The final write-up
WHEN the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Triumph Newspapers Alhaji Muktari Magaji entered my office for the third time without any apparent reason, I knew that he had something vital on his mind-something that might have some sort of afiliation to me or my job.
Having observed his facial expression and the way he glanced at me whenever he entered the office, forced me to go straight to his office for either briefing or explanation.
I knocked at his office door and entered. We greeted once more and he asked me to sit. I obliged and waited very anxiously for his comment.
“Am – it’s about your column. Am that page four –“
“Fantasy.” I cut him short.
“Yes. Ofcourse. Am—“
“Anything wrong?” I asked, worried.
“Well-you can say that-because I’ve been instructed by orders from above to invite you to have a chat with the Board Members of this company—“.
“Board Members?” I almost shouted. “Serious. This should be very serious. What happened?” I got to my feet, unconsciously, but dropped on the chair again.
The deputy editor-in-chief, in his usual cool manner and composed nature, tried to comfort my nerves by telling me that what happened shouldn’t be considered on offence or anything above that, but it could be seen as “exceeding the limits” of the freedom of press.
“You can go back to your office and wait for further instructions”, Alhaji Magaji said in a voice a little morethan a whisper.
Before my hand reached the handle of the door, many things crossed my mind. Something told me to pack my few things and beat it while another thought said I should be courageous enough to face the music.
Back in my office, I sat on the nearest chair and asked myself to recall all that I’d written in my column. I must have been thinking for over half an hour because when the intercom rang, the time on my wall clock showed 10:35 am.
The Deputy Editor-in-Chief asked me to follow him upstairs, to meet the members of Triumph’s Board of Directors for the first time!
The Boardroom was full to capacity. The chairman of the Board with his members including the Triumph’s management, were all seated. From the look on their faces, I knew that I should expect myself to be in a very hot soap!
Another thing that sent a shocker to my weak nerves was a heap of Weekend Triumph newspapers placed in front of the chairman’s secret files, possibly consisting all the write-ups of those fancy stories.
As expected, there wasn’t any extra chair in the Boardroom, therefore indicating that I should stand there, face the gentlemen and either defend myself or give up to the unexpected.
I greeted everyone there, respectfully and very calmly. I wore the most pitiful face and moulded my voice to be soft and very obedient.
The chairman, one of the most respected and upright people in Northern Nigeria in particular and the entire country as a whole, looked at me, nodded, shook his head, tapped the table gently then cleared his voice.
“We all know you but to do things officially, I suppose that you should tell us your name”.
“Isa Abba – Sa’id; Sir.” I said as politely as possible.
“Any nick-name?” the chairman asked, his voice more friendly.
“Buzu-Buzu or Chinese eyes, sir”.
The entire people in the Boardroom burst into laughter, that alone, gave me all the courage I needed to face the gentlemen sitting infront of me.
When the laughter died down and silence took over, the chairman continued to ask me several questions, which I answered successfully. Then the mother of all questions came – the question that changed the conducive atmosphere into the most uncomfortable one for me.
“You – Isa – once mentioned something about seeing Mr. President, then you came down and mention trying to see the then military Governor of Kano state, Brig.-Gen. Oneya – and –“ He opened some few pages of the Weekend Triumph newspaper and went through them. I saw his face frowned. “So you even wrote about the former first Lady Dr. Maryam Abacha – and – our – you also wrote about His Highness the Emir of Kano!”
“And recently, he wrote something about His Excellency Kano state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau”. It was Dr. IBK reminding the chairman about an important issue that might have skipped his mind.
“Yes – yes. I now remember. Something about naming his son after the governor? Yes I remember.”
And I also remember being booted out of the company and possibly out of the entire state’s civil service, I told myself.
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a voice shouting “why are you exceeding your limits?”
“I’m sorry sir. Please repeat the question. I only heard a portion of it.
“Don’t you think you’re exceeding your limits by writing about all those VIPs unnecessarily—“
“It was another Board member, contributing his quota to the session.
“Sir – am – I’m – I mean.” I couldn’t help stammering. I shouldn’t be told in black and white that fantasy column would be dead and buried after that “meeting”.
“Well, do you have anything to say before we tell you the decision taken on your case?”
It was another Board member, speaking for the first time.
“First and foremost, let me apologise for all the inconveniences my write-ups might have caused all the affected individuals. I’m truly sorry and I take the blame and I shall never repeat that mistake again.”
There were murmuring and chattering amongst the Board members and management of the company. Views were softly exchanged and ideas discussed – then a verdict was reached.
The board chairman turned to the Triumph’s MD and Editor-in-Chief, Malam Mahmoud Adnan Audi for his comment.
“Am – sir. I must say that many people who find the column interesting would surely miss it if it should be suspended or cancelled. But if it’s realized that it’s making more harm than good, I’ve no objection to any step you feel you should take in favour or against the whole situation”.
Shortly before the announcement of the “verdict”, a call for Noon Prayers was heard over the loudspeakers.
“We’ll go and pray now and on return, you’ll all hear the final decision taken on this fantasy column.
I returned to my office after saying the Noon Prayers at the company’s mosque. I sat calmly and began intensive search of the whole episode.
I thought about the freedom of press and the democratic rule we were enjoying and wondered why my column should be an obstacle to the happiness or progress of others, but “who are you to protest or say no to such a situation?” I asked myself loudly.
I sat there almost motionless, thinking, praying and terribly worried.
About 45 minutes later, after the recess to attend to the Noon Prayers, the intercom bell rang. I answered it and as expected, I was once more summoned upstairs for further and final “sitting”.
It took me all the courage in the world to cover the few metres from my office to the Boardroom. I knocked, greeted and stood there, helpless and nervous.
“Ok Malam Adnan. Would you tell him the decision reached with regards to his funny column, fantasy?” It was the chairman giving instructions to my Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief to tell me something that I was certain, would affect my career and deprive my teeming readers, the Saturday fun they always enjoyed, after reading those fancy wording.
“Am – Malam Isa – am I’m sorry. The Board and all of us here have agreed that as from this Saturday, January 13, 2007, your column will seize to appear on page 4 of the Weekend Triumph newspaper. This is to sort of compensate those you might’ve hurt or embarrassed in your write-ups, especially the big shots in this country.”
The MDs voice was soft and full of pity. His eyes avoided me completely throughout his two-minute speech.
Then Dr. IBK (Ibrahim Bello Kano) a senior lecturer at BUK came in.
“Allow him to say something – may be he –“
“Yes. Yes. Sure. I support that”, one of the Board members interrupted him.
The chairman’s eyes then met mine. “Well?” He asked and looked away.
I shook my head and looked down as if I was trying to confirm the difference between an Ant and a Cricket crawling near my feet. I only told myself that since Fantasy was kicked out of the Weekend Triumph newspaper, any other matter wouldn’t be as painful as that.
But one thing all readers of my column and my fans should know, is that, all I told you above, is meant to take you for a ride. How many of you have been fooled by my fansy imagination? See you next Saturday.