…A Tribute To Our Dede Nne, By Azuka Jebose

We left Amadi Ogbonnaya on the beat. The beat was our field of dreams:few were in a hurry to see our dreams come real in our profession and in life. We hurriedly exit the field. But Amadi stayed because he believed in our collective dreams of a greater Nigeria: Amadi remained hopeful to the end. He held onto entertainment journalism, long after time and death happened to his contemporaries and colleagues. Some of us drifted in search of all things best in life, while others died suddenly at their prime. Ogbonnaya Amadi came into the profession when it was noble, practiced by young, dedicated and fearless bunch of bohemians, inspired by the desire to effect change by elevating the dynamics of entertainment journalism: we were neither activists nor citizen journalists. We were not media mouths of celebrities and society winners and losers: we just wanted to do our jobs: report, protect and preserve the sanctity of entertainment journalism. We were fresh air. Despite the challenges of the profession; we felt the rigorous responsibilities of being the best at what we did. We violated and risked our human endurances: what kept the band of entertainment journalists then, together, was the love for the profession, respect for the practitioners and our relentless sacrifices and professionalism. Above everything else, we were a communal family and celebrated each day that we were together, happily and refreshingly.
Our hard work and dedication to entertainment journalism blessed us with fame: yet, we were not stronger than pride.
The period of the eighties was the best of everything entertainment in Nigeria’s social lifestyle . The pop culture was experiencing a transition from the disco era to the protest reggae music that called our sufferings and smiling to universal attention.
Fashion business was emerging with its adventures into Nigerian couture, experimenting with Adire, guinea brocade and colorful lace rags: new age designers and runway models designed wears that turned heads and made us looked sensual, stylish, original and sizzling. The pride was made in Nigeria by Nigerians for Nigerians. The nouveau rich under military dictatorships that peppered us with austerity measures, green revolution, structural adjustment programs, inflation and corruption instantly became society power brokers, spiced with celebrities and television stars: we had no social media, no cell phones, and no digital on demand media; best of the intrigues of our lives? No regular salaries. Most newspapers then were challenged by scarcity of newsprints. Newspaper Pagination became casualties of austere times. But we had courage, determination and the desire to uphold the ethics of entertainment journalism. We had soul!.
Guided, guarded, encouraged and cheered on by our entertainment editors in various media organizations: we were privileged Ben Tomoloju with The Guardian, Fola Arogundade; the Vanguard, Ladi Ayodeji, The Punch, Chinaka Fynecountry, Lagos Weekend, Chuks Anyaso, Daily Times, Basil Chiji OkaforSunday Times, Moji Danisa, Climax Magazine, May Ellen Ezekiel and Mike Awoyinfa, Concord Newspapers: With faith and fate, my generation of entertainment reporters became celebrated feet soldiers on the beat. We competed respectfully and with dignity for exclusive stories and gossips against each in the business. Ogbonnaya Amadi was one of us: he tagged along his then new entertainment editor after Arogundade left, Late Hakeem Ikandu.
The eighties entertainment beat reporters pool was a kaleidoscope of respect, love and collective pride as we competed for entertainment and society exclusives: That pool included the best of our times writers and reporters, Alozie Mark Uzoukwu, Kafui Gale Zoyiku, Jahman Anikulapo, Mallam Okwechime Abdul, late Kolosa Kargbo, late Ifeanyi Nkennor, late Wale Olomu, Moji Danisa, Mayor Akinpelu, Femi Akintunde-Johnson, Kunle Bakare,Billie Okonedo, Richard Mofe Damijo, Wale Olomu, May Ellen Ezekiel, Betty Irabor, Pastor Chuzzy Udenwa, Charles Okogene, Tony Onyima Hakeem Ikandu, Tunji Bello, Toyin Akinosh, Uzor Maxim Uzoatu, Ifechi Okoh, Niran Maranolu and yours sincerely. Lagos was the center spread of Nigeria’s show business,entertainment and Arts Journalism.
We crawled the days and nights, hanging out with the best celebrities and entertainers in our worse socio economic meltdowns. We would assemble midweek at Jazz 38 located along Obafemi Awolowo way at Ikoyi, Lagos, especially midweek nights when Fela Anikulapo Kuti headlined as a special guest, Fantasy Nite Club at Iyaba, Gondola Hotel, Stadium Hotel, Pusy Cat, Lords and Peak Nite Club, Dollaz Nite Club, Klass Nite Club, Ace of Clubs, Beech Combers, Floating Buka, Faze 2 Nite Club, Magama, Chez de Gracia, Caban Bamboo, inside The Hotel Bobby Benson, a onetime structural landmark that dotted the skylines of Ikorodu road, Phoenicia hotel, Paradiso, Climax Nite club, the Afrika Shrine on Pebble Street and more. We had places to go. We knew how and where to ambush celebrities for stories, exclusives and the mundane trivialities of their lives., Stadium hotel was a place to capture the essence of highlife music as performed by Sir Victor Olaiya and featured guest or guest bands. We followed musicians to record studios and watched them record their albums; we witnessed rehearsal sessions of musicians and theatre practitioners as they prepared for their productions. We were privileged all access to show business. We happened to entertainment beats and the beat played on until the last of the endangered species, Amadi fell this August day in 2012. If you had the privilege of knowing him; you would feel his abrasiveness, his assured self-esteem, his intolerance to shenanigans and his desire to get things done. These attributes were our work culture and ethics then: We reported and damned the consequences. We walked the lines of true entertainment journalism. Amadi was a part of that exciting and exhilarating period of entertainment journalism and show business. During the Nigerian Idol season in March 2012, our mutual friend and one of the judges, Charly Boy (Area Father) called and requested I came to his hotel and chilled with him: I drove down to his hotel that lazy and boring Saturday evening: Who would miss the opportunity to hang out with CB?. The intriguing human, CB said he had just been invited to the Nigerian Idol theatre where the twelve finalists were going to be introduced to the media and he wanted me to be his guest. I agreed and we went: It was the last time I would see my dearest friend Ogbonnaya, at the event. In 2008, during one of our telephone conversations, as I blazed through the pains and turbulence of divorce, he reached out to me from Nigeria:”Jebose, you need to come back home. Let’s repackage you, so I beg make you come back because you are still the God father of entertainment journalism. I am the DON. Yes Jebose. I am the DON. Since you comot, Hakeem die, Wale die, FAJ retired, na who remain?. Me!. That’s why I am the DON…” It’s been five years since you departed. Continue to rest and thanks for the privilege to be your brother and friend.