Unscheduled visit of Gov Shekarau to Triumph Publishing Co Ltd
By ISA ABBA-SAID
i was the first person to report to duty on that monumental day.
It was a cool Friday morning and my zeal to abide by the rules and regulations of the company, made me to report even earlier than the scheduled reporting time, because I was sitting at exactly 7.40 in the morning, going through some copies of both the national and international newspapers and magazines in my Editor-in-Chief’s office. The cleaners were attending to my office so I decided to ‘squat’ for a couple of minutes in my Oga’s office.
I was deeply reading a very funny story in the London Weekend magazine when one of the messengers rushed into the office, without knocking or seeking for any kind of permission to be allowed in and almost shouted. “He’s here!!.
“Who?, Who’s here?” I asked, puzzled. His bulging eyes and shaking fingers were pointing at the entrance door.
“He - the - chief”.
“Cool down. Cool down” I tried to comfort him because he seemed to be on the verge of collapsing.
Before he answered my question, I heard footsteps getting louder and louder. I brushed him aside to have the view of who should be coming towards the office. I got my eyes glued to the leading corridor until what I was waiting to see finally emerged. And yes, the messenger had every reason to be confused and nervous.
I quickly got to my feet and adjusted my last grade medicated glasses. Leading about ten other people, was His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano state, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau!!
I was kind of standing to attention when he stepped into the office.
“Welcome to the Triumph Publishing Company, Your Excellency”, I said in the most respectful voice.
“Thank you, “ he replied.
“And where is your MD?” Someone among the governor’s entourage asked.
“He has gone to the Government House for the scheduled meeting with the heads of parastatals”, I replied.
I heard His Excellency uttered, “yes”.
I led the governor and his entourage into the MD’s well-furnished office. I then ushered him to sit on the executive chair before the rest of the people in his company sat at various locations.
I stood still contemplating what to do or say, but the short silence was broken by the question asked by the Honourable Information Commissioner.
“Are you aware of His Excellency’s visit?” He asked, wearing a very nice smile.
“Personally no sir, but I don’t know if ...
“No problem”, His Excellency cut me short. “I’ve decided to come here and hear the company’s problems from a staff and not the MD himself, so that I can give him a good surprise”.
“Your Excellency, I am at your service. It would be my great pleasure to inform you of all the problems confronting this blessed organization”.
“Go ahead”, he ordered me, then added quickly. Get a pen and jot down all he says and let’s see what we can do to put more ‘energy’ to the company”.
I was tremendously surprised to see the courage and confidence I had in me eventhough His Excellency’s personality and the presence of the information commissioner were enough to send jitters into any person’s spine. I thanked my stars for that ‘gifted stamina’.
“First and foremost, Your Excellency, we are very happy for the yearly subvension allocated to our beloved company being that only two or three states, Kano state inclusive, now maintain their own print media among all the states we have in the North.
“Through the efforts of your administration, we have PHCN power supply very constantly. Maintaining the staff who also maintain their families, should also be appreciated while the free hand you give to the management to attend to all political parties and politicians to have their own say in the papers we print, are enough to demonstrate your democratic policy of being the father of all the people living in Kano state. That’s an exemplary leadership you have shown that should be emulated.
“Your Excellency, with further assistance and backing, we shall be able to reach the sky.”
I kept quiet to feel the atmosphere and find out whether I was on the right track and the attention I got, gave me the needed courage to proceed with my historic speech. But that alone wasn’t enough to allow me to continue until His Excellency nodded and said, “Go on, we are listening”.
I continued talking and talking until the time I said: “Print media consume more money than the electronic media. In the print media, the toner, the papers, the negatives and plates used, are not reusable, while all you need in the electronic media is to switch on the button and the stations join the air waves for listeners to grab what is being broadcast.
“Your Excellency, we need more money to print more pages of the newspapers we produce on daily and weekly basis. We shall then expand our circulation and employ more competent hands to man our newspapers.
“I would also like the government to make it compulsory for all the 44 local government councils in the state to print all their printing materials in our company. Receipts, invoices, payroll vouchers, files, ID cards, complementary cards, calendars and other printing matters should all be brought to our company to be printed. An edict could be promulgated by the State House of Assembly to that effect”.
There were murmurings amongst His Excellency’s entourage that signified the acceptance of my proposal.
“I believe that if that method should be implemented, the company could generate higher revenue and possibly solve some of its problems”, the information commissioner suggested.
A finance ministry official added, “And you people can go out and look for contracts for producing exercise books from governments and parastatals”.
“NGOs too,” another person contributed.
“Yes”, the information commissioner agreed.
“Any other thing we can do for you people?”, His Excellency asked, the smile on his face telling me to go ahead and empty the company’s request book.
“Your Excellency, most of the offices in the company need to be given a face-lift. We need new furniture, TV sets, satellite receivers tape-recorders and a standard clinic as an expansion to the one we currently have in the company.
“And I also forward the request of all the staff that loans should be given to us to either purchase tourist vehicles, refurbish our own or buy motorcycles and even bicycles to bring to an end, the hardship majority of us confront before reporting to duty, due to the long distances we always cover. The loan can as well reduce the amount of transport money staff always spend to convey themselves to and from office.
“Your Excellency, some staff need to go for refresher courses, both within the country and abroad. It would be our pleasure to be honoured with that request. And I am the one on the top list”.
Laughter broke out when I said that and I felt guilty for saying so as it could demonstrate my selfish interest, while truly speaking. I was only happy to see me addressing the First Citizen of the state. Besides, the Honourable information commissioner was also in attendance, so it was just like going to the bank with an open cheque.
“Anything else?” His Excellency asked. He collected the papers consisting the points jotted down by the official, who might be his personal assistant. He went through the short-listed contents and smiled. He nodded as well and placed the papers on the table. Then his eyes met mine for further explanation.
“Your Excellency, we have another request. We were told that the initial plan affiliated to the establishment of this newspaper company included the provision of staff houses, a stone throw away from the company’s premises, to facilitate easy access to work. That could also reduce the company’s expenses in paying yearly rent allowances to deserving staff. Sir, if we could be allocated some houses under the current housing scheme programme your administration signed with Indonesia, it would help us very much in securing a comfortable atmosphere for our families and have our minds put to rest in terms of being harassed by some landlords”.
I was still standing and talking, while His Excellency and his entourage were listening to me very attentively. While I was waiting for His Excellency to finish going through the jotted points, I thought I should seize the opportunity to thank him for what his government has been doing to the media houses in the state.
“Your Excellency, I most humbly extend the gratitude of Kano state Radio to you and your government for all you have done to uplift their production standard and renovate, as well as reconstruct some offices to make work more conducive and comfortable for the staff.
“Your Excellency, the CTV 67/48 station will forever be grateful to you and your administration for all the support given to one of Rimi’s babies. The new cameras and other facilities to upgrade the vision and performance of the organisation and its staff, Your Excellency has provided will surely boost the performance of the station.
“It is also known that the NTA and Radio Nigeria Madobi FM 103.5 have also received your kind gesture”.
“May be you should concentrate on what really affect your company,” someone suggested.
“Yes, sir. I was only trying to show that CTV 67, Radio and Triumph newspapers are plants of the same seedling.“ I pointed out politely. I saw His Excellency summoned the information commissioner closer to him. They discussed something my ears couldn’t grab, but the commissioner’s sudden broad smile, clearly indicated that he was pleased by what he was told.
“Now, it’s my turn to say something. I suppose. I’ve gone through your requests, both official and some of them really more personal. But you have really tried and I am pleased to see how patriotic you are”. He cleared his voice, picked the gold-plated pen from the table and continued.
“You can break this good news to your Managing Director. “The smile on the governor’s lips, the soft voice and friendly manner contained together, nearly made me shout.
“Your monthly subvention will from this month be tripled”. The governor began.
“Your Excellency, no words can express our happiness.
“And N3m will be allocated to you as loan to purchase or refurbish your vehicles, beginning this month. You will also be given one year grace before deduction would be made from your monthly salaries.
“Thirdly, I’ll see that every senior staff is allocated a three-bedroom flat while those on grade levels 9 to 11, will have a two-bedroom flat. Any other staff below that grade will be allocated a one bedroom flat. This means that each and every Triumph staff shall have a house to call his own”.
Should I shout, clap my hands or dance out of joy? I asked myself. But no. Not then, but later, as the governor’s entourage joined their hands together for nearly two minutes.
“And provision of satellite receivers, TV sets and radios will be made this week. But remember, we must see good result, otherwise...”
“We shall do our best sir. Thank you Your Excellency. May you be rewarded abundantly” I uncontrollably uttered.
After the governor and his entourage left, I returned to my office and sat down, thinking, praying and hoping.
I picked my cell phone and dialled the MD’s number - then something struck me, Keeping today, being April 1 2007 aside, and that all I imagined above was only based on “if wishes were horses” I decided to keep my dream to myself but that I should continue praying that my proposal and imagination would some day become a reality.