• He was humility personified, says Bishop Dunia
From Tony Osauzo, Benin
It was a gathering of who-is-who in the media, entertainment and politics, yesterday, as the late media mogul, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, was interred in his residence at Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, in the presence of family members and close associates.
He died on May 29 at the age of 71 in Abuja after a fall while using a treadmill machine.
Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese, Most Rev. Gabriel Dunia, in his homily at a funeral mass held at the open field of St. Peters Secondary School, Agenebode, described Dokpesi as humility personified. The cleric likened such humility to the one displayed by one of the two thieves crucified with Jesus Christ who pleaded that the Lord should remember him in paradise while the other was castigating him.
He also lauded Dokpesi as a man given to charity in his life time.
“As the saying goes, charity covers a multitude of sin. He represented charity, he repented and came back to represent with his creator. We must return to God, we must use this occasion whoever we are to return to God. We must continue his charity work because the dead can no longer do charity because he said that even in his death, he will continue to do charity through his media,” he said.
In his remarks, Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, said Dokpesi was a fearless politician who was not afraid to speak truth to power.
“Today in Nigeria and the African continent, you cannot talk of the media without mentioning Dokpesi. In the political space, he was a very bold, fearless and courageous person.”
Some of the personalities in attendance were Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Bola Tinubu, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, former governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole.
Others were former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndidi Elumelu, Sen Francis Alimikhena, former Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mike Ogiadomhe, Senator Ben Obi, Chief Mike Ozekhome, Vice Chairman South South of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Dan Orbih, representatives of the traditional institution, religious leaders, among others.
Originally trained as a marine engineer, Dokpesi became the fist Nigerian to float a private radio station, Ray Power in 1994, before establishing AIT, a TV station in 1996 under the DAAR Communication Group. Both media establishment are credited for revolutionarising radio, TV and entertainment in Nigeria and creating employment opportunities for hundreds of local journalists.