As this Monday column rests in peace!

Monday Column By Hameed M. Bello, PhD

It is hard to come to terms with it but it is real. This Monday column that has been consistent for upward of five years will now, painfully, have to rest for the inevitable reason. The Monday columnist, the reliable and thorough journalist, Emmanuel Yawe, who gave life, colours and variety to the column via his simple but effective style has passed away. He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday night, March 10. News of his death spread widely the following Friday morning after it was confirmed he did not wake up from his sleep. What a shocking death! As men of faith, we take his death in good stead because Yawe was a good man. May God give his readers, family, friends, colleagues, associates and the entire Peoples Daily family the strength and endurance to bear the irreplaceable loss.

At the Peoples Daily newspaper specifically, our hearts have been heavy since the news of the death of Oga Yawe (as he was fondly called) first reached us like a joke, until we fully established that it was not a joke after all. We were immediately confronted with the stark reality of having to miss this complete gentleman who meant so much to all of us. Apart from his rich and well researched  regular Monday column which we enjoyed reading but has now gone forever (Except for the immortality of his writings stored in the minds of people and in digital and printed formats), we will miss his goodwill and camaraderie, virtues we hold in high esteem. Yawe will be sorely missed by the board, management and staff of the Peoples Daily because he represented many things to us –a team player, mentor and inspiration, a teacher and adviser, a political historian and one of the finest writers this nation has ever seen. He had remained firm and resolute in his belief in the ideology and general principles of the Peoples Media Limited, publishers of the Peoples Daily and Peoples Daily Weekend newspapers which was established in 2007. He demonstrated those virtues in various ways in the variety of topics he chose and treated in his column. Whether in adversity or in prosperity, Yawe kept his cool and never ceased to have hope in the potentials of the Peoples Daily to be a major player in the media space and to contribute to nation building and to deepen democratic structures.

When Yawe visited the headquarters of the Peoples Daily in Abuja on Wednesday, March 9, he did not show any sign of distress or illness. He was calm, articulate and cooperative in our conversation and made his points understood as clearly as possible. When he visited at about 2pm that day, I was holding a meeting with my staff, and in his usual humane approach, he excused us and requested we open the board room for him to rest a little and called for the Monday paper carrying his column two days earlier to be given to him to read. I instructed my staff to quickly oblige his request and they did so promptly.

After our meeting was over about an hour later, I had discussion with Yawe on the decision of management to appoint him as the Internal Ombudsman to handle public complaints and to superintend content in our drive to self-regulate our practice. A copy of the letter written to us by the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN in respect of the ombudsmanship was given to Yawe to study and get started. The following day, Thursday, in his usual result-oriented approach, he called to enquire if a column for the ombudsman will be created and we all agreed to that proposal to enable us to publish outcome of arbitration in disputes arising from our publications. We also agreed that he was to prepare for us a comprehensive work plan for the effective takeoff of the duties of the ombudsman. All these lofty dreams were shattered when news of his death reached us on Friday.

Yawe, aged 65, was until his death the National Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). Reports say his last official assignment was on Thursday when he issued a statement on behalf of the ACF in condolence with the people of Benue State over the death of Hon. B. A Chacha, former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

While confirming his death to newsmen on Friday, Yawe’s daughter, Talatu Yawe, said her father had been in and out of hospital in the last few months but was fine and at home throughout Thursday. “Though he had been ill, but he was fine yesterday (Thursday). He didn’t wake up from sleep this morning (Friday),” she said.The late Yawe is survived by his wife and four children. 

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) over the passing of its National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe. The President, in a statement issued Friday by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, condoled with family members, friends and associates of Yawe, particularly in the media, where he served meritoriously as a reporter. He was, at various times, member, editorial board of Advisers, The Point Newspaper; Editorial Board Member, People’s Daily Newspaper; Managing Editor, New Sentinel Newspaper; and Editor, Crystal International News Magazine.

The renowned journalist was also Managing Director of Gongola Press Ltd between 1988 – 1992, Director General, Governor’s Office, Gongola State between 1987 – 1988 and Editor, Sunday Triumph Newspapers 1984 – 1987. He was also Chief Press Secretary, Governor’s Office, Gongola State 1983 – 1983 and Editorial Board Member, New Nigerian Newspaper 1982 – 1983. A graduate of Political Science from the University of Ibadan in 1979, Emmanuel YAWE was born in  Donga local government area of Taraba state on 21st October, 1956.