This fine gentleman from Agbor in Delta State turned 65 last Sunday, July 14, 2024. My friends in Lagos never fail to call me a “provincial man” since I took the decision to leave Lagos and return to my home state, Abia. So, naturally I wasn’t aware of what was to happen at Prince Nduka Obaigbena’s place in Lagos.
Thanks to modern communication systems, the birthday anniversary news was everywhere including the world beater, Arise Television, owned by Prince Obaigbena, where they justifiably gave honour to a Nigerian that well deserves it. What they teach in the Pentecostal churches is, “the space in the world is large, it will keep taking in those who understand they should rise and fight to take a territory and dominate it.”
Those who met Prince Obaigbena in his younger days know that he understood this secret at the early stage of his entrepreneurial endeavours. He understood what it takes to sustain life and to grow to become an icon. He knew it was not about circumstances of birth and location. If he had not mastered those variables perhaps he would by now have turned out to be a village councillor in his locality. His good looks would have paled off to blend with assertions of being an elder. At the other end, Prince Obaigbena would not have the drive to stay and grow in Nigeria.
If you are very close to him, the first you would be picking is his drive which makes him get water even from the rock. He drives himself very hard and has diligence as part of his philosophy. No wonder he mingles with kings the world over. So, if he chose to live abroad, Prince Obaigbena would make it. He would earn dollars in millions every week doing very respectable enterprises. He is great in thinking out fresh angles to virtually everything he is interested in.
He didn›t train as a journalist, he first read Fine and Applied Art at the University of Benin. He began as a cartoonist but destiny would not let him be. He was working, getting paid but positively very restless. He felt he could be far more and if that would be he must develop and manage big enterprises. So he ket running with ideas. At a period TIME and Newsweek magazines ruled the world, Prince Obaigbena found a way to be a part of them.
One of his best friends, Uzor Maxim Uzoatu, has told the story of how they would fly into London very close to deadline to churn out special pages for insertion into those magazines. He told us: “Nduka would be breathing down your neck, urging you to please do quick.” Emmanuel Onyejena who passed few months ago was my tutor on the journalism job when I joined the pioneer team of THISWEEK magazine after I graduated from the University of Nigeria. I overhead a hot exchange he was having with the Publisher, Obaigbena, from the London end where he had been sent to oversee the printing process.
The exchanges were hot and that was the Prince›s style when he expected to get results despite seemingly huge obstacles. «Emmanuel,» Prince Obaigbena would yell from the Lagos end of the telephone, “I sent you to London to solve a problem but you have become the problem yourself.” When Emma returned, Maxim, Madu Onuorah (aka darkness), Emma and myself made so much fun of the encounter in our usual after work rendezvous at Mama Ify’s joint at Lawanson, Surulere, Lagos.
Obaigbena is purely civilian but he has a military philosophy: no retreat, no surrender. His is the case of creative ingenuity churning out ideas every minute. The challenge plaguing our country has remained the same: getting foreign exchange had never been easy, yet the Duke as he is fondly called by admirers chose to put out an all colour magazine printed in London. It was a herculean task but his taste for quality wouldn’t let him forego the initiative despite the pains.
THISWEEK was a magazine to behold, the staff quality was one of the best around Africa: Sonala Olumese, Lanre Idowu, Amuzie Akpaka, Tunji Ladner, Stanley Ogunedo, Maxim Uzoatu, Kenneth Taderferua, Nick Ogbulie, Ugo Onuoha, Madu Onuorah, Omokodion, Ede Eguavon, Shelk Abutiate and so many great writers one can’t remember all the names. One of the anchor persons on AriseTV noted that Obaigbena is gifted in picking “stars.” When I heard that I nodded. It is true statement.
Even the mediocre person, he would give big opportunity to try and learn. Very friendly and understanding. He kept an eye on age and was democratic in his management style. There was freedom everywhere but you knew your responsibility. I was very privileged to be on pioneering team that began the THISDAY newspaper in an office on Ribadu Street, Ikoyi, area of Lagos before we moved to a bigger space in Ikeja, Lagos and I was later to move to PortHarcourt. I opened the Port Harcourt office, Obaigbena didn’t want me back to East but I insisted because by then I nursed the ambition to run for public office in my area very close to the city.
There were doubts if THISDAY would receive acceptance but the Duke›s ‹never say die› spirit provided enough push and comfort. He would always talk of «niche», breaking political news and very strong in economic reporting to arrest market attention. Those inputs made THISDAY a newspaper of reckon and now AriseTV. Obaigbena leads from the front, he would think out strategy, plan the forces to be deployed, arrange sources and plan out presentations from behind the scene. That is the man. If you display competence you become a member of his inner cabinet. He has lifted many of his staff to power positions, including this writer.
I recall him tell one of the siblings who worked in oil company: Ralph is one of best guys I sent forth and he made me very proud, he was so good successive governments in Abia State found a necessary tool. I am proud of him. LHe said to me: “You are my staff on sabbatical, you are free to return.” He is a man with a very large heart indeed.
In the establishment of AriseTV, Obaigbena proved the point we have been making and clamouring to see: in a critical segment, if the black man wears his thinking cap he is capable of beautifully developing his space and making quality contributions to world civilization. AriseTV is competing favourably with other world acclaimed TV stations in that class. He has gotten to height running from an economy space where foreign exchange volatility is crazy and very much anti-business. Where infrastructure is near nonexistent.
In other sane countries, he would receive government assistance so that our stories may not only be told from our perspective, it will reach more audiences as well. But this appears not to be the case in our circumstances. We give highest awards to politicians for taking the country backwards and give the middle honour to those who by dint of creativity have shown the qualities inherent in the citizens, waiting to be tapped. Nigeria hasn’t honoured Prince Obaigbena appropriately, if it were to be so he ought to have been appointed to head the Information ministry and give us communication channels including a TV station that would serve as the mouthpiece of the Black Race.
He shouldn›t lobby for it, he should be approached and appealed to work for the country from his area of greatest strength. We shouldn’t wait until he is aged and tired out then we turn to our usual pattern of singing vain praises full of past tenses. We should do so now that he is still strong, full of experience and rearing to farther than he has been able to do as an individual.
I salute our indomitable Duke. Millions of Nigerians cherish his contributions and daily pray for him to stay strong, in good health and to live very long. People need him. The world needs him. Since men of purpose don›t die young, it is our prayer Prince Obaigbena will see ripe old age. Duke glory to God and congratulations, happy birthday and many more happy returns our icon.