Ebenezer Obadare

By Babafemi Ojudu

I got a copy of Ebenezer Obadare’s The Pentecostal Republic here in Abuja yesterday at a bookstore tucked away on the third floor of a shopping plaza on Adetokunbo Ademola Street.

I will spend this weekend to pore through the book which many of our colleagues then in journalism have highly recommended.

Of course I will read anything written by Ebenezer, a brilliant and hilarious journalist who was one of the young men and women we pulled together in 1993 to publish TheNEWS magazine.

Obadare’s Pentecostal Republic

Senator Ojudu with a copy of the book

Ebenezer Obadare

They were young, well educated and not only resourceful but loyal to our group and the cause of democracy . They made a lot of sacrifice which the salary we paid them could not have compensated for. It was a big family of idealists then whom someone has referred to as ‘suicidal journalist’ and others as ‘guerrilla journalists’

Ebenezer and some others have since left journalism for academics and they have made good of that too as not just professors but author of many books that have severally been described as seminal.

Ebino was one of a broad smile and loud laughter . Ever happy and excited Ebenezer could write about anything from the music of Abbas Akande, alias Obesere ,the story of the bra ,aka kostay to in-depth reporting and analysis of the then military regime and it’s shenanigans .

We were lucky then to have so many young journalists like Ebino, we are happy still they have all done well in their subsequent callings .

I will be at the RovingHeights upper Sunday to listen to Ebenezer speak to his new book. Congratulations Ebino. Wishing you many more productive years.