25 Years After, Dele Giwa Rests on, as His Killers Remain Restless

Written by Duncan Thursday, 20 October 2011

While Wednesday  marked the 25th anniversary of the death of the media maven, Dele Giwa, it also showcased the defect in the nation’s justice system as his killers have remained masked and largely unknown.

It is therefore an undeniable fact to state that the murder of the late veteran journalist is one of the longest unresolved murder cases in Nigeria, what with the cooler to which the case has long been thrown into.

Born in March 16, 1947, Giwa was a regenerate journalist who had a burning desire to revolutionise the entire country with his fiery pen. But his guts and zest were a twin offence to the powers that be. It is believed that he incurred the wrath of his killers on account of his brand of journalism.

Giwa got murdered at his No. 25 Talabi Street, Ikeja, Lagos on Sunday, October 19, 1986 through a letter bomb, making him the first victim of letter-bomb death in Nigeria.

In honour of the slain hero, the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Wednesday organised a symposium tagged, “Hazards of Journalism Profession and the Challenge of the Freedom of Information Law”.

Also, family and friends of the deceased journalist held a memorial service at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.

Speaking to THISDAY after the church service, the deceased’s wife and foremost politician, Senator Florence  Ita-Giwa, when asked if there was any way the government could have handled the matter better, she parried the question, noting that despite everything, she still had much to thank God for.

She said: “Like we all know, it was a parcel bomb that killed my late husband but asides that, I would not want to talk much on the circumstances surrounding his death.

“Despite everything, the kids are abroad and some of them are in school and they are all doing well as I talk with them almost every day.” She however said she would not in any way influence any of her children if they choose to veer into the same career that brutally killed their father, adding that it would be their individual decision.

Mr. Kayode Soyinka, who narrowly survived the blast as he was with Giwa when the parcel bomb was opened, lamented that although he survived, his late friend, Dele, did not. He narrated that they were at the deceased’s house having breakfast when the missive came in.

Soyinka, then the London Bureau Chief of Newswatch magazine, later fled to the United Kingdom on exile for about eight after the blast. He however came back after his self-imposed exile to join the murky waters of politics. He was a former governorship aspirant in Ogun State in the 2011 elections.

He described the late veteran as an inspirational story for all to learn from. According to him, “although I was trained in the newsroom, Dele Giwa was an inspiration to all that knew him and all that were in the field”, adding that, “he was a very courageous and brave man and it is very sad that we have to lose some someone of his calibre. In fact, he was a genius.”

During his sermon, Venerable Joseph Odedeji eulogised Giwa as one who stood for the truth.

According to him, Giwa had built a legacy of truth for himself which has endured even after 25 years.
He said: “We are here to celebrate a person who stood for the truth and has left us an enduring legacy. While brother Giwa is enjoying his life in peace, those that killed him are certainly not living a peaceful life.

“This memorial service is to remember the good he did while on earth. The book of Proverbs said that sweet is the remembrance of the righteous and same could be said of Dele Giwa even though he was brutally murdered.”

Speaking at the symposium, NUJ Chairman, Lagos State chapter, Mr. Deji Elumoye, restated the union’s commitment to continue being vocal and condemnatory of the gruesome way and manner Giwa died until justice runs its course.

Elumoye urged the government as a matter of necessity to revisit all unsolved murders of journalists from 1986 till date using Giwa’s murder as a backdrop.

Also speaking on the recent arrest of some editors of The Nation Newspaper, the NUJ National President, Mallam Mohammed Garba, lamented how the simple wrongs of journalists are treated as criminal offence, stressing that it is not acceptable.

The President, Nigeria Guild of Editors/Guest Speaker, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, noted that the spirit of the new law (FoI) ensures openness, transparency and accountability of public funds.

He noted that, “with this law, we are not yet in the Promised Land but we are far from Egypt. My worry is that once the journalist has vowed to use the law, he must follow due process.”

Urging the NUJ to earmark October 19 annually to honour all journalists that were killed in the line of duty, co-founder, Newswatch magazine, Mr. Dan Agbese said: “The Nation Newspaper broke news that has garnered controversy on whether it is either true or false.

The business of journalism and news reporting entails that we as a corporate entity representing other newspapers should help The Nation to prove the credibility of the story.”

Also speaking, human rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, lamented that in Nigeria, class segregation comes into play in any crime case.

He said unlike in the United States where the law is no respecter of persons, the reverse is the case in Nigeria where the big-man-syndrome operates, warning that any society that operates otherwise is dead.

According to reports, Giwa was said to be at the breakfast table with one of his colleagues when his son Billy Giwa came in with a white sealed envelope addressed to the deceased.

Giwa was also said to have divulged whom the letter bomb came from, although no names were mentioned, rather a designation of office.

The explosion which could have claimed his son was averted by fate which sent the 16-year-old Billy out of the room.

The late Fawehinmi had filed about 38 court cases with several court appearances all in his zeal to see that the culprits were brought to justice.

However, hopes were rife in 2001, when the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa panel was set up to review the death of Giwa.

After investigations led by a senior police officer, Abubakar Tsav, no culprit was fingered in Giwa’s death which caused so much furore in the populace. However, over the years, the nation seems to have moved on with anything hardly still said about the case.

Giwa attended the Local Authority Modern School in Lagere, Ile-lfe and then Oduduwa College, Ille Ife. After his degree in English and Communication Arts at the University of Brooklyn, he worked with Daily Times before veering to Sunday Times. From there, he moved to the late Moshood Abiola’s paper; the National Concord.

Although he practised from 1979 to 1986, he made his mark and in the process, revolutionised journalism.
Burning with zeal for better reportage in 1984, Giwa and fellow journalists Ray Ekpu, Agbese and Yakubu Mohammed founded the Newswatch Magazine, the publication which has recently been sold to Jimoh Ibrahim, a business man.

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