Chief Joop Berkhout

 By  Nehru Odeh

Chief Joop Berkhout wore many distinguished hats. Yet, one can hardly get a handle on him. He meant different things to many. He touched countless lives. And his indelible imprints are etched in their memories. Still, he defied a single description.

He has been described as an irrepressible lover of books. He has also been hailed as a legend. He has been acknowledged as a man with boundless energy and an unparalleled zest for life. He has been honoured for his business acumen. He has been praised as a publisher of publishers for having a nose for good stories.

He has also been celebrated for his humanity. He has also been described as a man who broke territorial and generational boundaries in search of authors and who tramped everywhere to make books accessible.

Prof Frans Berkhout

Yet above all, it has been confirmed that though a Dutchman, he had an undying love for Nigeria, a country he made his home for more than six decades and was unapologetic about it.

Little wonder he was honoured with a chieftaincy title, the Okunborode of Ife and a national award, Order of the Niger, OON.

This, indeed, is the fascinating story of Chief Berkhout’s legendary life. Yet one can not get enough of the man who transitioned peacefully on Monday, February 10, at his Ibadan residence, the popular Cambridge House, where he had hosted writers, scholars, technocrats, and retired generals and where the late poet Christopher Okigbo had once resided.

It was in the light of his enigmatic personality, infectious passion, and palpable enthusiasm for books and life that friends, family, professional colleagues and business associates converged on  Ibadan on Wednesday, February 18,  to celebrate him.

L-R: Mr Ernest Berkhout, Prof Frans Berkhout, Mr Gbenro Adegbola and Mr Bankole Olayebi during the candle lighting session.

Notable personalities present at the event included Chief Berkhout’s sons – Prof. Frans, Ernest and Mick; Prof. Niyi Osundare, Mr. Michel Deelen, Prince Dotun Oyelade, Mr Chris Maiyaki, Mr and Mrs Gbenro and Funsho Adegbola, Mr Kolade Mosuro,  Mr Bankole Olayebi and Dr. Tony Marinho.

It was indeed an evening of tributes, memories, nostalgia and music.  It was also an evening of networking and renewal of ties and friendship. It was an evening of love, of laughter, of the passion and humanity Chief Berkhout had shared while alive.

The spectacular Ibadan City Chorale, which had so much emotive passion to share, spiced up the evening as it regaled the audience with seemingly endless scintillating, soul-searching classical music and hymns

Prof. Frans set the ball rolling with a brief speech welcoming the guests to the event, which he said would follow the celebratory and festive tradition his father had cherished so much, as he loved the good life. And it indeed lived up to that billing, what with the beautiful ambience, the convivial feelings and love that filled the atmosphere.

“I think this is an event of joyful celebration of a long life well lived. That is the way we feel it. His death was very peaceful, at home, in the way he wanted it. And, therefore, there is everything to celebrate,” Prof Frans said.

Representatives of the Ooni of Ife with Prof Frans Berkhout and Mr Ernest Berkhout

That indeed preceded the candle lighting session, a highpoint which added glitz, glamour and spectacle to the event. It gave the atmosphere a solemn and serene feel. And that was symbolic enough. Mrs Funsho Adegbola, Mr Bankole Olayebi and Professor Frans Berkhout lit the candles.

“We are reminded of the warmth of his presence, the light of his spirit and the love he shared among and with us. May his memory continue to warm us with the love he left behind.

“Tonight we gather in memory of my father, Chief Joop, whose life was characterized by the joy of living, kindness to fellow man and the great inspiration to many.

“This candle we light is a true gift to the warmness we share. May it shine as a testimony to his legacy and be a reminder of the beautiful example he left behind.  With this candle, we celebrate Joop’s life.

“This light represents the moment of joy, the memories we cherish and the love that does not fade with time. May his light of comfort be a reminder that his spirit truly lives on,” Prof Frans maintained.

Representatives of the Onni of Ife

Bankole Olayebi recalled how his first encounter with Chief Berkhout at the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, changed the trajectory of his life.

“I am standing here today because of a fortunate meeting with Joop Berkhout before he became a double chief about 43 years ago. This encounter took place appropriately at a book event, the then Ife International Book Fair.  And the encounter changed the trajectory of my life,” Olayebi noted

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, who sent representatives to pay his last respects to Chief Berkhout, described him as a resourceful elder who lived a life filled with love, humility and compassion. “His return to God after a good life is a unique reminder that we all will leave this world one day to give account of our stewardship. That is why we must work hard to live a good life like the much-celebrated Chief Berkhout,” the Ooni admonished.

Dr Tony Marinho, for his part, rendered many anecdotes about his experiences with Chief Berkhout, some of which revealed issues of national importance that he was privy to. This is because he was in his house when they were being discussed. He also spoke about how Chief Berkhout published his novel, “Deadly Cargo”, after a publisher had delayed it for four years.

“Any visit to Chief Berkhout’s house is likely to yield some dividends. You know the value of a person by his associates. They are not always friends, but some of them were associates. And he associated very well with the young people. It was quite amazing that he would get young people together for days and quite easily link with them,” Marinho said.

Mr Gbenro Adegbola and Mrs Funsho Adegbola

Ms Chatburn Ojehomon, who spoke on behalf of the Ibadan branch of Naija Wives Association eulogized Chief Berkhout for his generosity, humanity and the unwavering support he had given the Naira Wives Association.

“Chief Joop deeply loved Nigeria, and that is what connected him with us. That is what connected him with the Naija Wives Association. Just as we left our home country to serve here, so did Chief. This shared experience created a special bond.

“Chief Joop also made a significant contribution to the Naija Wives Association, and we are deeply honoured by having Chief support the publication of our book,  titled  ‘Naija Wives in Nigeria. Chief had a tremendous amount of passion for publishing, and it showed throughout his life,” Ojehomon remarked.

Mr. Michel Deelen and Prof. Frans Berkhout

Chief  Dotun Oyelade, who entitled his speech, “Joop Berkhout: The Best Horse in the World”, said the late publisher, whom he first met around 1985, when the Ugandan Princess of Tori paid him a visit in Nigeria, taught him how to make money.

“Joop taught me how to make money. He was so good at identifying and squeezing money from unlikely areas in publishing. He tagged it Contact Publishing. He was so committed to profit and efficiency that he could often be a pain in the neck. Throughout my stay at Spectrum, he enjoyed a bittersweet relationship with my wife. He would wake me up on the phone in the middle of the night to ask me about the job…

“At noon on a particular Sunday, he called my line as usual and wanted to know from my wife if I had left for Zaria early in the day for an appointment with the Emir of Zauzau. My wife, taciturn as she was, told him, ‘Sir, today is Sunday, and my husband will like to go to church,’ and Joop responded, ‘At Spectrum, we make money every day, including Sundays. There was silence at both ends of the phone. Message delivered,

“As the years went by, Berkhout was forced to slow down by age;  the only factor that could curb his frenetic tendency. By the time I visited him in his house in January 2024, his famed gin and tonic were off the table, and his legendary retentive memory had started to fail him.

“He was repeating to himself so often, and when I was leaving, he told me, ‘Dotun, by the time you come back here, I may not be here.’ The Old War Horse was wrong. I visited a few times after then, but each time, the bell was rolling ever steadily for a man who was larger than life,” Oyelade recalled.

Prof. Niyi Osundare

Kolade Mosuro spoke about his many experiences with  Chief Berkhout and how he came about the title of his speech,  “Joop, Chief Joop Joop.” According to him, after he and Chief Berkhout had met the then Minister of Education and former Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau in Abeokuta in 2014 over the 35 – 50 per cent tariff that the Nigerian Customs had wanted to slap on imported books, they, on Chief Berkhout’s suggestion, visited former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, with the hope they would get some food there.

“Suddenly, he said, ‘Kolade, let’s go to Obasanjo’s house in Abeokuta. He will have food.’ Just like that, to go to Obasanjo’s house in Abeokuta without an invitation or an appointment! ‘Come on, let’s go.’ I followed Joop.

“When we got to Obasanjo’s residence, a polite gentleman carrying a very mean gun asked who we were. ‘Joop, Chief Joop,’ Joop said. I gave my name as Kolade. The man went to the sentry to pass on the intercom to the residence that ‘Joop, Chief Joop Joop and Dr Christopher Kolade would like to see Baba.’Oh my God, Kolade,’ I said to myself and not Dr Christopher Kolade. For all the troubles of the day, impersonation had been added to it.”.

Mr. Michel Deelen

Mr Patrick Obidoyin spoke about how Chief Berkhout supported his university application with a pre-payment to university, even though it wasn’t a requirement at the time. “He felt it will strengthen my visa application. He also got a supporting letter for my UK  visa application,” he said.

Obidoyin also narrated how after he graduated and was visiting Nigeria, Chief Berkhout insisted on picking him up from Lagos. “A very poignant moment for me was when we got to Ibadan, he physically took my hand and handed back my dad saying, ‘ Your son has graduated from England. I am now handing him back  to you.”

Obidoyin later described him as an avid reader, a fountain of knowledge, and a great cook. “I learnt a pasta recipe from him, which I still cook: pasta with ham and Pestro. He also loved exquisite  dining and trying new recipes.”

Prof. Frans Berkhout

Obidoyin also told the audience how Chief Berkhout introduced him to two exceptionally brilliant doctors who facilitated the double hip replacement of his mum, who he said was present in the hall. He also arranged for a physiotherapist to visit her at home post-surgery to ensure full recovery. “Today, my mum walks without a problem and without any walking aid. For this, I will be grateful,” Obidoyin averred.

Ms Oby Aboyade Cole, for her part, said Chief Berkhout was her neighbour, friend, former boss and customer. Chief, as she called him, was a lot of things to her family. He gave her children their first puppy, which ended up being her dog. He gave her her first job in Ibadan, her first foray into the world of publishing.

“It wasn’t all roses; we had our differences, but we always managed to rise above them. Chief, a black man with white skin. Joop showed genuine care and concern for others, actively seeking to alleviate their suffering by being thoughtful,  considerate and empathetic towards their feelings and situations. Chief was resilient and was certainly stronger than he looked. He loved people and saw through them. What I admired most about him was his grit, kindness,  and unwavering belief in humanity,” Oby maintained.

Mr Ernest Berkhout and Prof. Niyi Osundare

In his speech titled “Boss, Mentor, Uncle and Friend, Mr Gbeniga Delano recounted how Chief Berkhout supported him throughout his career in their over 40-year relationship.

“Chief Berkhout’s residence and office exuded warmth, reflecting his gracious personality. His office, nestled in Oluyole Estate, was an ideal workplace for a young professional like myself. I was captivated by the atmosphere and submitted my application for the Marketing Executive position, beginning my professional career in 1984.

“Chief Berkhout’s kindness and generosity extended beyond our professional relationship. When I married my wife, Adebimpe, he welcomed us into his home, offering kind words and guidance. Our friendship and mentorship have continued to grow over the years.

“Through his work, Uncle Joop touched the lives of millions, publishing iconic titles that shaped Nigeria’s literary heritage. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations, and his impact on my life and the lives of many others will never be forgotten,” Delano said.

Ms Chatburn Ojehomon

Dr Olufemi Ogunlusi, who succeeded his father, late Dr Afolabi Ogunlusi, as  Chief Berkhout’s physician, said he came to know him about two decades ago. “It’s a bit strange to refer to Chief Berkhout in the past tense, as the man was larger than life,” he said.

Ogunlusi described Chief Berkhout as a fighter who was ready to fight for what he wanted, and fight he did.

“He punched above his grade, pommelled below his weight and stood toe to toe at his level. He had deft moves with which he beguiled his opponents. There were boardroom fights, there were hostile takeovers, there were fights on policy directions to pursue, there were fights to meet deadlines, and there were fights to collect money for work already done.

“There were also many battles with his health, which I am not permitted to speak about. He always came out tops. He was a feisty one. I don’t think he ever lost a fight until this last one. ‘Femi, I don’t want to die!’ he would say, ‘but death comes to us all! Thank you for keeping me alive.’

“He believed in himself, but he believed more in humanity. Thanks to his indomitable spirit, he came, he saw, and he conquered. He gave of himself and of his substance to all he came into contact with. No one ever left his presence empty-handed. The least one could leave with were his nuggets of wisdom, or historical fact, a fun fact or a glass of his legendary gin and tonic.

“He enjoyed his life; he enjoyed his work even more; he also enjoyed people’s company. If he liked you, you could do no wrong. He would sing your praises to high heavens and bend over backwards to accommodate you,” Ogunlusi averred.

Ibadan City Chorale

Mr Lukman Dauda described Chief Berkhout as an enigma, a shrewd publisher and a shrewd businessman and even, at that, very humane who contributed in no small measure to the growth of Evans Brothers Nigeria Limited.

“Today, Evans is one of the big publishing companies in Nigeria, thanks to the efforts of this man we are celebrating today. He was always ready, always willing to put in his best to ensure the publishing industry was always protected. We will definitely miss him because to run a very solid association in this country like we have in the industry, you need a lot of connections. Who will say in this country  today from the north to the south to the west to the east that there is something in this country that Chief Berkhout didn’t have one thing or the other to do with?” Dauda said.

The audience

Professor Niyi Osundare added more colour to the already spectacular event. He did not just pay tribute to Chief Berkhout, he read a poem he had dedicated to him. Still, the interesting thing about the poem entitled “For Joop Berkhout” is that both the poet and the audience participated in the rendition.

“This is the kind of thing Joop would have liked, elegant, with good company. This is good dialogue, and there is also love in this hall,” Osundare said. The distinguished professor, scholar and poet also spoke about how Chief Berkhout pursued him to be his author.

“Chief Berkhout loved books. He also loved the authors who wrote them. No sooner has he become your publisher than he becomes a friend to your family. The author-publisher relationship is also very important to him. Of my many Nigerian publishers, he is one who tells me how many copies of my books have been sold and the one who also asks me when am I coming to collect my royalty? That is not very common on the Nigerian scene. We will miss Chief Berkhout because he didn’t only do it; he taught us how to do it. He is a lover of poetry, a lover of books,” Osundare said.

Ms Oby Aboyade Cole

Mr Chris Maiyaki described the late publisher as an extraordinary personality, an icon, a friend, and a man of many parts. ” A man who is accountable to himself, for himself and society.  A man who imbued probity in all that he did,

“Today’s events and others ancillary to his departure, to his demise, should be seen as a celebration of life, a celebration that chronicles a sumptuous and glorious service to humanity. And many who are gathered here will attest to a towering man of immense character, a workaholic, a driving force for innovations who was courageous enough, adventurous and never economical with his candour, his never-say-die attitude.

“Chief Berkhout had the midas touch. He was tough, some would rather call him a shrewd manager of resources who built a solid foundation for making money genuinely. Even at 90 plus, Joop Berkhout was roving about contracts, about breakthroughs,” Maiyaki noted.

Tributes which friends, professional colleagues, business associates and friends paid to the legendary publisher which everyone agrees was larger than life went on and on.

So many that had been published were not rendered that evening. Still, it was an evening to remember, an evening that will be etched in the memories of guests as they all went back home with one thing or the other that Chief Berkhout was known for.

Though he is not physically present, as his son, Professor Frans had earlier said during the candle lighting session, his light of comfort is a reminder that his spirit truly lives on.

And indeed, the best way to remember him is through those exceptional moments that only he can bring about.