By Emma Gogwim Kayi
I don’t know how to go about it, but some words I must write. I must write about Oga Sylvanus Namang, the man I succeeded as Editor of The Nigeria Standard, and whom I met by chance in Jos in the afternoon of last Friday, the day preceding his gruesome murder in Pankshin, Plateau State.
That day, I spent quality time in his company with some other friends and colleagues, not knowing that death was lurking in the corner and I would not see one of the masters who showed me my journalism ropes again!
That Friday, I had attended the funeral rites of the former COCIN President, Rev. Dr. Musa Gotom at the COCIN Headquarters Compound Church. After the service, 2 other retired Permanent Secretaries (Sir Richard Tokma and Albert Fube Bewarang) and I joined the crowd that went to the departed cleric’s residence in Bukuru where his remains were laid to rest. The trip afforded us the opportunity to condole with Mrs. Kande Gotom, (also a retired colleague), younger sister to the departed religious leader. We were also able to extend our commiserations to other members of the Dimka Family as well as numerous well wishers.
On our way back home, Sir Tokma offered lunch, and we went to a restaurant close to his residence. We were taking our meals when Barrister Nanmen Gamde, another retired Permanent Secretary came in. He said, on arrival, he saw a familiar vehicle (Tokma’s) and knew the owner was around. He then said to join him outside after we were done with our meals. Using the relatively hot weather in Jos, he voiced his preference for the open hut outside the restaurant.
On joining Gamde, we saw that he had for company Mr. Namang and Mr. Fidelis Longban. We had noticed that two people were in a hut when we arrived, but never knew their identity. Namang, Gamde told us joyfully, was his secondary school classmate and a longstanding friend. Thereafter, a lunch that ordinarily could have ended within 30 minutes turned into an outing that lasted about three hours, laced with jokes, laughter and reminisences.
I have given this background to explain why the focus of our discussions at a point in time veered towards The Nigeria Standard. Mr. Namang expressed his unhappiness that the newspaper was in a weak state, and prayed it regained its lost glory. In response, I said there was cause to be hopeful. I said the recently appointed General Manager, Chris Gyang (my successor as Editor), being a member of a generation of staff who were brought up in the truest traditions of The Nigeria Standard should have the mindset to superintend over the much needed turn around at PPC.
Having served under Mr. Namang for about 8 years, I can say without equivocation that I share some high and low professional moments with my felled leader. As Editor he took me along with him on an assignment to Benue State when I was barely weeks old as staff. Years later, he was the first person who told me of my appointment as his successor in 1992. How it was arrived at, I have no inkling to this day. As General Manager, he leveraged on relationships built over the years to give a lifeline and greater relevance to the newspaper. And, it thrived the best way it could. Then June 12 came, and it would seem it was never going to be the same for the newspaper. June 12, for The Nigeria Standard family was when 7 editors (the most senior being my humble self) resigned in protest over the State Government’s brazen interference in our editorial work.
At that Friday outing, June 12 came up again, at his instance. Oga Namang told the sitting that that event remained a low moment for him, because the 7 Editors didn’t know the constraints he faced. He reminded me, to the hearing of the others, of the first long discussion we had on the matter in 2020, while we served on the Planning Committee for the 70th Birthday of the then Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, an event which had a presentation of a book authored by the erudite scholar and administrator as a component. After one of the meetings preparatory to the Deputy Governor’s special day, a member wondered why Oga Namang and I had not put our experiences in book forms, to which I said I had started work on mine. It was at this point that Mr. Namang opened up on the issue of June 12. He told me why, after giving his blessings to the June 12 editorial which Government faulted, a retraction was published a day later, and the role he had to play. He said the then Governor of the state, Sir Fidelis Tapgun, had been his strong tower and refuge in his earlier days as Editor, when he had to contend with authorities bent on gagging the newspaper and haunting him. He emphasized that Sir Tapgun played this protective role when he was PPC Sole Administrator and Government House Permanent Secretary, and he felt a need, as PPC General Manager, to stand by the Governor when controversy set in with the publication of the first editorial. At that time, I told him that June 12 occupies a generous space in my book that was in the works. I also explained that all of us the protagonists, big and small, played the roles assigned to us by our positions and professional pulls. That Friday, I reiterated this stand after he retold his side of the story.
For the record, when I was made Chairperson of the Editorial Committee charged with the task of sourcing materials and publishing a book commemorating the 50th Anniversary of The Nigeria Standard in 2022, a gap was noticed and I requested Oga Namang to pen his experiences for the book. This, he did without much waste of time. He sent in a piece, titled, The Musical Chair at The Nigeria Standard and I. That the PPC book, The Undying Flame, is not yet on the streets, bookshelves and websites is largely a function of funding and logistic challenges which, hopefully, can be overcome soon. Generally, I tried to keep in contact with my oga, especially in recent years.
As indicated, our discussions and reminiscences that Friday were lively and fun-filled, with our former schools, the media, law, June 12 and books taking centre stage. I recall Mr. Namang asking how far I had gone with my book, and I told him I actually had an appointment with the printers that day to get a sample copy, but couldn’t go as I had to attend the funeral rites in honour of the revered priest. I told him I could only hope that the book, WITHOUT A NAME, of about 380 pages, would be reading delight for him when it is eventually presented to the public.
After about 2 hours, Mr. Namang took his leave. With the evening hours setting in, we also left about 20 minutes later, with our “host”, Sir Tokma, taking Albert and myself to our individual homes. On Saturday, the printers called to say the sample copy of the book was ready. I, therefore, went to their place, collected the item and devoted that day to effecting whatever changes I deemed necessary. Even though I went to bed late that night I didn’t fail to attend the Sunday service. On returning home, I had breakfast and soon slept off.
My wife told me that it was the persistent vibration of my cell phone that made her rouse me from sleep at 3pm. I had put the gadget on vibration mode in deference to worship I was participating in, and forgot to change that status. While in sleep so deep that I was ‘deaf’ to the ‘din’ by the phone, it recorded several missed calls from friends and associates, including those from Barrister Gamde, Sir Tokma and my other Oga, Jonathan Ishaku. I called Mr. Ishaku, but couldn’t connect. I called Gamde, and it was he who broke the devastating news. Somehow, I managed to find my way to the PPC Reunion Forum WhatsApp Platform where the murder story was trending. A check on the sites of The NewsGate Magazine, The National Star, PL Veteran Journalists, among others, showed that the shocking development was the dominant issue.
Having served as Editor, General Manager, Information Commissioner, Director at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN); having served as a principal aide to the legendary Chief Solomon Lar and later Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu; being the substantive Publicity Secretary of the Plateau State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Namang was a golden fish of sorts. Little wonder, his murder dominated both the traditional and social media platforms, with commentators condemning the crime, calling for the arrest and prosecution of its perpetrators, and conveying words of comforts to the bereaved in equal measures.
For me, the last words in Katdapba Gobum’s post captured it all: My heart bleeds, Gobum mourned. And, from the outpouring of emotions, PPC Heart Bleeds. It bleeds because a General, its General has fallen victim of a cruel, dastardly and criminal act.
But we will be doing great injustice to Namang if we see him as a PPC icon only. His works put him in the media lime light nationally and I am sure people like Garba Shehu, (his contemporary as Editor and General Manager of Triumph Newspaper) are also in mourning. Mr. Namang had the courage of his convictions and was loyal and faithful to people and causes he believed in. He was also sensitive to the feelings of others. Little wonder he gave his best at all his duty posts, never forgot the goodwill extended to him by Governor Tapgun, and felt the need to explain to me, his subordinate, why he did what he did, almost 30 years after the June 12, 1993 saga. That memorable Friday, I felt humbled; as I was the first time he opened up
In the past few years, our homes, business premises, relaxation spots, roads, farms and such spaces are no longer safe as heartless marauders prey, kill and feast on a hapless population with reckless abandon, for devious ends. Some victims they pluck and ferry to their nefarious nests, where outrageous ransoms are demanded and paid by cowed citizens. We must arrest this drift before all is lost.
I join the PPC family in mourning the tragic end of Oga Namang, as we the younger ones could call him. Only veterans or his contemporaries such as Clement Oluwole, Jonathan Ishaku, Gwamsuk Akila, Nuhu Gagara, William Embu, Nde Paul Wakkias, Daniel Chung could call him Sylva. I join the pen fraternity in mourning this veteran. I pray God Almighty to grant his dear wife, Milka (my primary school mate), the children and other relations the fortitude to bear this painful loss.
As I reflect on the death of a master of the profession, I say, if a journalism god exists, he will be kind and merciful unto Sylvanus Namang. Drawing lessons from a popular hymn, the man has not gone back empty handed to that god. Namang has in his hand a list of professional souls that he won over for the journalism god, a group that he mentored with consummate energy and diligence, a group that proclaims his ‘lordship’ in their lives. Chom Bagu has elected to go public with Namang’s special place in this regard. Ishola Michael has chosen to do so too, just as many others have professed on the PPC Reunion Forum platform and such other sites. I belong to this group. For, in several ways my sojourn at The Nigeria Standard has some linkages to Mr. Namang’s. I, the pupil, he, the master.
Mr. Namang, sir, May you find peace where you are. May you find rest, the Knight from the PPC stable who did journalism and Nigeria proud in many battles.