Modibbo Kawu and the tale of his many Mudslingers
By Ibrahim Mohammed Funsho
It is no a disputable reality that Mallam Is’haq Modibbo started recording professional glories at the very tender age of sixteen when he kicked off his broadcast career as continuity announcer with Radio Nigeria. From there he moved on to work with the British Broadcast Corporation (BBC) from that golden time his broadcast profession has been on a rollercoaster having risen to the position General Manager of Kwara Television before his resignation during the regime of Late Governor Muhammed Alabi Lawal. He was editor of Daily Trust and pioneer Chairman Editorial Board of of BLUEPRINT. He authored plethora of articles and intellectual works across various giant newspaper in the country- especially Vanguard Newspaper-where he was a syndicated columnist before his NBC appointment.
The maverick journalist has a very robust camaderie with several gems in the media industry and other spheres- one of those great personalities I know, is Prince Sam Amuka. I even, on my first encounter with Mallam Kawu jokingly asked him to take me to Uncle Sam Amuka because I know he is pretty fond of that old man.
Without much ado, throughout his forty-two year-old productive journalism career, he had kept a clean slate against corruption. No illicit dealings nor financial malpractice was attributed to the incorruptible NBC boss.
If Modibbo Kawu would be known for just one thing, it would his negative disposition to corrupt practices as he had exemplified in most of his pieces. IMK (even before his appointment as Director General of NBC) has the leverage to amass various luxurious materials using his connection and relationship with the “Arewa Big Boys,” but he resorted to a spartan lifestyle as he is never an apostle of sharp dealings.
In June 2016, when Is’haq Modibbo Kawu was announced as DG, NBC alongside Yakubu Ibn Mohammed as DG, NTA I smiled. I knew, he would work wonders like Lionel Messi does at Nou Camp. In less than four years, he has been able to revamp the commission dragging it from the canines of marauders and setting major unprecedented landmarks as DG of a once corruption ravaged organisation. Ka yi mai kyau.
But Mallam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, allowed himself to be eluded with the reality that a clean man who wants to wrestle with filthy pigs must be ready for a tough fight- using all his arsenal.
He should know, they would/must definitely detract him home and away because they are still in the awe of how he clinched the appointment on a platter of gold- coupled with the fact that he never came to their corridors kneeling down, begging for the position. Moddibo is not a Boy Friday to any paymaster.
So, when the issue of 2.5 Billion Naira surfaced like a recurring fraction, I knew, it was time to play a sacrificial lamb game as I knew the invidious plan and campaign of calumny had reached its apogee.
Why out of the 32 people recommended for suspension by ICPC to the president, only IMK was served a letter? Is this not the greatest height of hypocrisy? Is someone not playing the devil’s advocate?
His already defeated foes are just out to see him quit the office by all means. Si ooo.
Some three days back, I saw a maligning report on opera.com misinforming unsuspecting folks that Moddibo was seen jumping from one marabout to the other to beseech spiritual intervention in order to have his ‘purported’ wrongdoings at NBC sweep under the carpet- the malicious piece did not even penetrate my thick skin as I religiously believe that Modibbo is innocent of the over bloated allegation against him.
Those Lasgidi emissaries of rift and Afonja detractors should continue to fan embers of vilification and scapegoatism against Moddibo over a lightweight case that the prosecutor (ICPC) had realized that IMK is as clean as angel and had even called for a out of court settlement, but Moddibo was averse to such covert arrangement, insisting that his exoneration must be pronounced by law court.
According to my favourite Hausa rapper, classiq would say, “Yan adawa ku jira da next turn.”
Haters you can wait till March 26 when IMK would be acquited of all these baseless character assassination.
Thanks.
