The tears have hardly dried as Dame Felicia Oluremi Oyo, former President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, former media aide of President Olusegun Obasanjo and before her departure from earth a year ago this day was Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Aunty Remi, to those who were close to her was a journalist.
Indeed a reporter who was always in the newsroom way back then and I remember that in 1991 she was really instructive when in guide thumped my boldness in porting Nigeria’s threto pull out of the all-Africa games in Cairo, Egypt when I reported delegation leader Chief M.K.O. Abiola’as threat to withdraw the team if President HosniMubarak does not apologise for the treatment meted out to Military President Ibrahim Babangida as African Union leader at the games opening ceremony. I also haher encounter-directly with her-when as media aide to President Obasanjo at the Abuja National stadium in 2013 when the country hosted the all- Africa games.
At COJA, I was saddled with the responsibility of taking charge of the media centre.
President Obasanjo was visiting the stadium to inspect readiness for the games. He arrived the VIP section of the stadium and with the retinue of aides wanted to access the media section. I refused.
The international regulation was that I had to reduce access to just five members of the President’s delegation. The Aide-de-Camp, Bello Osagie made a move with some states security personnel to shove my frame away. Aunty Remi was beckoned on by Obasanjo and within thirty seconds, the President respected her advise that I was right. He asked for the five visitors accreditation and distributed same to Osagie, Remi, himself and two others.
The President then held me by the hand as I looked round and caught the sweat dropping from Dr Amos Adamu and other COJA bosses on the other side of the glass divide. After a detailed inspection, Obasanjo called Adamu aside. As he departed to the State box side, he beckoned on me and said: “good job, boy. You are not a sycophant. Your Aunty has confirmed you boldness. Keep it up”. When we got back to the COJA office, Adamu summoned an emergency management meeting and I was confirmed as head of the Media/publicity section of the games.
That was the mark of competence as confirmed through discussions from Aunty Remi and Adamu. Subsequently when then Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, first Lady-Stella-and Atiku’s sponse-Titi-came on inspection at the stadium and Games Village, they respected my “orders”-so to speak.
When a year ago, Aunty Remi passed on barely ten days to her birthday as we shared the same month together with my in-law- Oreoluwa, my spouse-Sunboformer Eaglets coach, Fanny Amun, rother-Wole and another sister-Dr Clementina Owokadewe all mourned a woman who doggedly brought merit back to the international news Agency.
My friends and colleagues especially Tony Nezianya and Debo Oshundun speak glowingly on how NAN ranks with Reuters and AFP.
I was on that review of Aunty Remi’s style and determination as the country marks 55th year of independence when the news of the Hajj tragedy occurred claiming the lives of 54 Nigerians -on the last count-including veteran journalist-Bilikisu Yussuff. So, so sad. If we recall, the injunctions are there to be fulfilled at the Hajj which we witnessed on television as Tunde Disu led his “miracle of Damman” at the 1989 U-20 World Cup.
What befitting remembrance can we give to the memory of Aunty Remi other than the Mass held on Thursday at SS Joachim and Anne Catholic Church in Ijegun-Ikotun-Lagos the Parish we both attend.
I will continue the rosary in her memory and novenas for Uncle Vincent and the siblings but remain resolute as things are not really on the upswing for Nigerian sports which-in my opinion-need a real shot-in-the-arm by President Mohammadu Buhari. The recent result and fallout of the African Games in Congo is a wake-up call that we have to respect constitutional provisions to make sport move on in the country.
The Consolidated list which it has been placed gives local, states and federal governments right to legislate and I have always insisted that we do not need the current unitary structure.
Olympic success through Chioma Ajunwa and the Dream Team is fast being eroded as our various areas-athletics, boxing, wrestling and weightlifting are being eaten into and special sport is being threatened.
I believe, we need to turn things around at the National Sports Commission which has defeated the idea of a continuous sports ministry while the states commissions relieve the burden by getting local governments off the hook of being appendages. God continue to rest your soul, Aunty Remi and congratulations Nigeria!
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