Dele Giwa’s legacy lives on as colleagues unveil book in his honour

By Damilola Akinwale

Media practitioners and the family of Newswatch founding editor, Dele Giwa, have launched a book titled Dele Giwa’s Granite Journalism to commemorate his legacy, 40 years after his assassination.

The book was unveiled on Monday at the Kensington Adebutu Media Centre, Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Lagos, where colleagues, family members and associates celebrated Giwa’s contributions to Nigerian journalism, recalling his tragic death in a parcel bomb attack on October 19, 1986.

Ray Ekpu, Giwa’s former colleague at Newswatch and editor of the book, recounted the devastating impact of the assassination on his family. He recalled that his five-year-old son, who had aspired to become a journalist like Giwa and his father, abandoned the ambition after the killing.

He stressed that journalists must be protected as they carry out their responsibility of reporting the truth, lamenting the lack of serious efforts to safeguard their lives and rights in Nigeria.

Chairman of the occasion and Vanguard publisher, Sam Amuka-Pemu, said Giwa transformed journalism in Nigeria and beyond. He described his writings in the Daily Times, Sunday Concord and Newswatch as memorable and recommended the book to readers.

Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, chairman of the Centre of Excellence in Multimedia and Cinematography at the University of Lagos, described Giwa as a journalist of conscience, distinguishing him from practitioners of what he termed protocol and parachute journalism.

Reviewing the book, TheCable publisher, Simon Kolawole, spoke on Giwa’s enduring influence under the theme, The Pen That Outlived the Bomb. He said the book contains 45 articles written by Giwa and 16 contributions by other writers reflecting on his life and legacy.

Giwa’s daughter, Aisha, said she was barely a year old when her father was killed and had little opportunity to know him personally. She expressed pride in his enduring legacy and thanked those who gathered to honour his memory.

Other dignitaries at the event included Giwa’s widow, Funmi Giwa; former Ogun State governor Aremo Segun Osoba; Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi; Chief Nduka Obaigbena; Muyiwa Adetiba; Nosa Igiebor; Chuka Momoh; Onome Osifo-Whiskey; Eniola Bello; Emeka Iseze; Kazeem Akintunde; Kunle Ajibade; and Soji Akinrinade.