HDA: A peerless talent-hunter

 

By Louis Odion, FNGE

 

Following the nomination of Dr. Dele Alake as Commissioner-designate in Lagos State in June 1999 by then newly inaugurated Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a succession fever gripped Concord Press. Somehow, fate surreptitiously inserted yours sincerely in the emerging permutations.

With Mr. Tunji Bello, erstwhile editor of Sunday Concord, replacing Alake and Comrade Kayode Komolafe (formerly his deputy in the Sunday title) promoted as successor, the search for deputy editor thus began in earnest.

Then came the day the matter was to be decided at Concord management meeting presided over by Dr. Hamdat Doyin Abiola (fondly called HDA), the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief, later in the month of June.

According to multiple sources present at the “conclave”, a shortlist of Assistant Editors was tabled after rigorous selection process across the three titles (National Concord, Weekend Concord and Sunday Concord) and yours sincerely was about the only “small boy” included. After much debate, the consensus was that the “small boy” ticked all the boxes in terms of proven hard-work, competence and conduct.

But the only snag was that he was known to possess only a National Diploma from Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti as attested by his record supplied by the Personnel Department. Indeed, the existing company policy prescribed a university degree or HND as minimum entry qualification for the editorial cadre.

Then, a point of order was reportedly raised by Mr. Bello who corrected that the “small boy” had since undertaken a degree programme at the University of Lagos, adding that, in fact, the UNILAG senate had just published the results and he made a 2.1.

There and then, HDA ruled that, “Then, Louis has to be the new deputy editor for his exceptional hard-work and talent. We need younger person who will bring fresh energy and also grow on the job.”

That was the pivotal moment in my journalism career.

That wasn’t the first time HDA ruled in my favour, though. Six years prior, she had also approved a waiver for me to be employed as Political Correspondent with only National Diploma, following a strong recommendation by Mr. Bello.

With that singular action, HDA demonstrated she prized talent over paper qualification.

Never one that threw her weight around to intimidate or remind anyone she was not only the MD/E-In-C but also the wife of Chairman, HDA was undoubtedly firmly in charge of Concord’s editorial direction and punctilious enough to gauge everyone’s productivity. Apparently, she too had noted the “small boy’s” industry over the years.

That speaks to the content of HDA’s leadership value. The Concord she nurtured was one where no one was judged based on tribe or faith, but competence and character. She created a liberal climate that enabled talents to freely express themselves, with diligence and competence rewarded handsomely. Only that could explain the seemingly improbable fairy tale of a little-known 18-year-old intern joining Concord in 1991 without any formal journalism training but only writing talent, and yet rising to becoming the deputy editor of Sunday Concord at 26 within record eight years.

June 12 was a different story. By inspiring us to sail under a difficult weather all through, to fight for June 12, without regular pay throughout Abacha’s murderous years, she undoubtedly succeeded in sowing in some of us a seed that will bloom forever: a commitment to always stand for something.

Long after the sun had set on Concord, the memory of that pivotal management meeting of June 1999 often resurrected each time I met mummy HDA at any pubic function over the next two decades. Though increasingly slowed down by age, she retained her sardonic sense of humour. I would normally walk over to pay homage, head bowed. With the loving touch of a proud mother, she would pat me on the back and teased in her thin voice, “The young shall grow”, expressing great delight at the exploits of many ex-Concord not only in Nigerian journalism but also public service.

In 2021 when Mr. Bello was turning 60, KK (Comrade Kayode Komolafe) and I coordinated a book of tributes in his honour. That afforded me an opportunity to engage mummy HDA in a number of phone conversations as she expressed joy that we were celebrating one of her close confidants who had made an impact not only in Nigerian journalism but also public service. She offered some advice on the direction.

Adieu mummy HDA.