Doctor Who Treated Dele Giwa: It Was Better He Died, Could Not Have Lived with Level of Injury

• He was true legend of written word, says Ekpu 

•Amuka, Osoba, Obaigbena, Shobanjo, Ogunbiyi, others vow his name will never die

Dike Onwuamaeze and Ayodeji Ake

The doctor on duty at First Foundation Hospital, Ikeja, where the mangled body of Dele Giwa was brought for treatment after suffering a letter bomb attack, Dr. Dokun Adedeji, has revealed that his unuttered wish was that Giwa would not survive the attack.

Adedeji revealed that yesterday during the public presentation of a book titled, “Dele Giwa’s Granite Journalism,” to mark the 40th anniversary of his assassination via a letter bomb on Sunday, October 19, 1986, at his Ikeja residence.

Adedeji said, “I tell you one thing. His is what I have never seen again in my practice. He was shattered. His two limbs were open. And then, he was bleeding. He was still bleeding in the hospital. But, he was still talking.

“He said that I should move the bed up so that he can breathe. I did. I was shaking. But, we kept on.

“And, I think it was better that he died. There was no way Uncle Dele would have lived with that injury. Even though he wanted to live. But, I knew the end was near.

“He asked after Funmi (his wife). I said, she must be somewhere. He kept talking. He wanted to talk, but I thought it would be better for him not to talk so that we can conserve him.

“But, at about almost one o’clock, he died. I remember very well, his blood was on my clothes, on my shoes. I hung them for like five years in the corner of my room.”

Adedeji recalled that about 12.30pm in the afternoon of Sunday, Giwa’s shattered body was driven in a combi bus to the First Foundation Medical Centre.

He stated, “I was a doctor on duty for the weekend. Then, I saw a woman (Funmi) running. She said, come, come, come, they have bombed Dele Giwa. I said, you must be kidding me.

“Funmi (Giwa’s wife) was in blood. She had a white sheet around Giwa. So, my MD came and we took Giwa to the emergency room.

“I will never forget what Giwa kept asking me. He said, ‘how is Aisha? Do I know anything about Aisha?’ He said, because she was crawling to where he was in the study with Kayode Soyinka (Newswatch London correspondent).”

Adedeji lamented that it was unfortunate that the killers of Giwa had not been found.   

In his welcome remarks, Chief Executive Officer of Newswatch Plus Limited, Mr. Ray Ekpu, described Giwa, the founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch Magazine, as a true legend of the written word.

Dignitaries at the book presentation included Chairman of the Book Presentation and Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers Limited, Uncle Sam Amuka; Chairman of THISDAY Newspapers Limited/Arise News TV, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osaba; Executive Chairman of Tanus Books Limited, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi; Founder, Insight Communications Limited, Dr. Biodun Shobanjo; and former Editor of THISDAY Newspaper, Mr. Simon Kolawole, who reviewed the book.

Ekpu said, “Dele Giwa was not a run-of-the mill journalist. He was a legend, a true legend of the written word.”

He added, “This event is a memorialisation of the founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch, Dele Giwa, who was assassinated through the use of a parcel bomb that was sent to him on Sunday, October 19, 1986 by some evil men. 

“Today is the 40th anniversary of his assassination. Since his death, we in Newswatch and some members of the media community have fought tooth and nail to get justice for him, but there has been no success.

“We also worked assiduously with our company’s lawyer and friend, the indefatigable late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, for several years to get justice for Dele, but the forces of oppression put high hurdles on our path and made our goal unrealisable.

“So, we are here to give presence to his absence by presenting to the public a book that will memorialise and immortalise him.

“That book, edited by me, comprises Giwa’s articles published in the Daily Times, Sunday Concord and Newswatch as well as interviews he granted to a radio station and a newspaper.” 

Ekpu, who was among the founding team of Newswatch, along with Giwa, late Dan Agbese and late Yakubu Mohammed, said, “Giwa was a patriot, a patriot to his fingertips.

“He fought many battles with his pen for a better Nigeria. That is why a number of buildings have been named by journalism organisations after him. And a number of books written about him.

“Here is what I said of him in the book: ‘Giwa’s immortality derives from his succulent, seductive and breezy prose that had a mesmerising effect on his readers like Austin Okocha’s dribbling episodes on his football fans.

“His prose was sweet, as sweet as Dolly Parton’s songs. His prose was, frankly, the next door neighbour to poetry.’

“When you turn the last page of the book you will be saying to no one in particular ‘why did it end so soon?’ I assure you.”

Kolawole, in his review, “The Pen That Outlived the Bomb: A Review of Dele Giwa’s Granite Journalism,” said one of the tragedies of Giwa’s assassination was that the manner of his death had sometimes overshadowed the magnificence of his life.

He stated, “Dele Giwa lived for only 39 years, but he produced enough memorable journalism to secure a place in our intellectual history.

“The tragedy is that we shall never know what more he might have written, what further heights he might have attained or how much richer Nigerian journalism might have become through his continued presence. But we can celebrate what he left behind.

“I commend this book to journalists, writers, students of history and everyone who appreciates the beauty and power of the written word.

“For aspiring journalists, especially, it offers invaluable lessons in curiosity, courage, clarity, storytelling, and the discipline of writing.

“Above all, it reminds us that while a life can be violently terminated, a powerful voice can continue to speak across generations. Dele Giwa’s killers silenced the man. They did not silence his journalism.”

Amuka, in his remarks, said Giwa lived on despite being swept away ruthlessly.

He said, “But after 40 years, we are honouring him. In his journalism career, Dele Giwa was a standout legend. He spoke truth to power.”

Giwa’s daughter, Aisha, said the only memory she had about her father was what her mother and friends of his daddy shared with her. Aisha was a year old when his father, Giwa, was assassinated.

She said, “The day my dad died, my mother told me that the nanny had just taken me upstairs for a nap. And it wasn’t long after that the bomb went off.

“Even though I did not get to know him for myself, the stories have made me so proud to be his daughter, to be his Aisha. He was the one that gave me the name Aisha.

“Although it has been 40 years, when people see my name, they have nothing but good things to say about him and his work. And that makes me very, very proud.

“With the launch of this book, I know that his name will continue to live on.”

Osoba said Giwa was still alive and communicating through his columns.

He said, “Giwa is alive and he is going to be alive forever and ever. To all of us, I say let us always learn to be good in our profession. Dele Giwa was very good. A serious writer, an enlightened writer.”

Obaigbena recalled the last moments he spent with Giwa a day before his assassination.

He said, “We were all there at Adeosun’s lunch in Victoria Island. And we all drove to Admiral Augustus Aikhomu’s house.

“But on Sunday, 19th October, we were playing soccer at the University of Lagos ground when we heard the story of the bombing.

“I rushed to the First Foundation Hospital and witnessed him (Giwa) there. His body, his leg cut off.

“But the most important event was during his burial. I remember standing by Uncle Sam as we walked to the airport. And he (Uncle Sam) saw the crowd and said: ‘Journalism is in the constitution of Nigeria. You can kill him but he did not die.’

“I must also salute the titans that have kept his journey going. Ray Ekpu may be nearing 80, but his voice is as strong as anything. He is a voice for journalism and for Nigeria.

“And the rest of us, as we grow old together, let us make Nigerian journalism proud, speaking truth to power.” 

Ogunbiyi, who spoke from his personal relationship with Giwa, described the late journalist as remarkable. 

He said, “When people talk of Giwa as a journalist, I appreciate that, but I talk of him as a very personal friend of mine. And his memory, for as long as I live, I will never, never forget him.

“Giwa’s memory will remain forever a blessing. Giwa will not die, he is not going to die. He will be read and studied. He was unique, he was special.”

He urged that the book should be sent to every school of journalism in Nigeria. 

Shobanjo recalled being the only non-medic in the First Foundation Hospital when Giwa was being attended to after he was bombed.

He stated, “For me Giwa can never die because that was who he was. I mean he was an enigma, he was larger than life, he was journalism personified.”