Remembering Mr Afriscope

I first became hooked to the monthly magazine, Afriscope before I met its publisher, Uche Chukwumerije. As a journalist with Indigo magazine and later Drum publications, I thought the thirty-something-year-old Chukwumerije was too serious, too academic. It was only when the Murtala Mohammed regime declared Africa as the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy and went […]

I first became hooked to the monthly magazine, Afriscope before I met its publisher, Uche Chukwumerije. As a journalist with Indigo magazine and later Drum publications, I thought the thirty-something-year-old Chukwumerije was too serious, too academic. It was only when the Murtala Mohammed regime declared Africa as the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy and went on to match words with action by frontally confronting apartheid that Afriscope’s fixation with serious political discourse began to make sense to me. (As it turned out, the same South Africa that we spent tons of dollars to help liberate has been dealing Nigerians and other black Africans a death blow in mindless display of xenophobia. But that is another matter).
Chukwumerije’s rightwards ideological journey took him from Socialism in the 70s and the Second Republic, through socio-capitalism during the Babangida years and then capitalism at the onset of the Fourth Republic when he became convinced that a leftist could use the vehicle of a conservative party to attain power and implement a socialist agenda. The extent to which he can be said to have succeeded in this venture is open to debate.
When he was appointed as Information Secretary in the dying days of the Babangida regime, the ferocity with which he defended the annulment of the 1993 presidential election won by MKO Abiola made many Nigerians write him off as just another opportunist. He was employed by the military to do a propagandist’s job and he did it so well. It was a turning point in his ideological journey. His tent was now fully entrenched in the camp of the establishment.
Chukwumerije succeeded General Ike Nwachukwu as Senator representing Abia North in the Nigerian Senate. If his pro-annulment stance was his most infamous public outing, I think his intervention during the clandestine tenure elongation bid of President Obasanjo must rank among his glorious moments of which there were many. Chukwumerije was in the forefront of the anti-third-term counterpoise which eventually saw to the unceremonious burial of the odious scheme.
On a personal note, I must say that my path crossed that of Chukwumerije in the mid-80s when I was doing research for my Masters’ Thesis titled “Nigeria As Graveyard of Magazines: A Case Study of DRUM and Afriscope”. Chukwumerije’s Afriscope had stopped publishing to the surprise of many who thought the magazine was doing well. Before the publication’s collapse, Chukwumerije had ventured into politics in the camp of the People’s Redemption Party, PRP, and many industry watchers were convinced that that foray into politics sounded the death knell of the magazine.
All through the series of interviews I held with him in his office at Pedro, Shomolu area of Lagos, he came across as quite perspicacious, single-minded and committed to the common good. He was punctual every time we arranged to meet. When I completed my thesis on schedule, I sent him a copy with a note of appreciation.
We did not meet again until about a year ago when he strolled into the VIP lounge of the MM2 airport in Lagos in his habitual white French-style suit. He squinted as I approached him but couldn’t remember my name. I came to his rescue and reminded him of not only my name but our sessions during the research aforementioned. His face lit up. When he learnt that I lived in Abuja, he expressed displeasure that I didn’t consider him worthy of a visit. We agreed to bridge the decades of chasm. “Please let’s keep in touch. You my friends from way back can’t just leave me alone now”, he said. As fate would have it, we were never to meet again.
When I learnt that the big Iroko tree had sneaked out of the landscape, I muttered a silent prayer. Here today, gone tomorrow. We are all potential corpses riding the train of life. Chukwumerije has reached his last stop. But God, what a remarkable co-passenger he was! As sure as heaven is reserved for those who positively affect their society, then when the saints go marching in, Uche Chukwumerije will be among the number.
Tribal blues in Texas
In my column of August 19, 2013, titled “The Ngbati/Okoro Tussle”, I decried the resort to tribalism at the drop of a hat, especially by cyber-warriors of Yoruba and Igbo extraction. I wrote as follows: “
“One aspect of student life which I cherished in the University of Ife of the seventies was the playful jibes between Yoruba and Igbo students. Even at the cafeteria you could hear shouts of ‘Ngbati’ or ‘Okoro’, depending on who was under focus.  My close friends are quite familiar with many of the jokes and verbal barbs that I have shared with them about Yoruba/Igbo relations. Even after many decades, nothing has happened to dampen the spirit of brotherhood nurtured in those days. Anyone with a nodding acquaintance with SOC 101 (elementary sociology) would know better than to make sweeping generalisations about a people. There may be trends and tendencies but there can’t be an absolute pigeon-hole into which people can be classified for the simple reason that there are many intervening variables governing human affairs. Generalisations and stereotypes are the preferred tools of the indolent who hate intellectual rigour.”
Last week some Nigerians signed a petition in Texas to destroy the medical career of Dr Abraham Ariyo on the basis that he was anti-Igbo and xenophobic. In the run-up to the last presidential elections, Dr Ariyo had disagreed on some issues with some Nigerians of Igbo extraction on Facebook. Now it is alleged that one individual who has a personal beef with Dr Abraham Ariyo has played the usual ethnic card and instigated other Igbo speaking residents in Texas to sign a petition to the medical authorities to delist Dr Ariyo.
The Nigerian elections have been won and lost. Victors and losers have embraced. What is the meaning of this tribal war going on in Texas? Sheathe your swords, brothers; you should be watching – not stabbing, each other’s back, even if tribe and tongue differ. Enough!