| Security men arrested
me thinking I wanted to pull gun at IBB – Aliagan ex-Herald
editor
From NWAGBO NNENYELIKE, Ilorin
Wednesday,
October 17, 2007
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•Aliagan
Photo: SunNews Publishing
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Former editor of the Herald Newspapers, Isiaka Aliagan, has
narrated how he missed death by the whiskers in the course
of duty. The incident, which happened during the administration
of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, saw him being whisked away by security
operatives. He was then aviation correspondent of The Guardian.
Aviation journalism
As at the time I joined aviation reporting, aviation journalism
was just about a decade old. What we used to have before then
was airport reporter. Such airport reporter was not a skilled
person in terms of knowing the nitty-gritty of the aviation
industry.
He only waited around the airport to meet personalities comprising
diplomats, visiting presidents and heads of state, government
functionaries, governors, ministers among others. All he would
do was to interview them. From there, he would get stories.
But an aviation reporter is concerned about activities in
the airport, among airlines, the pilots, air traffic controllers,
aircraft engineers and cabin crews or air hostesses.
As at the time I came in, there was a lot of debate whether
the newspapers, would have aviation correspondents or airport
reporters. The Guardian was among the first to combine airport
reporting and aviation. It was also among the first newspaper
to have aviation column. This happened within the first year
of my employment.
This made me work with my superior, Emmanuel Ukpong, who I
later succeeded as aviation helmsman of the newspaper. After
my career in The Guardian, I came back home to Kwara to become
editor of The Herald. Subequently, I joined the University
of Ilorin, where I am deputy director, information.
Experience in aviation reporting
There were a lot of excitements, discoveries and adventures
during my days as an aviation correspondent. I became fully
integrated into the industry that you could not say whether
I was a journalist or an employee in the aviation industry.
This is because I could be found at any point in time at the
control tower listening to conversation between air traffic
controllers and the pilots or I would be in the cockpit of
the aircraft watching the pilot demonstrating flight progression.
Most times, I would be with the unions as they engaged the
management in the industry in industrial dispute.
June 12.
During the June 12, the air traffic controllers embarked on
a nationwide strike. The Federal Government declared all of
them wanted and they were to be charged with treason. But
they went underground and were meeting inside the bush. I
was with them all through, reporting their various responses
to the various pronouncements by the government. I was closer
to all the professional groups in the industry. I took part
in several campaigns for the betterment of the industry.
IBB and NAN lady reporter
IBB is a security conscious person; when you are interviewing
him as a journalist, he looks at you straight in the face
and watches your countenance and your body movement. One day
while we engaged him in an interview, a lady reporter from
NAN, had her handbag under her armpit, as she held her tape
recorder to IBB’s mouth.
He kept staring at the lady till she became uncomfortable,
then as if to bail her out of her dilemma, IBB asked, ‘madam
what is inside your handbag?’. Before you know it, IBB
security seized the lady and her hand bag for thorough search.
That was in 1991. They discovered that it was only ladies’
essentials that were inside the hand bag. This was close to
the time Rajiv Ghandi of India was killed as a lady was putting
garland on his neck.
IBB’s security whisked me away
A similar thing happened to me. I was new to the airport then,
as soon as the presidential aircraft taxied to the presidential
lounge, I strolled out of the office with my hands in my pocket
to join my colleagues who were waiting to interview IBB. Suddenly,
some security operatives came from behind me and slipped hands
under my arm pit. They lifted me off the ground, took me away
and searched my pocket thoroghly. As they found no weapon,
they left me. They said they thought I was going to bring
out a pistol to shoot Mr. President. They gave me a serious
warning never to dip hands into my pocket in the presence
of a president, that I could be shot.
Meeting Samuel Doe and Seseseko
I attended local and international summits on aviation. I
also met several world personalities, including President
Mobutu Seseseko of Zaire, Samuel Doe of Liberia shortly before
Liberia descended into anarchy, when he visited Ibrahim Babangida
to solicit support for Nigeria’s intervention in combating
Charles Taylor’s rebel army. Doe told us at the airport
that Liberia was calm, but few weeks after, the rebels closed
in on Monrovia and ECOMOG had to be hurriedly put together
on Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida’s initiatives.
Liberian war
There was a time I was interviewed by the Sunday Concord whether
I was ready to go as a war correspondent to cover the Liberian
war. I volunteered to go but many journalists declined. I
was in The Guardian when Krees Imodibe, then our political
editor and Tayo Awotusin of The Champion were dispatched to
Liberia to cover the war. It was with grief that we later
received the sad news of their death in the hands of Charles
Taylor.
I was rattled because I had said I was interested, because
I knew Krees Imodibe. I felt the pain personally. I was afraid
it could have happened to me. Many of my family members were
worried when I granted the interview that I was ready to cover
the war. Some felt I was mad.
Meeting Nelson Mandela
I covered the arrival of Nelson Mandela in Nigeria shortly
after his release from prison. In spite of the airport and
security protocol, I walked up to the pilot of the aircraft
that brought him. I took other details, including the time
the plane touched down and the temperature and weather situation
from the pilot.
IBB praying for journalists
Usually, whenever he traveled and returned, he would stop
to say hello to journalists at the airport. There was a Friday
we were waiting to greet and ask him questions, instead of
us doing the interview, he was the first to ask us, what can
I do for you? When we failed to respond on time he asked again,
what do you want me to do for you? We were not sure of what
he wanted, whether an interview or personal needs.
You know he’s generous, and in order not to embarrass
ourselves and IBB, we chose to be silent. Then he said ‘well,
today is Friday, I’m going to the mosque I will pray
for all of you,’ and he left.
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