- Recounts How He Helped Frank Omenka After Abacha’s Death
By Abiola Olawale
Chairman of the THISDAY-ARISE Global Media Group, Prime Nduka Obaigbena, has recounted how he helped a former Director of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), Col. Frank Omenka, following the demise of the late military Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
Obaigbena, Chairman of Nigeria’s most influential media Group-ARISE TV/ THISDAY Newspapers during a speech on the need to see the media as friend by those in authority including the military, reflected on how Omenka, a strong foot soldier during the regime of Abacha, came to him for help.
He narrated how Omenka, who was part of the Abacha goons that hounded him out of the country on exile, returned to him to save his life when he came under the same threat he was served by the military.
He also recounted how he was interrogated by five army Generals after THISDAY published a series of articles against the then Abacha military government.
Speaking further, Obaigbena advised Nigerian leaders against suppressing the press, stressing that their relationship with the media is essential, even after they leave office.
He said: “The media is your friend. The media is there to protect everybody. So, those who find themselves in power and feel they can kill the media when they leave power will need the media. The media is a friend of the armed forces of the people of Nigeria and the media will continue to work with the armed forces of the people of Nigeria.
“My last momentous encounter with the Nigerian Army was as a guest of the security group headed by Col. Frank Omenka of the Department of military intelligence. I remember THISDAY had made some publications against the Abacha government, and we were invited, and I was interrogated by five generals with guns on the table. After the interrogation, the tape was asked for by General Abacha and I later went into exile.
“On my return from exile, in my house,cI just heard knocks in my kitchen, and I saw my then friend and brother, Deboye Shonekan, and he said please, I have a friend to see you… he was crawling behind my kitchen and happened to be General Frank Omenka, and he said Nduka, please help me; Bamaiyi and co want to kill me. And I asked him and said, if you had killed the media, would you have come to us for help today? However, we assisted him as the media. So, what I am saying is the media is your friend.”
Obaigbena who is one of Africa’s most important media personalities of the century urged those in power to see the media as friends and learn to work together professionally for the good of society.
