ZUL-HAJJ 10 1430 A.H.
FRIDAY NOVEMBER . 27 2009.
Print This Page 
Peter Ajayi: Remembering a colleague
By PRINCE AJAYI MEMAIYETAN
Just like yesterday, I can recall the fateful day in 1961 when Peter Ajayi and my humble self faced the panel of interviewers at Ade-Oyo, lbadan, the head office of Nigerian Tribune newspaper. The panel comprised of AIh. Lateef Kayode Jakande of Allied Newspapers (John West), as the Chief Executive; Chief J.L. Oni, the Managing Director of African Press and Akintunde Emiola-Editor Tribune. I was fresh from the Catholic Mission Secondary School, lle-lfe while Peter already worked for about three years as a trained Grade II Teacher from St. Louis Catholic Teacher’s College Abeokuta. We developed interest in each other like fish to water as catholic products and because of my first name “Ajayi” which was his own surname. We fell in love at the first meeting and I called him Peter-the-Rock. In turn, he would always say; “Name Sake” (Oloruko) despite he was six years older than me. That was a sign of humbleness in him, which created a lasting impression. Blessed with a massive body, he can be disarmingly courteous to everyone that met him.
We both passed our interviews and were employed as cub reporters on probation of six months. In Peter, all virtues were perfectly blended. He had a character antithesis strongly marked in his personality. Peter was world renouncing and world embracing, tender and terribly humble as a man of action. Self-renouncing and self--asserting--all into one perhaps because of his teacher training background. We were both fired as the impressionable idealistic young Nigerians intrigued by Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s incredible intelligent mind, deep perception, moral appropriateness as the first political leader who believed in free education.
During our first six months in the newsroom, while most of us newly employed were running round the courts at Eleyele and political rallies of Action Group AG, Peter already became a re-write man assisting late Ayo Ojewunmi (Pen Atlanta) as the news editor. The ace reporters then loved their field work and I must mention Olu Johnson Ogidi, Kanye Eleko, Dayo Duyile who later left for Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, Phillip Adedeji and Tunji Adeoye. lnfact, after one year, Peter was taken to Kano Northern Star Newspaper as editor. The Newspaper was one of the Allied Newspapers Group, which took over Amalgamated Press under which African Press Publishers of Nigerian Tribune was being managed. Initiated by Chief Obafemi Awolowo under the Managing Directorship of Alh. Jakande. Daily Express newspaper of Victor Bisi Oniabanjo (Ayekoto column fame) and Northern Star were members. Also, in the Allied Newspaper Group was Calabar Ogoja River COR Advocate Newspaper all with the Objective of making AG acceptable nationwide.
The Action Group Crisis of Chief Awolowo and Chief S.L.A. Akintola broke out in 1962 and met some of us on the Nigerian Tribune entangled because Akintola government stopped the finances of the company by seizing the inflow of fund to Tribune from Western Nigeria Development Corporation WNDC- which built Coca House. For months, the staff of Nigerian Tribune had no pay. Crisis got deeper with the arrest and detention of AG leaders including AIhaji Jakande. From there, the Coker inquiry into Western Region finances began and was followed with charges of treasonable felony leveled against Awolowo and many AG Leaders. Western Region came under state of emergency of Dr. M.A. Majekodunmi in May 1962. We the Awoists continued publishing Tribune while Awo went to detention and jail. At a stage, some of us were made to join Western Region Information service under Late Alh. Ade Thanni as the Director. From there one day, we were all taken to the investment House in Lagos there and then, the publication of Daily Sketch started in 1964 with Daily Times handling our printing at Kakawa Street. That was when Segun Osoba joined Daily Times after his Higher School Certificate. Peter returned from his Kano sojourn to join the Sketch in Lagos. We met again this time, more matured than before with pioneers like Tukumbo Fashogbon (news Editor), Goke Ajiboye, Eddy Obasa, Moni Olaniyan, Remi Ilori, Kayode Awe, Dosu Oyelude, Chief Olu Akinsoroju (Editor) Phillip Adedeji, Oduntan (Chief Sub) all forced to play. Akintola’s Politics of Western Region. On the Sketch, the premier Akintola - a journalist and lawyer combined, dictated most of the editorials from lbadan to Lagos for publication in the Sketch. With poor Sketch readership and unpopular leadership, western region election was fixed for October 1965. We die hard Awoist returned to Tribune from Sketch with the hope of victory for AG. The election was rigged and Nigerian Tribune faced several police harassment’s while being asked not to publish again. We continued to publish from the underground until that fateful day when everyone at the premises of the Tribune Office were arrested and taken to detention in Agodi for alleged sedition which was the publishing of true results of the election. Ayo Ojewunmi had become the editor from News editor and later went to jail for six months for an alleged sedition. The rigged election led to my exit from the West to the North as a Journalist from Kabba province to join the New Nigerian in Kaduna, which started in January 1966. I was first refused appointment before Chief Michael Asaju--then a Councilor for Kabba ljumu and one time Tribune ace reporter secured me ‘northern status’ through Chief S.A. Ajayi then a state Minister under Late Ahmadu Bello, Premier of Northern region.
My dramatic exit from the West to the North caused my leaving Peter Ajayi in the morbid crave for daily bread. We met again when the New Nigerian made me the West Regional Editor. I had covered the first visit of Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi outside Lagos to Kaduna, Kano, Benin and lbadan where he was killed in the counter coup of July 1966 with Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi at Ibadan. Peter was the Press Secretary of Fajuyi on secondment from Sketch. My good coverage’s of the events made the management of New Nigerian to give the appointment. Thanks to Peter who fed me with first hand on the spot information as an old colleague. A crusader of shiny armour, he wrote his first book titled: “Adekunle Fajuyi” after the soldier governor meet his untimely death as the host of the head of state Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi. Peter rose to stardom on the Sketch and later joined the Nigerian Herald as Editor when Segun Osoba became the general manager.
I was already in Kano after my return from University of Nairobi, Kenya in 1968 where I attended International Press Institute (lPI) Course sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation of America. In Kano, I started a PR Agency while writing for Reuters and Drum Magazine. The assassination of Murtala Muhammad in 1977 caused the closure of Reuters by General Olusegun Obasanjo -- who took over from Murtala as Head of State.
Peter and Segun Osoba invited me to join the Nigerian Herald; my state Kwara Government owned newspaper. There I remained, as the northern bureau chief until I was seconded to Kano government owned Newspaper — the Triumph Publishing Company as managing editor in 1983. Peter’s crisis on the Nigerian Herald led him as a thorough bred professional and editors editor man of integrity, merit driven to write another book titled: “NOT HIS MASTERS VOICE”.
By the time Peter, Osoba and Adenaike became intimate friends, called the three musketeers by Chief Awolowo, I was already deeply involved in Kano Politics of Late Mal. Aminu Kano Peoples Redemption Party (PRP). That was just because of my late Uncle MaI. Bello ljumu — the founder General Secretary of Northern Element Progressive Union NEPU — mother of the leftist party that brought Aminu Kano to limelight. Peter’s name as the former editor of defunct Northern Star remained indelible in Kano. The question faced every where was; “do you know Peter Ajayi?”
Peter was committed to journalism, a lovable person who represented the genre of quintessential newspaper trained in the best tradition of news reporting, editorials and sub editing. He left an indelible record of attending twice the famous Thompson Foundation Journalism Institute in Britain, which left him as teacher of teachers of journalism.
He was among the groups of journalists that took to newspapering after Nigerian’s independence fought for by renowned journalists like Azikiwe of the West African Pilot, Awolowo founder of Nigerian Tribune, Chief Akintola and many others.
Call Peter one of the very best in character, impeccable integrity with extra ordinary skill and competence in this profession of journalism where his image will be difficult to duplicate.
Peter will continue to linger in my memory and that of those who came in contact with him. Peter carved a niche for himself as doyen of Nigeria journalism. As a technocrat, he sailed through troubled waters and was adjusted a good manager of men. He was from grass to grace.
As a man who enjoyed life to the fullest and died of cancer of the liver at 73 years on September 27, 2009, Peter would be remembered for leaving behind on untainted name and a stainless banner with accomplished life of service to humanity. With the award of member of Federal Republic of Niger, MFR, Peter claimed his place among the pantheons of nation builders as a member of the fourth estate of Realm. May Peter humble soul rest in perfect peace.
Prince Ajayi Memaiyetan JP, FNIPR can be neached on adbizpresspr@yahoo.com
