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It was a moment to remember for Kola Ologbondiyan, immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Sunday as top politicians, friends and associates gathered to honour him in Abuja.
The event was put together by friends of the veteran journalist was attended by serving and former members of the National Assembly, ex-governors, chieftains of the Kogi state chapter of the PDP, family members and journalists, some of whom shared newsroom experience with Ologbondiyan a few years ago.
Chairman of the occasion and former Senate President, David Mark, described Ologbondiyan as a courageous and thoroughbred professional who used his God-given talents to advance the course of democracy in the land.
Mark with whom Ologbondiyan worked as Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) before his election as PDP’s publicity scribe eulogized the latter, singling out his dedication to duty as the hallmark of competence and capacity.
According to him, “We are here to celebrate a worthy Nigerian. A man who has distinguished himself among his colleagues, a courageous gentleman. Kola is a perfect gentleman in every sense.
“There was a time in this country when we needed a detribalized Nigeria and that was when Kola came on the scene.
“You can see that people here cut across states, regions, religion and party lines and even people without a party are even here with us. That is what Kola truly is- a man who is truly patriotic and a man whose comments at the time he was telling them made people afraid.”
The lawmaker noted that in the course of Kola’s assignment as opposition spokesman, he had no cause to be afraid, saying, “I used to call him and say, I fear for some of these things you are saying oh. But we need a man to say what he was saying. Those of us who are close to him are very proud.
“At a point in time, he was not just the voice of PDP or the opposition; he became the face of opposition and that is what Kola is most known for,” he noted.
In what looked like a prayer, Mark reckoned that reward awaits Kola in the days ahead.
“He has left the National Working Committee, NWC of the PDP but we believe that the good works he has done will follow him all the days of his life, he said as he added that Nigeria will remember him and they “will praise you for saying what you were saying at the correct time.”
Kola, he noted, sure has a date with destiny, noting that “the voice of the people is the voice of God. If the people are calling for a higher responsibility for him in the future, it means he deserves it.”
Also speaking, John Cardinal Onaiyekan called for peace in the affairs of men, stressing that without peace, nothing is guaranteed under the sun.
“We have not recognized how important peace is. All human beings all over this world, are all brothers and sisters. How much more in this little corner of the globe called Nigeria, not to talk of my Kogi State.
“All you need to do is look at the face of the person next to you. He could well be a blood brother or cousin. When you meet children talking together, they don’t just don’t care where you come from. That is the basis of a peaceful society and I believe it is possible, if only, we take peace seriously,” he said.
On his part, former military administrator of defunct Bendel state and later Akwa Ibom state, Brig. Gen. Tunde Ogbeha said Kola as PDP mouthpiece “never disappointed Nigerians because he was responding to all situations and responding appropriately and very well. So it is a good thing. He has served, completed his job as national publicity secretary on a very high note and we do congratulate, commend him and ask him to apply his energy and wisdom to his local chapter, Kogi state.”
Like Mark, Ogbeha predicted a fresh calling for Kola in the future.
“I think the journey to his political eminence is just beginning. For the rest of us, I hope he has set a standard that we need to emulate,” he said.
Crediting Kola for not keeping sealed lips in moments of national crises, media mogul, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi said the ex-PDP spokesman spoke truth to power and damned the consequences.
“We are here to congratulate Kola for facing the very unfortunate challenges he had to go through, the challenges of offices, the collapse of the Nigerian economy, the lowering of Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world, with unemployment rate hovering over 33 per cent.
“Indeed, as opposition spokesman, he had the courage, strength of knowledge to preach a better Nigeria. It is not an easy task. It is not an easy task to actually run as spokesman when you have no budget at all. You have to depend on the goodwill
“He left office at a time when his services were still more desired when his experience was required by the People’s Democratic Party. But Nigerians, I believe still owe him and he has a lot to contribute to Nigeria.”
An obviously elated Kola who couldn’t hide his joy thanked the organizers for the honour done him even as he pledged to do more in the future.
He specifically thanked Senators Mark and Ogbeha, his elder brother, Joseph Ologbondiyan; wife, Omolara; Ibrahim Idris, Engr Musa Wada Capt Idris Wada, Babangida Aliyu, former governors of Kogi and Niger states respectively for trusting his competence to deliver as PDP spokesman following their campaign for his candidacy in 2017.
Some of the attendees of the event were Senator Dino Melaye, Managing Director, Thisday Newspaper, Eniola Bello, among others.
