He was in his 70s when I got to know him. You cannot meet Chief Bob Ewulonu Beremako Ogbuagu and not remember him thereafter. He had just mounted the saddle as the third Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Champion Newspapers after Prince Henry Odukomaiya and Dr. Ihechukwu Madubuike. The newspaper, founded by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu in 1988, was the toast of the industry with the wealth of experience brought to bear by the pioneer Managing Director, Prince Henry Odukomaiya. The paper was in the top league until the June 12, 1993 political saga engulfed the nation, leading to the sudden exit of Henry Odukomaiya from the saddle. The story of that period and the newspaper in question is best captured in a book. It will show that June 12, did not just truncate Nigeria’s political match, but also did damage to many a career and many a profession. The twist to both directions, positive and negative, for the paper, would make a good addition to the growth and development of mass communication in the land. Perhaps events have overtaken those chapters of history but it is sad that none of those in the eye of the storm felt that history could get good pages from their writings. Perhaps research students in Mass Communication should do justice to the era as thesis and topic for academic papers. This writing is not about Champion Newspapers or June 12 saga, but about a man whose tenure as Editor-in-Chief came with that epoch. There were cynicism in some quarters concerning his age and the demands of the office but chief Ogbuagu had the kind of energy that was alien to people his age. He climbed the stairs in twos to his office and would go round the compound often, with his subordinates virtually running to catch up with him. He applied the wisdom of a sage to run the newspaper at a time the dark goggled military dictator, General Sani Abacha, was Head of state and would brook no criticism from the press. Many media houses were forcibly closed and journalists went underground but Dee Bob managed to keep the paper afloat in the face of stiff operating environment.
Chief Bob Ogbuagu was born on May 25, 1925 in his home town Umukabia Umuagbom in Ohuhu clan Umuahia, Abia state. The Ohuhu clan also had such illustrious sons as the late Dr. Micheal Okpara, former Premier of Eastern Nigeria. He later learnt at the feet of Okpara and the great Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, culminating in his becoming a prime member of the Zikist movement, one of the groups that intensified the fight for Nigeria’s Independence. He had fought the battle with the pen as Editor and Proprietor of Jos- based newspaper, Northern Advocate, as Editor and proprietor. He became a willing member of the movement that gave birth to Independence and paid the price when he was incarcerated with the likes of late MCK Ajuluchukwu, Kola Balogun and others. The colonial masters put them away for sundry charges and those may even have been trumped up given their insistence in their writings and activities, that the Nigeria be unshackled from colonial masters. Dee Bob, as he was fondly called, told me when he granted an interview to mark his 75th birthday about his closeness to Zik, so much so that he functioned as Zik”s private secretary at a point. He shared a joke with about the flexibility of politicians where late chief Sam Mbakwe had appointed him into a position, I cannot recall, in old Imo state when the irrepressible Mbakwe was governor. Just before Nnamdi Azikiwe visted the state as leader of the Nigerian Peoples Party[NPP] in in the wake of one of the presidential campaigns in the second republic in which Zik contested, Mbakwe had relieved Dee Bob of his appointment. When Zik arrived and asked Dee Bob how his job was doing, he told Zik that Mbakwe, who was with them at the , had fired him. Zik turned to Mbakwe to confirm the information. Mbakwe denied firing him and ordered that he should return to his desk, insisting that he never gave such instruction. Dee Bob told me he did not want to escalate the matter by revealing that his removal letter had been served him since the governor had denied and bowed to their collective mentor and political master. He was amused when he return to the office and while going through the files, saw the governor’s memo directing that he should be removed. He chuckled to himself at how politicians succumb to their masters and how his closeness to Zik saved his job.
Dee Bob did his beat in journalism but it was in Public Relations that he etched his name indelibly as president of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations[NIPR] and President of Federation of African Public Relations Associations[FAPRA]. He was generally known as Doyen of Public relations in our shores.
Dee Bob has bowed out of this clime at the ripe age of 92 and had impacted many lives. He had a rare knack of spotting talents exemplified in former Editor and later Managing Director of Champion Newspapers, Mr Emma Agu. Dee Bob spotted Agu when the later was a staff of Nigerian Statesman in Owerri and was instrumental to his moving to Lagos to become the pioneer Editor of Champion, a job in which Agu excelled. Dee Bob was not stingy with compliments if you impressed him. I recall writing a paper he delivered at a Public Relations function in Ghana and the lavish encomiums he poured on me when he returned from that event. He once called me to his office to commend me for an article I wrote of the Late Fela Anikulapo Kuti. He was that kind of person. Now he has bowed out of this clime at the ripe age of 92. Chief Sir [Dr.] Bob Ogbuagu died on Monday, August 21, 2017 at a medical facility in his hometown. He was strong and mentally agile till the end. Nigeria and Abia has lost an illustrious son. We shall miss his wise counsel. Good night Dee Bob.