Soldiers nearly killed me during Dimka coup -Albashir
How did your journalism career begin?After I completed a programme at the Teachers College in 1966, I went to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1969 and graduated in 1973. I read History and Political Science and majored in Journalism. When I was in the Primary school, my elder brother, Ambassador Mahmud Bashir, now late, […]
How did your journalism career begin?
After I completed a programme at the Teachers College in 1966, I went to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1969 and graduated in 1973. I read History and Political Science and majored in Journalism. When I was in the Primary school, my elder brother, Ambassador Mahmud Bashir, now late, had a small transistor radio, from which I monitored the news, which I would discuss with my father when he came back home. From this, I began to develop interest in journalism.
In 1973, after graduation, I applied for a job at the New Nigerian newspapers (NNN) and the Broadcasting Company of Northern Nigeria (BCNN), which was later merged with the FRCN. After three days of rigorous interview, I was employed as Reporter II. I enjoyed my stay in the FRCN because we were encouraged and the welfare was good. Grains were occasionally sold to us in the office for which we paid instalmentally. My peers were Tajudeen Akanbi, Azeez Alodunmoye and Sani Sambo who died last week.
The late Dahiru Modibbo, whom we fondly called Boss, made me a special person. He would ask of my opinion after management decisions while I was just on Level 8. Sometimes in the evening, he would send his driver to come and pick me and we would chat for two to three hours in the balcony of his house.
How did you become a commentary writer?
One morning, around 8 am, Dahiru Modiibo came into my office and said “I realized you have a flair for writing, so write a five-minute commentary, but understand that it may take a long time to accomplish as it involves research.” That was how I began writing commentaries.
Why did you leave the FRCN to join The Democrat newspaper?
One, the FRCN wanted me in Kaduna, while the Voice of Nigeria (VON) wanted me in Lagos, both as the Managing Director at the same time. The Adamawa State Radio wanted me in Yola to be the General Manager and The Democrat also came and wanted me to be the Editor. General Ibrahim Babangida came to the FRCN in Lagos and met me and said Group Captain Jonah Jang wanted me in Yola. IBB joked that they wanted to tear me apart. When I chose to go back home, that is Yola where I hail from, IBB said “fine, you can go.”
Why was the BCCN merged with the FRCN?
The Minister of Information came to the BCNN and proceeded on a courtesy call to the Government House, Kaduna. I was there when the Minister told the military Governor, the late Group Captain Usman Jibrin, that the power of the BCNN Kaduna with short wave transmitters should be reduced to medium wave (MW). He told the minister that he would pull off his uniform (retire) in protest if the BCNN, which was a private company of the northern states, was tampered with. Eventually, Jibrin and General Obasanjo reduced the three short wave transmitters that can cover West Africa to medium wave transmitters that can cover only the northern states.
The second phase of the reduction of the powers of the FRCN was during the IBB regime when Professor Jerry Gana wanted to spearhead the reduction of its reach from medium wave to frequency modulation (FM) to be received only within Kaduna. I learnt that the government was not comfortable with the wider reach of the station.
The FRCN Kaduna is the only radio station taken over by the Federal Government that has not been compensated. Enugu and Ibadan stations had been paid by General Obasanjo. The others did not surrender their transmitters to the federal government.
Obasanjo once delivered a lecture at the State House, Kaduna in which he said the FRCN was dishing out news items that were incorrect. There and then some of us challenged him to name one instance, but he could not.
I know how the FRCN Kaduna saved lives. I was at a time at The Democrat newspapers when Muhammed Suleman called me to give me a news item about a massive killing of northerners in Lagos, some of whom fell into the sea. I was told some other northerners had started moving their families to the North. The story was from our reporter who witnessed the sad event. But I told him if we published the story, we cannot guarantee the lives of innocent southerners living in Northern Nigeria. The report was never published; but it was a true report of an event which happened around 1995. But I said it is better to tell lies and save lives, than to tell the truth and get people killed.
What was your saddest moment on the job?
I was entering the FRCN premises one day when somebody was shouting that there was a coup. That was the Dimka coup. I edited the news and told the MD Abba Zoru to read the bulletin. But he retorted that what was his business about that; that if I, as the senior editor cannot take a decision, I should be demoted. He read it and said “give it to the News Editor and if there is no reader, you can read it.”
Then three soldiers burst in and pointed guns at me and dragged me on the floor. There was commotion. Zoru came down and told the soldiers that they should not come and arrest a staffer without his knowledge and without stating the staffer’s offence.
The soldiers said they were under an instruction to do their work. He also shouted on them that he was equally under an instruction to work. He instructed our colleagues who had gathered not to allow anybody to take me.
Zoru immediately asked the then General Officer Commanding GOC, One Division, General IBM Haruna why he sent soldiers to arrest his staffer. One Division was then across the road from the FRCN before they later moved it to Kawo. It was a surprised General IBM who quickly sent soldiers to arrest the coup-plotting soldiers.
There was also another occasion that Brigadier Abba Kyari came very early to the FRCN and was complaining about not seeing workers around. I had to explain to him that journalists there worked on shift and that generally, journalists didn’t work like administration staff. He apologized and left. This led to a rule preventing any military man from entering the FRCN, Kaduna premises in Army uniform. I later learnt that there was a commotion when some soldiers entered the FRCN in uniform after that.
Are your children practising journalism?
Yes, my daughter Sa’adatu Albashir is with the FRCN. She is following my trail. She read Journalism.
How did you successfully do the switch from radio to print journalism?
One man met me in Yola and apologized to me that he sought to discourage the Governor that I had experience in radio and not in newspaper job and I should not be made to head a newspaper outfit. The publication then was Weekly Newscope and I was at once its General Manager and Editor. Former Gongola state Governor Colonel Madaki encouraged me very well, and I raised the circulation of the paper from 7,000 to about 100,000 copies then.
What ailment led to the amputation of your right leg?
It was cancer and not diabetes. My right leg was affected and I now walk using crutches.