OBITUARY: Imam, the golden candle who lit numerous lives

On April 15, one Peter Onyeneye, a Facebook friend of Imam Imam, journalist, writer, public relations expert and a true gentleman, wrote: “Dear Imam, may God continue to prosper your work and protect your family.”

In his one-word response, Imam said: “Ameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen.”

Three days earlier, Imam had written, still on Facebook, “I thank God for people who put out their necks to defend and commend me, especially people who I don’t even know.”

As the news of the death of Imam broke on Friday, many people, particularly those he did not know, paid tributes to him. Accolades from far and wide, a lot of testimonies on Twitter, WhatsApp groups and Facebook. Imam’s case has shown that when a man lives a worthy life, his good deeds speak for him when he is no more.

Many political appointees are accused of seeing themselves above others, but that wasn’t Imam, a friend to all. In 2011, Aminu Tambuwal appointed him his media aide when he was speaker of the house of representatives and the deceased retained that position when Tambuwal was elected governor of Sokoto.

SPOKESMAN, NOT SPECIAL ADVISER

Imam preferred to be referred to as spokesman not a special adviser. Below is the reason for this:

“One reason why I prefer to be called a spokesman (not Special Adviser) is that I consider myself a reporter, photographer and image manager rolled into one. In Nigeria’s political language, an SA is a big man who may consider reporting or snapping picture too small for his or her status,” he had said.

“But a journalist, whether SA or a photographer in the newsroom, should be like a soldier, who is always ready for battle. It doesn’t matter if he’s a General or a Private. That’s my mindset to the job either in the newsroom or in a strategy room brainstorming on how to win elections.”

For the mouthpiece of a state governor, unlike some of his colleagues, Imam is not in the ‘limelight’. He has barely been caught in the war of controversial statements or exchange of heated words on social media.

“My experience with government spokespersons otherwise have been mostly toxic as they get defensive and aggressive when asked to respond to issues. Imam remains a rare breed,” Omoyele Sowore, publisher of SaharaReporters, said of Imam.

FULFILLED JOURNALIST

“Of all the things I’ve ever wanted to be in life, becoming a journalist was on top of the pack. I thank God for making realize one of my life objectives,” Imam wrote on Twitter on December 30, 2017.

Of all the things I've ever wanted to be in life, becoming a journalist was on top of the pack. I thank God for making realize one of my life objectives. pic.twitter.com/Galcr9gfMA

— Imam Imam (@imamdimam) December 30, 2017

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On his Twitter bio, Imam identified himself first as a journalist, then as an “Image Manager. Former THISDAY Group Politics Editor. Directeur des affaires publiques de la Tambuwal.”

Born on July 16, 1977, in Gboko, Benue state, the deceased hailed from Taraba state. Imam started his journalism career with the New Nigerian newspaper in Kaduna, rising to the post of sports editor. He was at various times correspondent of THISDAY newspaper in Kaduna and Zamfara states, and later bureau chief of the paper in Kaduna.

He was later appointed politics editor, a position he held until he was appointed spokesman of Tambuwal in 2011. He was a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR). Imam was inducted into the institute in November 2014.

WITHDREW FROM POLITICAL RACE

Until his death, Imam was aspiring to contest the seat of Bali/Gassol constituency in the house of representatives. However, sources disclosed to TheCable that Imam had changed his mind and decided to withdraw from the race.

STAUNCH ARSENAL FAN

He was not left out of the social world. Imam also had where his loyalty lied in the world of football. For him, the Gunners was the club.

According to his Facebook page, Iman like documentaries, reads John Grisham, an American bestselling writer, and for games, it is Talking Tom, a virtual pet app.

‘DEATH IS EASY TO PROPHESY’

Reacting to the 2016 prophecy of Johnson Suleman, general overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, that Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, would die, Imam said it was the easiest prophecy to make while acknowledging that everyone would die.

“Sorry Apostle, giving prophecies of death is the simplest thing to do. We’re all gonna die,” Imam had said.

Sorry Apostle, giving prophesies of death is the simplest thing to do. We're all gonna die.

— Imam Imam (@imamdimam) March 14, 2016

‘HUMBLE, RECEPTIVE’

Imam had his own taste of death on Friday. He was said to have died of pneumonia in a hospital in Abuja. His death came as a shock to many people, some of whom had been in contact with him days to his demise.

“I interacted with him on few occasions. He was a humble and receptive public relations expert,” Inibehe Effiong, human rights lawyer, said.

“During the advocacy for the released of the corpse of the Late Justina, the Akwa Ibom pregnant woman who was killed in the forest by a fallen tree in Idanre in Ondo state, Imam was very supportive.

“Recall that the Oba of Idanre had insisted that the woman’s corpse must be buried beside the tree that killed her in the forest as a sacrifice to their gods in line with their custom and tradition but we were able to get the corpse of the woman back to Akwa Ibom state for proper burial against all the odds.

“I later raised funds publicly for the husband and children of the late woman.

“Imam Imam reached out to me and donated the sum of N100,000 for the man and his children. He insisted that I should not disclose his name publicly but I sought his permission to make the donation public without mentioning the donor which he agreed to.”

HUSBAND, FATHER

Imam is survived by two wives and four children.

He had in March, announced the birth of his youngest son. Unfortunately, the boy, just like his other children, would have to face life without their father. His eldest child, Abdulbasit, whom he refers to as his friend, is just nine years old.