FEMI ADESINA: Portrait Of An Igbo-Loving Yoruba Media Guru

By Don Peter Okoro

The name FEMI ADESINA sure ring bells in the Media and Political Turfs of Nigeria. Long before his appointment as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to His Excellency President Mohammadu Buhari GCFR, President/ Commander In Chief Of the Armed Forces Of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Femi Adesina was already a known name, known face and iconic figure in the Nigerian Media Industry, having attained the highest level any Journalist anywhere can aspire to; as Editor In Chief /Managing Director of The Sun Newspapers and Sun Publishing Company Ltd respectively.
To add spice to the cake of his impressive career, as at the time of his appointment; he was equally the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors ( NGE), the Body controlling and regulating all the Editors and in effect, all the practising Journalists in Nigeria. We will later talk about his educational, religious and marital excellence. Our focus for now, which is the raison d’etre for this article is to take a look at his unquenchable Love and Interest for and in Igbo people.
Those who have been following his write-ups and public utterances since when he was Editor In Chief of The Sun will easily testify that if there is one non Igbo Journalist that has always fought for the Igbos, Femi Adesina is. It got to a point that it became so apparent that he was unapologetically pro- Igbo, especially when he started writing parables and proverbs in Igbo language. Though, not a fan of the secession agitations, he always write in support of Igbo interest, against Igbo marginalization, against Igbo criminalization and the need for Ndigbo to have their fair share in the scheme of things. His wise counsel on matters concerning Igbo people is always borne out of love, sympathy and empathy. He speaks and writes with a pure heart on any issue that has to do with Ndigbo.
He loves the Igbos to bits and pieces!

That is why it did not come as a surprise to many when one of the most respected Traditional Rulers in Igboland, His Royal Highness, Igwe Cyprian Nevobasi, Ezeani 111 of Mmaku, Awgu LGA of Enugu State, honoured him with the Chieftaincy title of: Nwanne Di Namba on the 3rd of January 2017 to the applause of everybody including the Governor of Enugu State Rt. Hon.Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who played the perfect Host despite being in the opposition PDP. What this write-up is all about is to pay obeisances to a man who despite the delicate position he holds in Government, still find the time, mind and energy to pay huge attention to a people who are somehow indifferent to the Government of which he is a key member. Chief Femi Adesina is endowed with the wisdom of the Ancient,Chief Femi Adesina has a peculiar way of pacifying the Igbos when provoked, without diminishing his exalted position. He knows how to strike the balance. Not everyone is gifted with this rare quality.
One thing Chief Femi Adesina may not know is that he has a horde of Admirers of Igbo extraction who have been following him for years. One of them is this Reporter and at the appropriate time the red carpet would be rolled out and we will all love on him. This Writer do not have too much personal experience with him, but he is very much at home with people that are close to him. One of them is Mr. Ladi Ayodeji, the Father of Entertainment Journalism in Nigeria, (of the Talkaholics fame in Saturday Punch Newspapers of those days.))This Writer started working for Ladi Ayodeji over 30 years ago ( Since 1988) and till today is still working with him as the South East Editor of BEATSinfotainment.com Pastor Ladi Ayodeji is like a father to him. In fact, his Life Coach.The other person is Rev. Dr. Austin Ifeanyi Epunam of Sweethome Africa Foundation. Of which this Writer is the Editor In Chief of his Magazine—- SWEETHOME News-Magazine and who has been his Boss for the past 15 years ( Since 2005) and still counting. Here I go personal.
The story I am about to tell is that of my personal encounter with Femi Adesina and I’m sure there are countless number of people out there who have similar or better experiences than me. Here we go: when Femi Adesina was the Editor In Chief of Sun Newspaper, based on the recommendation of my Boss, Dr. Austin Epunam, I began sending stories to him for publication. In most cases,after publishing the story, I won’t know that it has been published and I’ll still be disturbing him until he would politely and calmly refer me to the edition and page where my story was published. Sometimes, due to my limited knowledge of the Internet then,after writing my story and typed,I would photo copy the paper and send through email, instead of sending it through Document or PDF. Which means that when it gets to Sun Newspaper’s office, they had to type afresh because I didn’t know any better. Instead of Femi Adesina to insult me and threaten not to use my story again, he would lovingly educate me on the appropriate thing to do. He might have taken such matter lightly, but to me,it left a deep imression and feeling of eternal gratitude in me.
Since then, he became my Hero.And I’m sure there are scores of other people with similar experience as me.He is somebody that understands things easily. What is more, despite the fact that he helped to publish numerous articles for me,he never for once demanded for “returns” even though he knew that as a Consultant, I could be making money from my source. Such is the man we are talking about. Very tolerant, very patient and very Accommodative. Like I said, there are Igbos like my Principal, Dr Austine Epunam with more mind blowing experience than this. Dr. Austine Epunam has told me so many wonderful things about him that keeps me wondering if this man does not have the Igbo blood flowing in his vein. These and others were what he was doing for a man like me he has never met in person. Femi Adesina is indeed a Lover of the Igbo people, ask any Igbo man or woman that is close to him.
Femi Adesina was educated at the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife,Osun State and the top notch Lagos Business School. He started his Journalism career as a Writer for Radio Nigeria and later joined Vanguard. From where he joined the National Concord Newspapers before joining the Sun where he rose meteorically to the position of Editor In Chief/ Managing Director.He also served a two term as President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors ( NGE). Though re-elected for a second term as the Guild President, Adesina stepped down after receiving his Government appointment. He also stepped down as Editor In Chief of The Sun. Chief Femi Adesina was sworn in as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to President Mohammadu Buhari on the 31st of August 2015.
In the year 2007, Femi Adesina was named the “Editor of The Year”by the Nigerian Media Merit Award, the highest Honour any Nigerian Editor can receive. He is a very talented and prolific Editor and Writer. Pastor Femi Adesina is a devout Christian and a Pastor with the highly disciplined Foursquare Gospel Church and is happily married to Mrs. Nike Adesina, they are blessed with two children,a boy and a girl. His son Oluwatobi is a Professional Commercial Pilot.
On behalf of other Igbo youths, both in Nigeria and in the diaspora and especially those he has impacted in one way or the other, I, Don Peter Okoro, hereby propose a Toast that Femi Adesina is a Jolly Good Fellow and a Great Lover of Ndigbo and so should be honoured with the title of: Nwanne Di Namba 1 of Igboland.(Igbonine). I so move. Let those in Support say: Aye! and those in Confusion say: Nay! The Ayes have it.