mounted the podium were fruitless even after vowing to the audience that she was not going to cry in the course of the presentation of her written address. “This book meant so much to my husband,” she began, adding that, “it is one of the sweetest memories that will continue to live with me. Since death snatched away the love of my life, I have been overwhelmed by support from Nigerians some of who I did not even know…. Then the tears began to flow and from across the audience, a number of men and women reached for their handkerchiefs.
The Fashola challenge
President Muhammadu Buhari in his goodwill message at the ceremony lamented that the circumstances surrounding Dimgba Igwe’s death could be likened to what the President described as the impunity with which crimes are committed in Nigeria and the perpetrators walk away unpunished.According to Buhari who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information, Mrs Oluseyi Adekunle, “Nigerians should learn from the partnership and friendship between Dimgba Igwe and Mike Awoyinfa to move the nation forward because in spite of our differences, partnership can still work.”In a message he sent at the ceremony, immediate past Governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola, regretted that Nigeria lost a good man in Dimgba Igwe and insisted that, “the greatest duty we owe Dimgba Igwe is to unravel the mystery behind his death. We must do him this justice and keep on probing until we solve the mystery.”
Chairman of the occasion, Chief Segun Osoba, in his remarks said that, “Dimgba Igwe still lives.” He recalled that in August 2014, a month before Dimgba Igwe was killed, “we were together in Katsina where we discussed the future of newspapers in Nigeria.”The ceremony attracted renown journalists and other media practitioners from within and outside Nigeria including Vanguard’s General Manager, Gbenga Adefaye, veteran journalists and publishers, Ismail Isa Funtua, Wada Maida, Mohammed Haruna, Ray Ekpu and Comfort Obi.Some others also included, Odia Ofiemu, Dr. Amanze Obi, Tunji Bello, Tony Onyima, Bayo Onanuga, Kunle Ajibade, Kayode Komolafe, Adebayo Williams, Louis Odion, among several others.
The book
According to Awoyinfa, it took him and Dimgba Igwe 10 years to produce the 628-page ’50 World Editors.’ He explained that they wrote the book because of their passion, love and commitment to journalism, “the only profession we know.”The book is a compendium of interviews with the cited editors from across the world including Nigeria’s Pulitzer award winner, Dele Olojede, Nduka Obaigbena, Babatunde Jose and John Momoh, among others.
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