***Doyen and Epitome of Journalism, PR guru still standing in Kano

A veteran ace journalist and multi disciplinary mass communicator, Prince (Dr) Amb. Ajayi Memaiyetan JP, FNIPR clocks 82 on October 5, 2024.

Based in Kano since age of 26 years – a year after the state was created in 1967, he has had opportunity to traverse the length and breadth of Nigeria as a Nationalist and Pan  Africanist.  He is a bridge builder with model of excellence.

Renowned as a scoop artist frontline reporter by his colleagues and contemporaries, like Chief Olusegun Osoba AKA Aremo sege- a  former Managing Director of Daily Times, Nigerian Herald and Governor of Ogun State, Prince Memaiyetan always defiantly rebuff the attractions of nepotism, graft and debauchery. 

It has not come as a surprise that he was entrusted with challenging tasks and serious responsibilities being a journalism activist.  A thorough breed professional, Prince Memaiyetan read Public Relations, Advertising and marketing by private study and examinations.

He believes that media practitioner must work for the community they live for peace and progress particularly for his country and the black race.

In whatever position he finds himself, Prince Memaiyetan says he is first a reporter – a job he found himself at 19 since 1961 after leaving secondary school at Ile-Ife and employed by Late Alh. Lateef Jakande – a veteran journalist and former Lagos Governor for the Nigerian Tribune Newspaper at Ibadan as a cub reporter with indoctrination of Awoism – an ideology for Democratic Socialism of the political sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo – founder and leader of Action Group AG Political Party who first introduced Free Primary education in Nigeria. Prince Memaiyetan later reported for other national newspapers, magazines and News agencies including: West African Pilot  of Dr. Azikiwe,  Daily Sketch of SLA Akintola, New Nigerian of Sardauna of Sokoto, Nigerian Herald, Reuters, BBC, Drum Magazine and Triumph Newspaper to which he was  seconded from Nigerian Herald as Managing editor in 1993.   “Whether as reporter or editor, I belief so much in reporting because it tells the man from the boy. There you watch reality of life and that’s where journalism is “he was once quoted as telling young reporters. “It has no place for timidity and cowardice because it is noble and honourable but dangerous”, he added.

He said some died while others escaped death by whiskers including his humble self when bullet narrowly missed his head at Ore battle front of Nigerian Civil War of defunct Biafra as a New Nigerian War correspondent.  “I had earlier reported the police action of the war which started from Okpo near Makurdi by Biafra till Federal Troups pushed them back to Obolo Eke, Obolo  Afor and Nsukka where Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeagu fell into the Federal Troops firing line which led to his death. “I followed his body back to Kaduna for burial given with full military honours”, Memaiyetan recalled.

He was the military Major  that led the first military coup of January 15, 1966 in Kaduna where “We became close friends after I  escapes from the South West operation “wet e (burn it down) caused by Western Region rigged election of October 1965 in favour of Premier Chief S.L.A. Akintola against the Action Group (AG) of Awo.  “It was a day to the January 1966 coup that I became the last reporter to interview  Sir. Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto  who was the premier of Northern Region on Western Crisis with the cooperation of Chief Akintola.

Prince Memaiyetan recalled “Sarduana told me earlier when going to Umrah Hajj that there was nothing happening in the west but on his return six days after, Chief Akintola came to Kaduna to inform him of a coup plot which Sardauna dismissed with a wave of hand”.  “New Nigerian Newspaper was just 14 days on the streets and his change of stand that nothing was happening made me to ask whether he needed advice on Western situation to which he rapid in affirmative and which became the lead story of New Nigeria on Saturday, January 15, 1966”. He said the prime Minister Tafawa Balewa,  Festus Okotieboh (Omimi Ejoh) Minister of Finance fell the same night in Lagos and Chief Akintola in the Agbada he wore to leak the coup plot in Kaduna at Ibadan.  Chief Michael Okpara, premier of Eastern Region and Denis Osadebe, premier mid western region escaped death from the troopes sent to capture them. That’s why the coup was branded.  “Igbo Coup” which led to the July 1966 Counter coup when Aguiyi Ironsi – Head of State and other Igbo Army Officers were killed at Ibadan.  Objection of the military State Administrator for the western region, Adekunle Fajuyi led to his death even though he was told that he was not among the targets of attack.  The death of Ironsi and other Igbos made Odumegwu Ojukwu the Eastern region administrator to later invited them to return home in the East describing Theophilus Danjuna – leader of Ibadan Coup as “Ibadan butcher”.

Prince Memaiyetan left for the university college of Nairobi Kenya  after the recapture of Midwest from Biafra and the death by firing squad of Major Victor Banjo who led Bight Benin invasion for Biafra.  Being a Federalist not a separatist, Prince Memaiyetan fully participated on all the peace talks that took place in Ethopia which broke down before that of Uganda where the Secretary of Nigeria peace, delegation, Ayo Banjo which also broke down after his kidnap and death led to the slogan “Kampala Nipayan” (Kampala kills).

Prince Memaiyetan met Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu in his full military regalia for the talks in Ethopia but General Yakubu Gowon did not turn up.  “However, I got the report of the Foreign mercenaries led by Sterner and Mad Mike when they came from Tanzania, the first country in the world to recognize Biafra rebellion as a Country to meet Ojukwu.  The soldiers of fortune were fighting on the side of Biafra – the news I cabled to my newspaper in Kaduna”.  “I also got a scoop that Catholic Relief Agency (CARITAS was flying ammunition under the cover of drug and food to Biafra through President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania.  Even though the propaganda of Ojukwu was very strong in East Africa through his Markpres PR Agency handling it, Prince Memaiyetan joined Nigeria’s team led my editor, Mal. Adamu Ciroma of New Nigeria, Dr. Ibrahim Tahir – a lecturer and political activist, and Sidi H. Ali – a Pan Africa journalist to counter fake and hate news of Ojukwu with fact based journalism.  “I earlier reported that despite Tanzania was the first country in the world to recognize Biafra through the former president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Uganda and Kenya would not follow suit.  The prediction came to pass because Prince Memaiyetan threw energy, zest and passion for the campaign against Ojukwu propaganda.  Even though he was a research student at the University College of Nairobi under the International Press Institute IPI sponsored by the Ford foundation of USA.  However it was not all work without play:  “I dined and wined with president of Kenya, Muzee Jomo Keyanta, President Kenneth kaunda of Zambia, President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Milton Obote of Uganda.  “I was for three days with John Kenedy President of America and President Tito of Yugoslavia- a great hunter inside the National Park watching animals drank from a  flowing river on the Tree Top Hotel”. I climbed kilimanjero – the highest mountain in Africa and cruised on lake Victoria – Africa largest lake.

Memaiyetan later returned to Nigeria and moved to Kano to chart a new course by establishing a Public Relations and media outfit of Adbiz Press services as the first marketing communication agency in a newly created state of Nigeria by late 1968.

He already left an imprimator at 82 years of age with the zeal of a crusader.   Many have drank from his fountain of knowledge as a guru of his calling.

He became a pioneer secretary of the State Nigerian Union of Journalists and National Council member whose leadership produced for the first time – a National Vice President, Comr. Nasiru Zaharadeen, two presidents: Comrade. Sani Zoro and Comrade Muhammad Garba  in the history of the union from the north.  “I also became State chairman and National Council member of NIPR that later produced for the first time in the history of the institute a president from the north – Alh. Sabo Sarki Mohammed (Sarkin Media).

Memaiyetan became the first state chairman of the Professional Industrial Union (NUJ) in 1976 under affiliation of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).  After his tenure, he became the first elected State Chairman of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (Chartered).  He worked briefly on the government owned Triumph Publishing Company seconded from Nigerian Herald the Kwara government owned newspaper.

Infact, he was a community leader of no mean repute with several awards from Yoruba Community, Kogi State Community, Northern Ethnic Peoples Association NEPA and Ethnic Community Leaders Association, Kano ECLAK.

Prince Memaiyetan served on the Think Tank of Peoples Redemption Party PRP – an offshoot of Northern Electments Progressive Union NEPU founded by Late Bello Ijumu his uncle and No. 1 Card carrying member of the party who later brought Aminu Kano Political sage progenitor of Talakawa fame.  Memaiyetan was sworn-in as Justice of Peace JP by the then State Military Governor Col. Sani Bello and made to sit at the Kano State first Rent Tribunal being the founder of Kano State Tenants Association.

Prince Memaiyetan won media award as Patron of Catholic Diocese of Kano, Rotary International of Nigeria Premier’s Club professional excellence, NIPR  National Excellence and International Institute of Journalism IIJ, Kano Centre best academic award with honors Causer Doctorate award in Journalism by the World University in Benson Arizona USA, Desert Campus (Round Table ) in Journalism. He got Elder Statesman of journalism NUJ. Award. Nigeria Police would not forget him in a hurry for decades roles in Police Community Relations Committee PCRC for local government, State and zone I with awards to show for it.

Those who had the privilege of drinking from the fountain of knowledge of this guru say he had great capacity for work and his energy which made nonsense of his age.  He daily ran up the staircase to his second floor office more than 10 times.

Above all, he is a Pan Africanist and his love for peasant politics (Talakawa) has made him to have an impressive touch to lives.  Many of his former students greeted him everywhere admirably without him knowing them until they introduced themselves as his former students.  For one Nigeria, he wishes for abrogation of state of origin to be replaced with state of birth in any constitutional amendment. He loves restructuring to make FG shed too much overload.  A united Nigeria must remain to make her the largest black anion in the world.

Wishing Prince Memaiyetan more years of service to humanity, his country Nigeria and Africa.

Interviewed by

Tanko Olarewaju Ojo, Special Correspondent

Strategic Powerful Information Network SPIN

Email: spinsociety@hotmail.com

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FOR THE RECORD FROM KANO BASED VETERAN JOURNALIST PHOTO ACHIVES

A frontline veteran Journalist and Public Relations guru, Prince (Dr). Amb. Ajayi Memaiyetan JP. FNIPR who had traversed the length and breadth of Nigeria and Africa as a Pan Africanist marked his 82nd  years on this planet on October 5, 2024.

He sent this pictures below to the Triumph from his archives to mark the occasion.

1. The first journalist to visit the Exiled Emir of Kano, Alh. Lamido Muhd. Sanusi I in Azare Bauchi State. He is the grandfather of the present emir.

2. The progenitor of peasant politics Talakawa  in Kano, Mallam Aminu Kano with a member of his PRP political Think Tank, Prince Ajayi Memaiyetan going through a book.

3. Late Emir of Kano, Alh. (Dr) Amb. Abdullahi Ado Bayero welcoming King Sunny Ade – the musical juju maetro to the palace with his Public Relations Agent, Prince Mameiyetan in 1980.