Veteran Journalist,Lekan Alabi Honour As Civil Rights Activist

Omooba Risawe

‎A veteran journalist Oloye Lekan Alabi was on Friday honoured as an icon for his civil rights activism which has lasted for 50 years.

The colourful ceremony sponsored and organised by‎ Fitilah Global Entertainment Limited was held at Excellence Hotel, Ogba,Lagos State,and had in attendance who is who in the society.

The Olubadan was not left out, as he was represented by Ekeerin of Ibadanland, Chief Biodun Kola Daisi, as well as an Egba High Chief,Balogun Adebayo Shoyoye‎ among others

At the ceremony was also review of the honouree’s 1994 book for public good which was handled by Kayode Ladeine,Deputy Political Editor,Silverbird Television,Lagos.

The reviewer of 56 chapters book pointed out that,the book must be a read particularly for journalists, as well as masscommuniccation department of institutions to have in library.

Ladeinde also called on on public relations officers, as well as media political appointees to get copies, to aid their job as professionals,stressing that they would tap enough knowledge and wisdom  from the book.

This was followed with book auction and award presentation by the Fitilah Global Entertainment,as well as cutting of the anniversary cake.

In his welcome address,Chief Executive Officer of Fililah Global Entertainment,Prince Adesina Adekanbi said, he was highly privileged to honour Alabi,saying he remained great mentor.

He recalled his(Alabi) feat at age 17, as a secondary school boy, when he wrote to then Military of Head of State, Yakubu Gowon asking him to released Prof Wole Soyinka from prisons.

‘Imagine at 17 year old writing a letter to Military Head of State. It is a challenge for parents to tailor our children and also challenge to the youths to mentor younger ones coming behind them. Oloye Lekan Alabi worth celebrating’,he said

However, profile of the icon has it that, in 1967 he wrote a letter of appeal to the then Head of State, Retired General Yakubu Gowon to either release from detention in Kaduna prison or charge to a court of law,Prof (then Mr) Wole Soyinka,who the Gowon led Federal Military Government had accused of holding a secret meeting in Enugu with the late Lieutanant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwuu,the military governor of the now defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria who was then on the verge of seceeding the region from the Federal Republic of Nigeria and declaring it the Republic of Biafra

In later years precisely in 1969,1990 and 1993,he engaged in three other human rights activities vis his written support for the unbanning and restoration of the World’s Heavyweight Boxing title to the World’s greatest Boxer,the late Muhammed Ali,whose boxing licence and crown had been withdrawn by the World Boxing Council in 1969 for Ali’s refusal to be drafted into the United States Army to fight in Vietnam