Femi Orebe: The citizen journalist at 80, By Simbo Olorunfemi

I had the privilege of going through a large trove of his articles dating back 20 years, which has now been curated in a book. His pen has been consistently bold, his thoughts lucid, fully powered by his convictions, and not minding whose ox might be gored. You are never left in doubt where he stands on any issue, as he is fiercely loyal to the people and causes he believes in.

The Citizen Journalist was 80 on Wednesday, 24th September. ‘The Citizen Journalist’ is a moniker adopted by Dr Femi Orebe for reasons I will be asking him later. But it is one that apparently fits one of the most brilliant and knowledgeable men I have ever met, given his long years of dedication to journalism from the standpoint of a citizen, even while he didn’t take it up professionally.

Mr Femi Orebe might pass as one of Nigeria’s oldest columnists and longest in the trade, having started out in the 1980s with The People’s News published by the daring and controversial Niyi Oniororo. If you knew Niyi Oniororo and his paper, you would not be surprised at Orebe’s fearlessness and his trademark ‘take-no-prisoners’ pen, especially when it comes to calling out those whose performance or behaviour fall below expectation.

I had the privilege of going through a large trove of his articles dating back 20 years, which has now been curated in a book. His pen has been consistently bold, his thoughts lucid, fully powered by his convictions, and not minding whose ox might be gored. You are never left in doubt where he stands on any issue, as he is fiercely loyal to the people and causes he believes in.

A historian, Mr Orebe is as engaging in his writing as he is in person; there is no dull moment with him. He has seen so much, he knows so much, and he is ever willing to share with young ones. But while his pen might be fierce, he is, in fact, rather genial, and even soft at home.

Someone had asked about my striking impression of him months back. I didn’t hesitate to describe him as the quintessential family man. A lover-boy to the fullest, you will hardly find him without his lovely wife, Atinuke, in tow. They have been married for over 50 years. They have been like six and seven for over 55 years, starting from their days at the University of Ife, he says.

While I first met Mr Orebe through his writings, I was to get to know him better years later through his ‘daughter’, thus becoming a member of the extended family. I can’t recall any major event in my immediate family that he has not been there to lend support to. At one time, we lived in the same Estate, with Mummy and Daddy only a stone’s throw away, and they were always there for us.

Our relationship is reinforced by the fact that his wonderful children, all doing great things around the world, are products of the topmost secondary school in Nigeria, Federal Government College, Idoani, which I also happened to have attended. So he is a Dad to many of us Idoani products.

I am not sure he will agree to the fact that FGC Idoani is the topmost school, as he is a product of the famous Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti, but we will always win on that when it comes to voting. From Christ’s School, he proceeded to the University of Ife, where his lecturer, Professor Olaniyan, recalls: “that for the final year June examination in 1971, Professor JD Hargreaves, the distinguished professor of History at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, was the external examiner. One of the students’ answers to the question on the causes of the Belgian independence and the high grade of an “A” my senior colleague, Dr Segun Osoba and I had given the candidate caught the attention of the external examiner. Femi Orebe was the candidate.”

“Our admiration of Femi Orebe’s intellectual deftness was not so much in the simplicity and logic of the explanation but in the courage and sophistication, the surprising sagacity, and the creative intelligence he demonstrated. Professor Hargreaves agreed with our assessment.  Professor Hargreaves agreed with our assessment.”

“His record at the University of Ife was so impressive that he only narrowly missed obtaining a First Class, which would have been the first ever in the Department of History. His outstanding academic record earned him the Faculty of Arts prize for the best overall performance.”

Mr Orebe demonstrated the same brilliance, bagging an outstanding record throughout his career, starting with his time under the legendary Professor Hezekiah Oluwasanmi at Ife, followed by the University of Ibadan and Ilorin, and even as Chairman of the Board at Nigerite Plc.

Congratulating Mr Orebe on the occasion of his 80th Birthday, President Tinubu described him as an ally. “His pen is transformative. He writes to correct the ills of society and proffers ideas to engender the necessary changes. His struggles and advocacy for democracy and good governance in the land are also noteworthy,” he said.

His impact surely cuts through different sectors, even if he stands out more for his writing. In the words of Ambassador Dapo Fafowora, “he will be better remembered as one of our best newspaper columnists ever.”

While that might be true, for those of us who have had the privilege of relating with him in more private settings, we remember him for much more. His love, warmth, and laughter. The pet names for each one of us. “Es, Es” for my wife, “Sim, Sim” for me.  The boys fondly call him “Grandpa Lagos.”

Happy 80th Birthday to the Citizen Journalist. Happy Birthday, Grandpa Lagos.

Simbo Olorunfemi is a specialist in Nigeria’s foreign policy, communications consultant, and managing editor of Africa Enterprise. Email: [email protected]