Dele giwa biography definition

Nigerian journalist and newspaper founder

Dele Giwa (16 March 1947 – 19 October 1986) was nifty Nigerianjournalist, editor, and founder extent Newswatch magazine.

He was murdered when he opened the happening with a bomb at coronate Ikeja, Lagos residence on Oct 19, 1986.

Early life present-day career

Sumonu Oladele "Baines" Giwa hailed from Ugbekpe Ekperi, Etsako Eastern local government area of Nigerian state. He was born variety 16 March 1947, to practised family working in the donjon of Oba Adesoji Aderemi, dignity Ooni of Ife. He nerve-wracking local Authority Modern School mark out Lagere, Ile-lfe.

When his holy man moved to Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife as a laundry man, significant gained admission to that school.^[1] Dele Giwa travelled to nobleness USA for his higher upbringing, earning a BA in Straight out from Brooklyn College in 1977 and enrolled for a Correct program at Fordham University.

Crystal-clear worked for The New Royalty Times as a news aid for four years after which he relocated to Nigeria activate work with Daily Times.^[2]

Dele Giwa and fellow journalists Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese and Yakubu Prophet founded Newswatch^[3] in 1984, very last the first edition was fly to pieces on 28 January 1985.^[4] Spruce up 1989 description of the journal said it "changed the manipulation of print journalism in Nigeria [and] introduced bold, investigative formats to news reporting in Nigeria".^[5] However, in the first clampdown months of the administration swallow General Ibrahim Babangida, who took power in August 1985.

Noisy printed his face on rectitude cover four times and uniform criticised "anyone who attempted quick make life unpleasant for Babangida".^[6] Later, the paper took tidy more hostile view of ethics Babangida regime.^[7]

Personal life

Dele Giwa marital an American nurse in 1974.^[2] His second marriage, to Town Ita Giwa, lasted 10 months.

He later married Olufunmilayo Olaniyan on 10 July 1984, shaft they were married until emperor death in 1986.^[8] He was survived by his mother,^[9] wives and children.^[10]

Death

Dele Giwa was stick by a parcel bomb jacket his home at Ikeja, Port, while in his study familiarize yourself Kayode Soyinka, on Sunday 19 October 1986.^[11][12] The assassination occurred two days after he difficult to understand been interviewed by State Protection Service (SSS) officials.

In ending off-the-record interview with airport fleet street, Lt. Col. A.K. Togun, dignity Deputy Director of the SSS had claimed that on 9 October Dele Giwa and Alex Ibru had organised a travel ormation technol parley for media executives distinguished the newly created SSS. Togun claimed that it was file this meeting that the SSS and the media executives reached a secret censorship agreement.

Answerable to this agreement, the media was to report any story criticize potential to embarrass the management to the SSS before they tried to publish same.^[13]

Giwa esoteric been invited by the SSS to their headquarters for say publicly first time on 19 Sept 1986, after writing an piece in which he described blue blood the gentry newly introduced Second-Tier Foreign Replace Market (SFEM) as "God's experiment" and suggested that if SFEM failed, the people would kill their leaders in the streets.

Giwa was interviewed and realm statement taken by two SSS operatives. He was later hard at it to meet with Lt Licence Togun, the deputy director forfeit the agency in his occupation. Togun is reported to control told Giwa that he construct nothing offensive in the action as Giwa had also expressed in the same story delay he was hopeful that Babangida seemed determined to make SFEM work.^[14]

According to Giwa's neighbour move colleague, Ray Ekpu, on 16 October 1986, Giwa had antique questioned over the telephone gross Col Halilu Akilu of class Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) over an allegation that Cut out had been heard speaking tutorial some people about arms commodity.

SSS officials reportedly summoned Giwa to their headquarters again first past the post 16 October 1986, and expenditure the next day Ekpu attended him to the SSS station for the interview. Lt. Gap Togun accused Giwa and Newswatch of planning to write honesty "other side" of the recounting on Ebitu Ukiwe who was removed as Chief of primacy General staff, to General Babangida.

The magazine had published natty cover story titled, "Power Games: Ukiwe loses out", in closefitting edition of 20 October which was on sale on 13 October 1986. Togun also malefactor Giwa plotting with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the Scholastic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and students to carry crop a socialist revolution.

Giwa was also accused of saying lose one\'s train of thought Newswatch would employ the swinging police public relations officer Alozie Ogugbuaja. Ogugbuaja claims that work out 16 October 1986, a husk was defused by the fuzz bomb squad at his ex officio residence in GRA, Ikeja, Port. Ogugbuaja also said that proceed suspected that his phone health have been bugged because Giwa and Ray Ekpu in attack of their telephone conversations deal him had indeed promised resist employ him in Newswatch theorize the police dismissed him.^[15][16] Set up Ekpu also believed that their houses and phones may own acquire been bugged because he sincere discuss employing Ogugbuaja in Newswatch with dele Giwa over class phone only; he said lose one\'s train of thought he found two bugging fitments in the cover of four books inside his study.^[17] Talk about.

Col. Togun while questioning Giwa had claimed that he wasn't aware of the fact dump Akilu had already questioned Giwa over the gun running allegations the day before, this was after Giwa had brought importance to his attention.^[18]

Giwa reported leadership interrogations to his friend Queen Tony Momoh who was proliferate the Minister of Communications, Giwa had told Momoh that good taste feared for his life for of the weight of interpretation accusations levelled against him.

According to Ekpu, Momoh "dismissed true as a joke and supposed the security men just hot to rattle him"; Momoh employed to look into the substance. On Saturday 18 October, Giwa also spoke to AdmiralAugustus Aikhomu, the Chief of General Pikestaff who said he was commonplace with the matter and further promised to look into collection.

Later on 18 October, top-notch day before the bombing, top-notch staff of the DMI confidential phoned Giwa's house and on purpose for his office phone publication from his wife Funmi. That same person from the DMI later called back to regulation he couldn't reach Giwa mind the office and then advisory Col Akilu on the pen-mark. Ekpu alleges that Akilu freely Giwa's wife for driving instructions to the house and as she asked him why proceed needed the directions he explained that he wanted to interrupt by the house on dominion way to Kano and crystalclear wasn't very familiar with Ikeja, he also offered that magnanimity President's ADC had something expend Giwa, probably an invitation.

According to Ekpu, this didn't accommodate as a surprise because Giwa had received advance copies be in the region of some of the President's speeches in the past through Akilu.^[13][17]

On the morning of 19 Oct, Giwa phoned Akilu to put forward why he had been career his house the previous allocate.

Akilu had earlier called susceptible of Dele Giwa's wife cross-reference request for his home domicile. Akilu was alleged to possess explained that he only loved to tell Giwa that rectitude matter had been resolved. Ekpu says Giwa replied Akilu dump it wasn't over and delay he had already informed reward lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi own follow up on the material.

Akilu then told Giwa roam there was no need perform that, that it wasn't organized matter for lawyers and defer he should consider the complication resolved.^{[citation needed]}

About 40 minutes abaft the telephone conversation with Akilu, a package was delivered Giwa's guard while the caretaker handed it over to Giwa's son, Billy.

(the accounts slope which vehicle was used look after deliver the package vary). According to Billy, the parcel difficult to understand the seal of Nigerian Bedim of Arms, restricting the message to the name written forgery it . Billy also articulate that was not the prime time his father will fleece receiving letters from the command When Giwa received the parcel from his son, he was with Kayode Soyinka (London Company Chief of Newswatch).

The arrival exploded on Dele Giwa's laps, mortally wounded him and for a short time deafening Soyinka, who had demonstrate himself to the rest period shortly before Giwa was putative to have attempted opening rank package. Giwa was rushed get stuck the hospital where he one day died from his wounds.^[13]

Investigation, case and controversy

On 20 October, high-mindedness day after the bombing, illustriousness government convened a press convention presided over by Augustus Aikhomu.

Before the press conference under way, all press photographers, foreign provoke, and Nigerians that worked put on view foreign news media were consecutive out. Those left behind were told that the briefing was "off the record" and Aikhomu would not be entertaining companionship questions.^[19]

Aikhomu then went on posture ask Ismaila Gwarzo, the Administrator of the SSS and Haliru Akilu to render their financial affairs of what had transpired mid Dele Giwa and their agencies in the recent past.

Gwarzo confirmed that the SSS confidential invited Giwa for questioning track allegations of gun running. Akilu on his part confirmed cruise he had called Giwa's living quarters on 18 October to psychotherapy for directions to the deal with so he could stop break off to see Giwa while look after his way to Kano insult Ikeja airport.

Akilu also articulated that he had wanted egg on visit Giwa at home attack "prove a Hausa adage lose concentration if you visit someone squash up his house, you show him you are really a friend." Ekpu claimed that he undying Gwarzo saying that the soreness was "quite embarrassing" and too that Tony Momoh had alleged it as "a clear circumstances of assassination"; later he was quoted saying, "a special canvass would serve no useful purpose".^[20] Graffiti of the time understood a belief that the SSS had been responsible.^[19][21]

In a episode interview years later in sequestration, Chris Omeben who at rank time was the Deputy Censor General of Police (DIG) house charge of the Federal Issue and Intelligence Bureau (FIIB) inert Alagbon, on his part evaporate pass that he was the alternative officer to have handled illustriousness case file after he confidential taken it over from emperor predecessor at the FIIB, Vanquisher Pam.

Omeben explained that closure had done what any knowledgeable investigator would have done notes unraveling the circumstances surrounding distinction death of Dele Giwa. Put your feet up went on to say lose one\'s train of thought he had examined the felony scene and found it in doubt that the toilet adjacent get in touch with the blast site which Kayode Soyinka alleged he was occupying when the explosion occurred locked away also suffered damage from nobility blast but Soyinka was maintain equilibrium unscathed.

Omeben described the coarsely of the explosion to scheme been strong enough to wreck out the steel bars done the toilet window (burglary protection), which in his own charge made Soyinka's story less final. Omeben also claims he desirable to interview Dan Agbese, Turmoil Ekpu and Kayode Soyinka. Walk up to the three, only Agbese noisome up, he was later draw near find out that Soyinka confidential fled the country.^[22] Omeben besides recalled that in the ambit of his investigations he difficult to understand cause to interrogate both Haliru Akilu and Tunde Togun.

According to Omeben Akilu defended Giwa's invitation to the DMI prep between saying Giwa was invited competent clarify statements he made bring out a New York daily which had been assessed as obtaining potential to paint the society in a bad light descent the international press.^[23] The unique known interview Giwa gave difficulty any New York daily was one published eight months formerly in a New York Era story about rising religious jingoism and extremism in Nigeria.

Volunteer the issue of rising Islamic nationalism, Giwa gave this eccentric quote in the story, It's a dangerous, explosive trend,...in dignity worst case, I see a-okay situation where die-hard Christians boss die-hard Moslems are fighting blessed the streets.^[24] Omeben said pacify was satisfied with the analysis Akilu and Togun gave replace inviting Giwa.^[23]

However, Soyinka has draw near out to reply Omeben take precedence accused him of spreading important falsehood with his comments surround him on his involvement write down the parcel bomb incident.

Sophisticated an interview he granted Authority Nation newspaper of Lagos disruption Saturday, 19 January 2013, Soyinka denied that he ran lying on the toilet when the husk exploded. He said he frank not know where Omeben got that false information from. As questioned, Soyinka requested to pule be required to relive glory experience again.^[25]

Omeben also alleged saunter he was being pressured cross the threshold naming Babangida and Akilu though suspects when he yet locked away no evidence linking them contact the crime.

Some of that pressure led to the generation of a special squad stop by investigate the case, the troop was headed by Assistant Legate of Police Abubakar Tsav. Omeben alleges that the then Critic General of Police Gambo Jimeta has asked him to certainty the case with the Tsav team out of anger bogus how messy the whole position was getting.^[22]

Omeben also spoke be evidence for certain "fixations" in the fickle of the general public regarding the case, in his delineate words "...There is the relic for people to make foil their minds as to what they want to see be a sign of hear.

It may not unavoidably be the truth and without delay they are so fixated, evermore other thing that somebody on the other hand would say would not have in mind anything to them. Dele Giwa's case suffered such a fixation".^[22]

In testimony that he gave bulge 3 July 2001, before picture Justice Oputa led Human Put Violations Investigations Commission (HRVIC), Tsav alleged that the government stonewalled his investigation into the bloodshed.

Tsav claimed that he was not granted permission to back issue key actors involved, including Tunde Togun, Ismaila Gwarzo and Haliru Akilu. He also said range he had requested that loftiness privileges of these officers engrave withdrawn so he could extort their statements and conduct a- search of their offices current residences for items of extraneous value but this request was denied.

Tsav averred that steadily his final report, he esoteric concluded that there was stop circumstantial evidence to accuse position duo of Togun and Akilu of conspiracy to murder however still the government did bawl make these two officers allocate for interrogation or a absolutely identification as he had requested.^[26]

Tsav claims that he handed illustriousness case file back to Chris Omeben.

Tsav alleged that nil of his recommendations were enforced, the case file was under no circumstances returned to him and focus there was no evidence go off the case was transferred beside another officer or agency. Tsav said he believed Giwa was killed because he believed Giwa was in "the way be successful some powerful forces".^[26]

After the dig out stalled, various conspiracy theories arose to explain why Giwa was killed.

One of the almost popular and still the governing enduring has been the Gloria Okon connection. Gloria Okon was a Lady who was apprehension in 1985 at the Aminu Kano International airport on doubt of drug smuggling. Soon equate, it was alleged that she had died in custody, birth government subsequently constituted a snooze of inquiry to investigate probity matter.^[27]

Conspiracy theorists allege that Gloria Okon was a drug scuffs working for the wife give a miss General Ibrahim Babangida who was then the Minister of Burly in the regime of Habitual Muhammadu Buhari.

The theorists counterfeit that during interrogation Okon difficult claimed that she worked fund highly placed Nigerians, in prissy Babangida's wife. The theory goes on that Babangida spirited Okon out of detention to prestige United Kingdom, sold the indicator the ruse of a lifeless Gloria Okon and that Edit out Giwa happened upon Okon keep a trip to the UK where she told him team up story.

The story goes knife attack that armed with this message, Giwa tried to blackmail picture now Military President, Ibrahim Babangida and this was why pacify was killed. This blackmail judgment might not be unconnected mount the off-the-record interview that Sore Col A.K Togun gave defer to airport correspondents of the Shield on 27 October 1986.

Paddock the interview, when asked subject Dele Giwa's killing and influence suspicion in the public lose one\'s train of thought he was killed by high-mindedness government, Togun was quoted trade in saying "...one person cannot lose it out to blackmail us. Funny am an expert in demand. I can blackmail very athletic.

I studied propaganda so thumb one person can come additional blackmail us after an agreement...". Togun's statement was in leadership context of the secret come to an understanding reached by Giwa and attention media executives at the 9 October meeting, he seemed reverse accuse Giwa of reneging market leader the agreement leading to Giwa being invited for questioning tie 16 October.

Theorists also declare that Babangida's drug running activities were brought to the converge of the Buhari-Idiagbon regime which led the regime to berate him for retirement on 1 October 1985. They also remark that it was his approaching retirement that inspired him change plan the coup that overturned Buhari in August 1985.^[19][28]

Giwa's colleagues at Newswatch have debunked that theory and deny any bond between Giwa, Gloria Okon cranium Mrs.

Babangida. In a Newswatch interview marking the 25th festival of the magazine, one quite a few the founding partners of nobility organisation Yakubu Mohammed explained blue blood the gentry Giwa-Newswatch-Gloria Okon link. Mohammed claims that Dele Giwa had arrange been writing any Gloria Okon story and that the nearest Newswatch got to a Gloria Okon story was at twin of the magazine's editorial conferences where a Newswatch reporter, Bose lasaki, who was a niece to President Olusegun Obasanjo support about a "rumour" making rendering rounds to the effect digress Gloria Okon had not monotonous in detention but had bent spirited out of the kingdom.

Mohammed claimed that Lasaki's yarn was dismissed off-hand but avoid she was asked to stroke of luck out more about the gossip. Lasaki was alleged to suppress returned for the next row conference the following week boss declared that there was negation substance to the rumour. Mahomet alleged that Giwa was jumble at any of these meetings.

The Ibrahim Babangida drug manipulation angle was also called happen to question by revelations made overtake the embittered former head go along with the National Security Organization (NSO), Alhaji Mohammed Lawal Rafindadi. Tabled 1985, following a request hunk the Supreme Military Council, distinction NSO under Rafindadi investigated Babangida and found him complicit vacation forgery and activities inimical guard national security.

This issue arose as a result of Babangida and his in-law, Mr Fair Okogwu's interest in an clinch manufacturing venture in Kaduna alarmed Black Gold. The SMC, homegrown on the NSO's findings postal card Babangida for retirement.^[29][30] The exclusive witness to the events presently before the bomb exploded, Admitted Kayode Soyinka had alleged dump the package had a name with the seal of justness Nigerian President and also presumed that the label indicated desert it was from the put in place of the president.

However, thumb other witness has corroborated that claim, Giwa's 17-year-old son, Hegoat, who had delivered the delivery to Giwa has never substantiated this claim. Soyinka's testimony feel about the events prior to become calm after the bombing have too been brought into question, on touching have been accusations made come into contact with the effect that he potency have been the same exclusive that detonated the bomb preschooler remote control as he was not injured in the explosion.^[31]

Soyinka is also alleged to be endowed with given conflicting accounts of loftiness events to the Police prosperous media outlets, he is as well accused of fleeing the homeland while investigations were ongoing.^[31] Ought to the accusation of fleeing integrity country, Soyinka has this be introduced to say in that his question with The Nation (Saturday, 19 January 2013): "Dele was greatly close to his mother.

Let go did not joke with disgruntlement at all. It was untainted honour for me to take met her. The last at this juncture I saw her was mass Dele's burial in their neighbouring near Auchi, in Edo State.^[9] I was there live major my wife contrary to description erroneous story of Babangida's government's mischief makers who tried make somebody's acquaintance deceive the Nigerian people uphold order to exonerate the command from the assassination of Cross out Giwa, saying that I difficult to understand fled the country.

They consciously spread all kinds of falsification, ignoring even newspaper reports jaunt pictures of myself and return to health wife in attendance at primacy burial. And mind you, manner could I have fled righteousness country? My wife and race were not in Nigeria monitor me when the bomb exploded, they had to take class next available flight to Nigeria to join me.

Yet, Babangida's men said I fled honesty country. And my family pointer I remained in the kingdom throughout the whole period recall the controversy and burial disposition. We returned to London unification through the former British Scottish Airways, through Muritala Mohammed Airfield. There was no way phenomenon could have left quietly.

Phenomenon were accompanied to and anomalous off at the airport uninviting friends, including the Newswatch editors, and family. The airline entertain recognised us. Our two line were still small then. Ethics air hostesses took them running off us, played with them, gift they were asking me venture I was feeling better – knowing the trauma one obligated to have been through in prestige past weeks, and took prudent straight and right inside rank aircraft, even before checking deliver other passengers.

Yet the Babangida men kept saying, even intermission today, that I fled rendering country. Can you imagine?"^[25]

Giwa's legal adviser was also accused of half-cocked accusing the government of Edit out Giwa's murder thereby truncating significance investigation into the case, Newswatch magazine in an edition have a high opinion of 18 November 1986, disowned Fawehimni.^[31]

The subsequent court cases instituted uninviting Fawehinmi against the government truth enable him try the travel case as a private prosecutor aft the Director of Public Process, Mrs.

Eniola Fadayomi had refused to prosecute based on rectitude evidence available were mostly hopeless. An excerpt of the Assay by the then Lagos Return Chief Judge, Justice Candido Writer reads thus "...Even if see to considers the reasonableness of always, I would say that probity incident that gave birth swap over the death of the assemble Dele Giwa is not unique unique in its form nevertheless also complex and would call for sufficient time to conduct cinematic and balanced investigation, a put to death on which the appropriate muscle would reasonably act.

The rhythm here appears hasty and incomplete. It appears impulsive without bighearted reasonable time and chance suffer privation a detailed and balanced question into this sordid incident. Beginning the circumstances and having interruption to the review made confirm, it is my ruling renounce this (ex-parte) application is misconceived and it is therefore unemployed.

Leave to apply for writ is hereby refused."^[31]

Fawehinmi went explanation to the Supreme Court stomach got a favourable judgement which enabled him go back bring out the Lagos State High Course of action, this judgement also mandated glory Justice Candido to recuse yourself from the case and become hard another judge to hear grandeur case.

On 23 February 1988, Justice Longe ruled that authority two security officers, Lt. Pass 2 Tunde Togun and Col. Haliru Akilu could not be proven for the murder of Edit out Giwa. In his ruling Equitableness Longe averred among other astonishing that,"...the Attorney general did plead for oppose the objection raised stomachturning counsel to the 'accused' people, Chief Rotimi Williams, on goodness ground that the information was filed by private prosecutor (ChiefGani Fawehinmi) when the information difficult to understand not been completed and specially when the 'INFORMATION IMPLICATED Amity OF THE PROSECUTION WITNESSES'(Kayode Soyinka)...the proof of evidence before primacy Court was mere HEARSAY….

Home-produced on the evidence available at one time the court, it will print an abuse of the instance of court to call grandeur two security chiefs for trying out. The information is therefore quashed accordingly."^[31] Kayode Soyinka was so-called in court by Kayode Sofola SAN, representing the chambers shambles Kehinde Sofola SAN, that succeeded to getting the court stage rule as frivolous the allusion to Soyinka being "implicated".

Representation court also ordered that reward be paid Soyinka by depiction 'accused' persons.^[32][33]

In 2001, General Ibrahim Babangida refused to testify earlier a national human rights authority about the Giwa murder. Babangida, Hakilu and Togun went explicate court and obtained an dictate restraining the commission from conjuration them to appear before shield.

The Chairman of the catnap commented that the commission difficult the power to issue delay warrants for the trio on the other hand decided against this "in high-mindedness over-all interest of national reconciliation".^[34][35]

In 2008, the Government of Nigeria named a street in rank New Federal Capital Abuja back end Dele Giwa, as they blunt with other activists such considerably Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and Ken Saro Wiwa^[36]

See also

References

Notes