It is an established fact that there are two appointed dates in a man’s life: the day he is born and the day he answers his final summons. In-between these two dates are endless stories of a man’s struggles for survival.
Consequently, philosophers contend that if you cannot fly, run; and if you cannot run, walk; and if you cannot walk, crawl. Just keep moving… never remain stagnant in life.
It is, therefore, my belief that at the age of 75, Mr. Shango, a journalist, writer, technocrat, politician and, above all, a mentor, must have undergone all those processes enumerated above.
When I heard the message from President Muhammadu Buhari congratulating my mentor and benefactor, Simon Shango, on his 75th birthday via a radio station early that morning of February 4, 2021, I shouted and this sent my teenage twin daughters rushing to my room to enquire what was wrong. When I mentioned the name of Simon Shango, they were transfixed and only became relaxed when I explained to them that I just heard Mr. President’s congratulatory message sent to my friend and former boss on his birthday.
Of course, the name Simon Shango resonates in my house because I had told my family members and all those who cared to know how he sucked me into the journalism profession.
In that message, President Buhari, who is not given to flattery, eulogised the many sterling qualities of Mr. Shango and described him as a detribalised Nigerian and a symbol of unity. I cannot agree more with Mr. President as the facts I am about to enumerate would speak for me.
In 1972, the then Benue-Plateau State Ministry of Education had given me an appointment to teach English Language at the Government Technical College, Bukuru, after successfully completing my Higher School Certificate Course in December 1971 at the Government Secondary School, Kuru, near Jos.
While at Bukuru, I made a trip to Kaduna to see Mr. Shango to help me put together a magazine which I was planning to publish. I had not previously met Simon Shango in person before my trip. All I knew about him were his fascinating and scintillating stories which often occupied the front page of the New Nigerian Newspapers. The one that caught my fancy most was the account he rendered on the Langalanga train disaster on February 16, 1970… and that motivated me to meet him.
Although he personally did not do much to advance my ambition, he gave me names of some journalists including Mr. Clement Oluwole (a young sports meister), Malam Shehu Abui and Mr. Joseph Angulu, both of blessed memory. After a night with him in Kaduna, I returned to my teaching job. But early in June 1972, I received a message that Mr. Shango wanted to see me at the Ministry of Information, Jos, and that was how I got a job as a reporter at the newly established Benue-Plateau Printing and Publishing Corporation, publishers of The Nigeria Standard Newspaper.
Ahead of the maiden edition of the newspaper, Mr. Shango shopped for some of the best editorial hands from all parts of the country: Lekan Akinola from Oyo state, Clement Oluwole from Kwara state, Joseph Angulu from the present-day Nasarawa state. Innocent Adikwu who later became the Editor of the Punch Newspapers, John Chiahemen of the defunct Benue-Plateau state, who later became an international correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria and later the Reuters, and the late James Ikuve, were all from the present Benue state. Also recruited by Simon Shango was Danjuma Adamu, who later became the editor of Analyst Magazine, a comic title of the paper, and now the Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Taraba state and many others.
Towards the end of the year 1972, I confided in Mr. Shango, who was on the management team of the newspaper, that I was not comfortable working with the newspaper because some of my senior colleagues were not comfortable with me. He quietly shared my frustration with the pioneer editor, Mr. Iliya Audu, a Jukun, who later became a Senator in the Second Republic. The boss suggested that I should be sent to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism in Lagos to encourage me to stay on the job. It was during my course in Lagos that I met the late Chief David Attah, the then General Manager of the Daily Times, the late Prince Tony Momoh, who later became my Minister, and Chief Dan Agbese, who does not need any long introduction.
By 1978, Simon Shango had adequately paid his dues in the establishment of the newspaper and, therefore, left for Benue State where he became the state publicity secretary of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
Simon Shango started his career as a journalist in 1967 and worked under such great names and nationalists as Malam Adamu Ciroma of blessed memory and Malam Mamman Daura, who was the second indigenous editor of the New Nigerian Newspapers.
It is my strong conviction that working under such great people from a youthful age must have shaped his views as a detribalised person. Those years that he had worked in the New Nigerian Newspapers at the most precarious times in Nigerian history must have adequately prepared him for future life challenges.
Simon Shango loved journalism with a passion. He spent several years with the New Nigerian and the Daily Times of Nigeria, mentoring young journalists. Indeed, journalists during his time in the New Nigerian Newspapers worked very hard to restore the dignity of the average Northerner after their civilian and military leaders were shockingly killed in the 16th January, 1966 coup. The New Nigerian Newspapers became the voice of the North and the then military government in Lagos took its views very seriously.
When President Obasanjo became the Head of State after the 1976 coup, he was not comfortable with the New Nigerian Newspapers and, therefore, dragged it under the thumb of the federal government. By that time, Shango had exited the paper.
The present civilian government should reward all those iconic editorial staff of the New Nigerian Newspapers like Simon for the patriotic work they did for the unity of this country through their in-depth reportage and incisive editorial comments.
In 2013, the Benue chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) honoured Mr. Shango, the late Chief David Attah, the late Dr. Patrick Ityoher and my humble self at an occasion. In a citation at the occasion, the NUJ stated that they were honouring us for our immense contributions to the growth of journalism in Benue state. I believe that while we thank the NUJ, Benue chapter for this gesture, President Buhari’s birthday message to Mr. Shango should be followed by a National Honours award for his immeasurable contributions in preserving the unity of Nigeria through his writings especially while at the New Nigerian Newspapers.
Finally, Mr. Shango at the age of 75 still has many more rivers to cross and people to mentor.
I join President Buhari, though mine is a bit belated, in wishing Mr. Simon Shango many more years of fruitful service to his fatherland.
Adams wrote from Abuja Usman
