And Adaba joins the conference in heaven

One by one, the elders are taking a leave of us, perhaps tired of this fetid putrescence of a noxious earthly abode, to attend a big conference which seems to be happening in heaven, according to a senior colleague with an acerbic sense of humour. The conference is for good people only, he intoned.

Just take a count and you can hardly disagree with him. The other day, February 14, 2025, it was Chief Ayo Adebanjo that took a deserved exit. Far beyond Afenifere leadership, he had a large heart for this great nation, fighting for the kind of leadership that would improve the quality of governance and the standard of living of the people. He was 96. Chief Adebanjo was a good man, a patriot without reservations and apologies, and with very stubborn faith in his beliefs.

Three days later, Monday, February 17, 2025, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, a prominent son of the South-South and tormentor-in-chief to bad leaders – past and present, including those in the disreputable world of once upon a leader, a political activist with an elevated voice to flagellate without restraints, joined his co-fighter in the final place of rest where they would already have received the comforting imprimatur of the Creator. On the side of the poor and the oppressed, EK Clark, as he was fondly called, was prepared to stake his life any day. But not any more.

It is painful that both men have departed at a time the country is in dire need of the restraining voice of the elders, audacious men whose fear of death for speaking truth to power is minimised. The stock of good men is depleting fast and replacement is even leaner.

Saturday, February 22, 2025, it was the turn of Prof Tom Adaba to join the departing team and have a share of glory which only good men deserve. He was 84. From all indications, he was a much junior edition of the nonagenarians except that he wasn’t a politician, not even an activist. He had a different life. Adaba was a broadcaster, a pioneer regulator, and much later, an academic. This explains why my friend says he will serve as secretary to that conference holding in chimerical heavenly abode.

Prof Adaba was living a quiet life as an NTA Director before being appointed the pioneer Director General (DG) of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), which was created by Decree 38 of August 24, 1992, now an act of Parliament, National Broadcasting Commission Act CAP N11, 2004. The Decree effectively deregulated the broadcast industry, to allow the participation of private investors, at a time such practice was strange to the industry and government stations held sway, where the DGs of the broadcast sector – NTA and Radio Nigeria, were like small gods breathing human air.

Not so many people thought broadcast deregulation would work. The industry held it in contempt. The government had its doubt although the selfish reason for such deregulation may not have too be stated here. And the people had never heard anything like that. Adaba had his job cut out for him – win the people, win the industry and earn respect from government.

Prof Adaba went about his job with the precision of a surgeon and the boldness of a lion, probably irritating some forces along the way. He had the full backing of pioneer Board Chairman, ace journalist and publisher, Chief Peter Enahoro, who died in London on April 24, 2023, at the age of 88.

The first major test was to recruit the right personnel who would understand the word, deregulation, and not be afraid to carry out the responsibilities of a regulator. He passed this test with flying colours as he got people from different backgrounds and professions. They include: Bright Igbako – Secretary to the Commission, Mac O Emakpore – Director, Monitoring, Eddie Amana – Director, Engineering, Biodun Ogunshote – Director, Finance, Lac Okpala – Director, Administration, Dr Ronke Ogunmake – Director, Research, and Olalekan Ajia – Head, Public Affairs.

It was a strong team which equally had secondary layers of very strong peronnel around them. Their pioneer office was at the Red Bricks Building, Tafawa Balewa Square, Race Course, Lagos. The game was about to start, how far could the Regulator go? That was a question which only Prof Adaba could answer.

Apart from staff recruitment, Adaba’s capacity on the job was demonstrated by the early broadcasters and broadcast channels that were licensed for operation. Chief among them is Raypower from the stable of Daar Communicarions and AIT that would follow later. Others are Clapper Board TV, DBN, DITV from Desmims Broadcast Nigeria, Murhi Television, Channels, Rhythm FM, followed by Silverbird Television, M-NET which was eventually subsumed in Multichoice, and ABG, among others. All of a sudden, Nigeria had a number of news and entertainment channels, including international TV channels, broadcasting via satellite into the country.

It was a golden dawn for broadcasting and, almost instantaneously, Adaba’s rating soared, rocketing to the A-list at occasions. Previous history may have prepared Adaba for the NBC challenge.

Writing in the book, The Handkerchief, The Story of High Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi, the authors wrote of Adaba: A former Director at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Adaba had the added benefit of leading the African Councill for Communication and Education (ACCE) based in Nairobi, Kenya, from 1976 to 1980. He would eventually confess that in Nairobi, he saw the problems of broadcasting in Africa and longed for an opportunity to make direct interventions. President Babangida gave Adaba that opportunity as the pioneer head at the NBC and he seized it with both hands.

It is difficult to explain to much younger Nigerians that the broadcast sector was not always this vibrant and active even if not buoyant. The credit goes to Adaba and the NBC for which he laid a very solid foundation. The NBC structure has proved ressilient, refusing to go down in spite of constant abuse by external powers in a wilful display of regulatory capture.

Reflecting on those early days of the Commission, Emakpore said: “The team was loaded and we had a good house. We had experienced people already, nobody had less than 25 years TV experience. We were professional in everything we did and didn’t punish anybody unjustly.”

His other colleagues have also been speaking about him. “The truth is that Adaba was a good material as the pioneer head of the NBC at a time the industry was sceptical about the regulator. He was one of the best in broadcasting. He knew how to bring workers together. A disciplinarian who also knew how to make his workers happy by showing love,” Igbako recalled.

Ajia, who was the image maker at the time, adds his voice: “You had a leader who could push you to the limit. He was a hard task master who also led with love. He would come to your house with his wife to share great moments with his workers.”

Under Adaba and even much later, the NBC was a family. The people worked as one and were therefore able to overcome the challenges of a new regulator that was given a very strange assignment. They had immediate results that served as a testament to the beauty of a deregulated broadcast industry with the participation of private investors.

“We knew there was a future in the industry. We also knew the industry needed a regulator. Dr Adaba provided the leadership needed at the time,” a former worker told this writer.

But things have changed at NBC. The centre doesn’t seem to be able to hold any more. Some of the pioneer staff observed that the people seem to be trying but there is too much interference; the place has become a shadow of itself.

This is not the kind of story that should make Adaba happy or feel good. It must be one painful dot that he couldn’t do anything about, I mean professionally, just to watch your legacy wither. Because I also know that the system he served didn’t do him well since 1999 when he left office. We had an encounter once where I raised an issue. His reaction was spontaneously explosive, and the depth of bitterness cut my heart. Always, the system wants to make good people feel bad about their past and genuine commitment and contributions to the nation.

Don’t misunderstand me. Prof Adaba never lost his sense of humour, his gait or that regal assurance of a leader even when, much later in life, he needed adscititious support for ambulation. Adaba was a happy man and his load of joy was too much for every shred of bitterness in him.

I am told by his former colleagues that his memory would be served best if this government could fix the failings at the NBC and restore the agency back to performance. The nation needs a strong regulatory agency, especially for the challenges ahead, including the digital switchover whose implementation seems to be on ice for no reasonable explanation, they observed.

Yes, the memory of Prof Adaba would appreciate a regeneration of the NBC where he did a damn good job for which the nation would always hold him in love.

Prof Adaba is survived by his lovely wife, Lady Aaze Theresa Adaba and eight lovey children namely: Margaret Ozuhu Adaba Soyemi, Elizabeth Onyinoyi Adaba Gomwalk, Oyiza Grace Adaba Okereke, Onimisi Jude Adaba, Inya Josephine Adaba Ode, Inda Emmanuel Adaba, John Adeiza Adaba Salami and Esther Onyioza Araga.

May his memory always be a blessing.