Babafemi, JAMB spokesman and the deepening ‘Afenifere’ confraternity

MY birth dad died in 1990. 15 years later, precisely August 2005, God gave me a new dad. In the last two decades, he has been a breathing Gibraltar. I had set my mind on an extraordinary celebration of his extraordinary life. Then he gave an advance warning; no public mention of milestones, despite raking enough to fill a barn. A major lesson from my dad is not to be loud even when achieving fantastically. Yoruba will say when one’s yam is fully cooked, his hands should arc over it while eating. It is also not every fabric that needs drying in the sun, and I add, not even in this era of powerful dryers. If you know, you know. Painfully so, his no-show wish must be respected and abided. Dad and mum, you know “we” your children (biological and adopted) love you.

This is the last Gibbers for the exiting year and I’m in fabulous mood for appreciation. The year, President Tinubu’s full second, hasn’t been a bop for millions of Nigerians. Some are hobbling through it, some crawling, some hopping, some limping, and some being carried to the finishing line, but God says in all things, we should give thanks. At least, a living dog is still better than a dead lion and there is hope for the one still joined with the living (Ecclesiastes 9:4), though the administration is already prepping further squeeze in the New Year. But there is God that hears the wailing of the oppressed and sees the task/tax masters. He is still on the throne.

Yet, we must celebrate life, health (if not much of wealth for countless Nigerians), relationships and most importantly friendship, especially the ministry of men in one’s life.

In a way I can’t explain, men of honour who have earned places of significance in my life, do not want public appreciation. But God of heaven who knows them will publicly reward their secret immeasurable labour of love. I believe Christians amongst them, especially a federal CEO who always ensures I add extra to my waistline whenever he is visiting Lagos, are siding with Jesus guideline in Matthew 6:1-4. I must add he is also my son’s godfather.

Another federal CEO, a devout Muslim who has evidently aligned with Quran’s admonition in 2:271 as his benevolence ethos, will simply smile away appreciations of his ever-clocking and clicking heart of gold. The last time I featured his identity in a write-up about a silent systemic revolution where he presides, it was someone known to us both that first expressed concern. Then “oga” dialed in, to extract a promise I would henceforth allow him the low profile he chose, despite being a top operative of an ecosystem reeking of what Yoruba will call se kari mi (notice me), all for relevance. Certainly, we are differently wired. I pray in their lifetime, I will be able to attempt a token payback.

Another “egbon” who stood tall for me in the outgoing year is Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN. Politics, or more like Tinubu’s presidency, is the ever-threatening asunder to our relational but Chief has demonstrated a heart, elastic enough, to eclipse our fissure. We would hold divergent views on the administration’s delivery this moment and the next moment, he would be asking me to stitch together an advert text for the next day. Thank you sir for not holding my political “sin” against me. Thank you for not allowing your love for your president and leader to bowl hate over us. I remember when Tribune gave targets for advert and without even mentioning it to him, he kept swinging “jobs” my way. There were times some Awoists-In-Name-Only (AWINO; sounds like Awilo), like RINO (Republican In Name Only) in American politics, would want to deny Tribune patronage for some nebulous political readings, and Chief would go to war with them, once aware of such shenanigans. He would always say to me “Tribune is our paper. Many of us would not have gone to school if not for Awo. Yoruba race is indebted to him”, though he would still sound off on such testimonials by knocking some of today’s columnists for not embracing enough of Yoruba nationalism, of course, including yours sincerely. Whenever I tried to argue that a national daily should not be parochial, he would counter with “Lanre, don’t be more catholic than Pope”. Despite his fiery personality, Chief is a patriot and unto me, a lifter of the hand. I appreciate sir.

A now-late older acquaintance had an interesting way of responding to someone who had done him good and ascribing the praise to God when being appreciated. I was privileged to lend a hand during the first medical crisis that almost took his life before the repeat that eventually cost him. So when he returned from hospital, he kept saying in Yoruba “e se Mr. Lanre” (thank you, Mr. Lanre) and I would answer with “Oluwa lo ni ope sir” (all praise is to God), and he would counter with “eniyan na la ma ki” (we are still going to render it through man).

Proverbs 18:24 speaks of a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Femi Babafemi, ex-EFCC spokesperson, ex-Saturday Sun editor and current NDLEA image-maker, arguably the best media manager in public space today, simplified and exemplified this scripture to me, the moment he learnt I had a foot out of Tribune. Within hours, without a prompt, he was laying a high-profile, federal appointment on my laps! I was blown away. That gesture is going to stay with me for the rest of my existence. It was a painful decision walking away from the offer after a lot of consultations and deliberations (including with him), due to certain constraints. But ore, you simply defined 2025 for me. There is no way I’m forgetting that.

It would seem God decidedly set 2025 for imagemakers to be there for me. Till date, I have physically sighted the multiple award-winning spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, just once, which was at a crowded press briefing in Lagos. We didn’t even bump hands, considering the media heavyweights (especially columnists) in attendance and he was standing in for his boss, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, which got him really engaged. Then, my about-to-graduate child was told “something” crucial needed to be done before being mobilised for national youth service. After several failed efforts at the state level, I had to escalate to Abuja. Rang Oga Benjamin up and explained the dilemma to him. He took it up and guided on the leg to sort out with the school. The waiting days and weeks were tense. My child kept checking with me; I kept checking with Doc. Then, the relief. Doctor came through for us and would not even acknowledge the gratitude. Like others, he just wanted to do good and walk away.

I also have Oga Idowu Adelusi, Sir Jude Ossai and Alhaji Musibau, ex-Obasa’s spokesperson to thank for being there for this page. God bless you all.

Please let no one tell me about Nigerians being mostly bad. Just pray the good ones, even for those arguing they are negligible, find you and willing.

Yes, I know my thank-you list is already long but there is no way I would leave out Oga Dotun Oladipo, publisher of EagleOnline newspaper. His very credible platform has been a pillar of visibility for Gibbers. His capacity with news is amazing. A certain day like that, I wished to him he would include classroom knowledge impartation. He replied with a rhetorical question. Yet, I insist the future of journalism needs his kind, including award-winning investigative journalist, Oga Dipo Kehinde who I have not seen in a while. In my early days as Lagos Bureau Chief of Tribune, I brought him as a resource person to speak on investigative journalism at a conference organised by the Bureau. Their track records speak volumes.

The space here may seem inexhaustible but I would have to stop here not to bore readers and the last line will be a salute to my cross-in-law (I’m his in-law, he is my in-law) and Sunday Tribune editor, Oga Sina Oladeinde. It was only recently I learnt he has consistently been shielding my head from those seeking it with cudgels over certain interventions here. Make una no vex o. Thank you boss and a prosperous 2026 to us all.

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