Former Information minister, veteran journalist and politician, Prince Tony Momoh, has passed on. He died at 81 on Monday according to family sources.
He served as the Information minister between 1986 and 1990 during the Ibrahim Babangida military dictatorship.
President Muhammadu Buhari, leading in paying tributes, said that Momoh was exemplary in loyalty.
While mourning the passage, the president in a statement by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, described Momoh’s loyalty as rare in the politics of Nigeria, saying: “His brand of loyalty is very rare in the politics of today. I will greatly miss him.”
He recalled the role played by the celebrated Editor of the famous Daily Times in his political career, the president noted that Momoh stood with him through thick and thin.
Particularly, he said that as Chairman in charge of Media and Publicity of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Campaign Organisation in the 2003 and 2007 elections and Chairman, Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, the deceased contributed immensely to the growth and strengthening of the parties, which culminated in the formation of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
President Buhari commiserated with the media industry on the loss of a veteran who put in a lot to raise the bar of the profession in various ways as editor, manager, administrator, President and Trustee of the Guild of Editors, urging them to sustain his legacies.
While also condoling with the Auchi Kingdom, the government and people of Edo State on this great loss, the president prayed that the Lord would help the departed and comfort family, friends and political associates in this period of grief.
Also, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has expressed grief at the passage, saying: “It is with a heavy heart that I received the news of his death.”
In a statement in Benin City, Obaseki celebrated the contributions of the late Momoh to the growth and development of Nigeria, describing him as a rare politician, who spoke truth to power when it mattered most.
Reacting also, the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere and former representative of Ogun East Senatorial District, Olabiyi Durojaiye described his death as a great loss to the country at a critical moment.
Afenifere spokesman, Mr Yinka Odumakin, said it was a sad moment for Nigeria, adding that Momoh was an unrepentant adherent of restructuring until his death.
Durojaiye said: “Oh! The prince has gone. He played his role not only in Journalism but also contributed to politics in Nigeria. Nigeria will definitely miss him.”
Also, a foormer Chief Press Secretary to four governors in Oyo State, Oloye Lekan Alabi, mourned the passage of the former Minister of Information.
Speaking in Ibadan, Alabi who was pioneer Corporate Affairs Manager of Oodu’a Investment Limited, said Momoh made his mark as a teacher, journalist and lawyer.
Describing the deceased as a thorough professional, Alabi added: “He trained as a teacher, later journalist and lawyer. He was a deep, thorough and blunt man. He has made a good mark. Nigerian journalists will miss him.”
He started his career with the old Daily Times newspaper in 1962 and later rose to be the paper’s editor. He was until his death a member of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC.
In the last couple of weeks, he granted some media interviews where, as usual, he spoke passionately about Nigeria. In his last full interview with The Nation, published last week Monday (January 25), he spoke about the imperatives of restructuring the country, to put an end to the humongous amount of resources spent to cater for elected and appointed public officials.
Born on April 27, 1939, in Auchi, Edo State, the late Momoh was the Yerima of Auchi Kingdom. He was the 165th child of King Momoh I of Auchi Kingdom; the third of the four children his mother had for the monarch. His mother was the junior of the three groups into which the Momoh Household of 45 wives and 245 children were organised.
The late Momoh, who was Minister of Information between September 1986 and 1990 in the regime of Military President Ibrahim Babangida would be fondly remembered as a bibliotherapist and cultural engineer.
As Minister of Information, the late Prince Momoh chose to communicate vital issues of the moment to Nigerians through a series of letters, which he dubbed “Letter to My Countrymen”.
Momoh was a great Timesman; he worked with the legendary Daily Times of Nigeria of old. He started his journalism career on the sub desk of the paper. He rose rapidly through the ranks and later became the editor of the paper. He was for many years the manager of the training wing of the paper, which later became known as the Times Journalism Institute. He was also general manager (publications) and general manager (planning and development).
Given his background as a former Training Manager, Momoh was in the vanguard of elevating journalism standards in the country. He was active on the professional education circuit as secretary and president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, chairman, National Registration Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and member, Board of Trustees, Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA).
Under his watch as Information Minister, the country had laws professionalizing journalism, advertising and public relations. He has also served on the boards of the Nigerian Press Council.
As a politician, Momoh believed so much in President Buhari. He participated prominently in every political party that Buhari has been involved in since 2003. He campaigned vigorously for Buhari when he contested the presidency in 2007 on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP). He was chairman, Media and Publicity of the ANPP Campaign Organisation in the 2003 and 2007 elections.
In his last interview with The Nation, the late Momoh defended President Buhari’s perceived reluctance to restructure Nigeria, saying Nigerians are not ready for it because there is so much divergence of views about the meaning of restructuring.
He said: “Of all the leaders since 1999, President Buhari was more prepared to lead because he had contested the presidency three times before he eventually succeeded; unlike his predecessors. Do you think he doesn’t know what he is doing? He knows what he is doing. So, in terms of management of Nigerian affairs infrastructure wise and all other areas, with the little resources we have after we have wasted it on full-time jamboree for everybody, no other person is more qualified than him.”
Through the profile of Buhari the late Momoh published prior to the 2007 general elections, he portrayed the retired General as a man of integrity who could be trusted to manage the affairs of the country. President Buhari fell apart with prominent stakeholders of the defunct ANPP after he lost the election. While Buhari chose to pursue the case in court, his party members decided to participate in the late Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration. Shortly before the 20011 general elections, Buhari floated a new political party to contest that election. Thus, in January 2011, the late Momoh was appointed chairman of Buhari’s new party, the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). As a result, the departed Momoh was a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as National Chairman of the CPC, one of the legacy parties that metamorphosed into the APC in late 2013.
Momoh was chairman of the board of directors of Nigerian Airways from 1991 to 1993. He was appointed a Member of the Edo State Economic Advisory Committee in 1991. As of 1996, Momoh was one of the directors of the Newswatch magazine. He was also Director of the Alex Ekwueme Presidential Campaign Organization in 1999. He chaired the screening and conduct of Governorship and State House of Assembly primaries in Kano Chapter of the P.D.P. for the 1999 general elections together with Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila and Senator Bala Tafidan Yauri.
He was educated at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka between 1964 and 1966 where he read Mass Communication and the University of Lagos between where he read Law 1969 and 1974. He attended the Nigerian Law School between 1974 and 1975 and was called to the bar in 1975. He had earlier attended Government School Auchi, the school King Momoh I had established at Auchi in 1922. He also attended Teacher Training College, Abraka.
He was awarded many honours, including fellowships of the Commonwealth Journalists’ Association, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and the Advertising Council of Nigeria. He was a patron of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), and a holder of Selkyo Culture Award presented to him in Japan in recognition of his “great contribution to society” through his “consistent and valuable activities for the sake of the creation of peace and culture”. He was widely travelled and is married with four children, three boys and a girl, who form part of the more than 1000-member Momoh Clan in Lagos.
