Niyi Odebode: The hero who’s leaving PUNCH After 31 Years

By Friday Olokor

Today, Sunday July 21 2024, another history is being made as a good man, Niyi  Odebode bows out of Punch Newspapers as DEPUTY EDITOR after 31 years in active service. As Deputy Editor to three Editors, he has been the person generating all the awards -winning stories in PUNCH. The Editors won’t acknowledge or give him credit before management, but we know.

He is Egba man, from Ogun State, I’m Ika man, from Delta State. He didn’t commission me to do this, I didn’t take his permission because if I do, he will discourage me! If any issue I raise here are lies, arrest me and go to court!

The story of my journalism career won’t be complete without mentioning this great man. And he will be among the few people in PUNCH I will celebrate, when I write my memoir. While Niyi has been severally celebrated as a hero for his good work and high professional mental alertness, especially by those who worked under his supervision, many left PUNCH unsung.

Niyi is a workaholic and drives you ‘crazy’ to perfection. Unlike many others who sit with their two legs stretch out on tables, dishing out instructions to we foot soldiers, Niyi will provide a guide on how a Reporter, especially those under his jurisdiction will excel and that is why today, Friday Olokor can squeeze out water from stones, even in the Sahara Desert.

Although we worked briefly in Lagos (and in different desks), my mastery became strengthened when he became my direct boss as Abuja Bureau Chief of THE PUNCH.

Some years ago, a very Distinguished Editor, (now also an ex-PUNCHer) on leave once visited Abuja and saw how Niyi was giving instructions to me, and provided guide on questions to ask a political heavyweight and the story that I churned out. Before then, he had jokingly asked: “How have you been coping with FRIDAY OLOKOR, who is believed to be stubborn?” I wasn’t there but was told that Niyi’s response ended all the lies being given to a dog in order to hang it.

I remember Niyi being quoted as telling him that “Olokor is greatly misunderstood; although he could be stubborn, yet you can get the best from him if you understand and manage him well.” Niyi knows my forte or what could be best described as strength. I became a UTILITY and RESCUE REPORTER through the instrumentality of Oga Niyi because he knows my strengths.

In the past, some bosses were misled by envious leopards into believing that there’s something fishy about being here and there, a development which my friend and colleague, Sunday Aborisade calls me “OLOKOR EVERYWHERE.” Today, if you call me ‘CSO Reporter’, ‘Protest Correspondent’, or any other names, you’re not wrong! In fact, one of them while in Abuja, usually mocks with mischief labeling me CSOs.

I covered a major event, the December 25 (Christmas Day) attack on St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State by Boko Haram. Subsequent days when other competitors were sending between 5 and  10 journalists, including their Bureau Chiefs and Managing Editors, Niyi directed thus: “Resume there in the church, go to the Hospitals and get me stories with photos. I have confidence in you.” And for about one week, I had two pages adorned with human angle “Stories By Friday Olokor.”

Niyi reorganised the Abuja Office of THE PUNCH and injected into it, sanity, conviviality, decorum and warmth. Everybody related like brothers. But the place became toxic when he left. But despite all these, Niyi is not a weakling because he’s guided by THE PUNCH spirit of discipline, decisiveness and merit.

At a time when his colleagues in other organisations have become mercantile consultants, Niyi’s constant refrain had been: “The Lord Shall Provide.” My problem with him is that he’s too fearful, reason being that there’s a particular mole (working for his former boss) after him.

The person succeeded, but where’s he today? On several occasions, on Saturdays, as Politics Editor, his former boss summoned him to “appear in the office in the next 30 minutes”, on the suspicion that he could be attending a meeting between politicians and other Politics Editors, according to the briefing he got from the particular mole. Some of us can’t be like him: You take, we take, don’t stop us. If you try to be greedy, the whole world will hear. As my people will say, “Egbe Beri, Ugon Beri…”

A detribalised Nigerian and rare breed, he’s one of the finest editors who have given journalism a good name. If everybody will be like him, Nigeria will be a good place to live. Niyi will admire, assess and defend you (if you deserve it) NOT BECAUSE OF AFENIFERE OR EGBA SOLIDARITY but because of your output, competence, what you can do, proficiency and drive for NEWS. While some people will die unsung, the name, OLANIYI ODEBODE will continue to resonate in my mind, psyche and Encyclopaedia of world Journalism.

As you make history today after 31 years in PUNCH, I don’t have much to say but just congratulations. The best is yet to come and may God answer you according to your desires.

Friday Olokor, Abuja-based journalist with Arise TV News Channel was former Group Politics Editor of The PUNCH

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