The inevitability of death is such that not even the skeptics, who claim nothing is certain, can doubt it. It was the skeptic, doubting the real nature of things, who said that “honey is sweet”. I met the late Mr. Stephen Bamigbele in 1983 when I joined the New Nigerian Newspapers Limited in Kaduna in the commercial department. Since then we had been close till when he died on April 20, 2017.
Bamigbele was born on October 2, 1939 in Ogori-Ogorimangogo Local Government Area of Edo state. He attended St. Peter’s Primary School, Ogori in 1945-1952 and the Grammar School, Ora, Edo state between 1954 and 1956. Mr. Bamigbele attended International Institute of Journalism, Berlin, Germany in 1970-1971. He went to Cardiff (Wales) for newspaper executive course sponsored.
He started his career in your journalism with Daily Service Newspapers which metamorphosed to Daily Express in 1955 as a trainee reporter. The following year he was posted to Benue state to cover the Tiv riot. He worked at the Nigerian Citizen in Zaria in 1964 and the following year he transferred his service to the New Nigerian. Bamigbele covered the Biafran civil war. He was the war correspondent at Nsukka sector in 1967 and subsequently sent to the then 3 marine commando sector in Port Harcourt.
It is noteworthy that he was given a letter of commendation by his employer in his classical defense case between the New Nigerian Newspapers and Obey. He was very dedicated to duty with unalloyed loyalty to his superiors. He was honest with unassailable dignity. He was always miffed by the behaviour of our leaders, particularly their primitive and illegal acquisition of our common wealth.
He retired from the services of the New Nigerian Newspapers, but remained in Kaduna until April, 2011 when his residence alongside his property were set ablaze in the religious riot of that year. He sought abode at Ungwan Television in Kaduna south uptill May 3, 2013 when he relocated to Lokoja, Kogi state.
He struggled with his health and in April 2015 he had a partial stroke. Prior to his death, he told me about the unusual generosity of some of the former staff of New Nigerian Newspapers. Thus, when his wife informed me of his demise, I immediately contacted our former Managing Director, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, and some of his other contemporaries in the New Nigerian Newspapers. May his gentle soul continue to rest in peace.
Peter Enesi,
Lokoja, Kogi state
