Tribute to a fearless journalist and traditional ruler

The late Chief Asaph Zadok during his life time showed great interest in me by encouraging me to continue to contribute to nation building through my write-ups that virtually appeared in national dailies. Today, I have fond memories of my interactions with him before he ascended the throne of Bachama land as the paramount ruler. […]

The late Chief Asaph Zadok during his life time showed great interest in me by encouraging me to continue to contribute to nation building through my write-ups that virtually appeared in national dailies. Today, I have fond memories of my interactions with him before he ascended the throne of Bachama land as the paramount ruler.

Late Chief Asaph Zadok may have appeared controversial to those who never interacted with him but he was nonetheless a straightforward person. He was a very compassionate and good listener, a trait that can be proven from his almost eight years on the throne as the paramount ruler of the Bachama Kingdom.

Late last year, I suddenly ran into him in Yola, and the first thing he said to me was that I have completely cut off from him simply because he is now the paramount ruler. When I wanted to utter a word he quickly interrupted me, saying that I didn’t have any excuse to tell him. This is because since the very day he was installed as the Chief of Bachama at the Makwada Square, it was the last day for me to set eyes on him and interact face to face. But I am reliably informed that he was always asking about my condition from people who know the kind of relationship I had with him before becoming the paramount Chief of Bachama land.

Chief Asaph Zadok was a very simple and easy-going personality and down-to-earth. It is worth mentioning that throughout his eight years on the throne of Bachama land, there was cordial relationship between the Bachamas and the Hausa/Fulani until the recent crises which broke up while he was in hospitalised in Cairo. Notwithstanding his easy composure, he was equally blunt, especially on issues that would threaten the cordial relationship among the people of Bachama land.

The Bachama land and indeed the people of Adamawa have lost a good compatriot who can call a spade a spade. Chief Asaph Zadok has contributed immensely to the field of journalism and when the then Governor Boni Haruna appointed him as the Chairman of Adamawa Press Limited, he assiduously worked round the clock and repositioned the state owned Weekly Scope; under him the paper increased its circulation and made inroads into other parts of the country so that the indigenes of Adamawa State living outside the state could have access to the paper.

His stewardship as the Commissioner of Information during the reign of Boni Haruna is unparalleled in the history of the state. This is because he has done remarkably well by overhauling the Ministry and the media organisations under the supervision of the ministry such as the state owned media outfits Adamawa Broadcasting Corporation and the Adamawa Television Corporation respectively.

He charted a course for himself to excel in life and that culminated in his becoming the paramount ruler of the Bachama Kingdom.

In fact, the late Chief of Bachama was quite impressed with the feat achieved by sons and daughters of Bachama irrespective of tribe or religion in the field of journalism such as Humashi Wonosikou, Abdulrazaq Bello Barkindo, Ruth Pwadadokai and others too numerous to mention in this piece. His words were that journalism is a discipline that needed to be taken to greater heights.

The death of Chief Asaph Zadok was sudden but God willed, that these are the years allotted to him to spend on this earth. May God give his family the fortitude to bear this great loss of an enigma. Adieu Chief Asaph Zadok.

Santuraki writes from No321 Jambutu Ward Jimeta-Yola