{"id":17593,"date":"2025-10-09T18:15:56","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T18:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/?p=17593"},"modified":"2025-10-09T18:17:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T18:17:07","slug":"fashola-bonuola-media-veterans-scholars-celebrate-hakeem-bello-at-60","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/2025\/10\/09\/fashola-bonuola-media-veterans-scholars-celebrate-hakeem-bello-at-60\/","title":{"rendered":"FASHOLA, BONUOLA, MEDIA VETERANS, SCHOLARS CELEBRATE HAKEEM BELLO AT 60"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2022 <\/span>\u201cHe resigned his own job to help me start what was then an uncertain political career\u201d, says Fashola<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

\u2022 <\/span>\u201c\u2026 I have interacted with him as my colleague, as an editor and a journalist as well as a public servant. I cannot remember one occasion l felt let down whether by his attitude or action,\u201d <\/span><\/span>Bonuola, pioneer <\/span><\/span>E<\/span><\/span>ditorial <\/span><\/span>D<\/span><\/span>irector at The Guardian<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u2022 <\/span>\u201cA thorough-bred journalist, a man who knows his onions, kind and highly detribalized,\u2019\u2019 Adamson Momoh, Daily Times Colleague<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
\"\"<\/div>\n

The immediate past Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, CON, and media veterans, Lade Bonuola, Eniola Bello, <\/span><\/span>Taiwo Obe <\/span><\/span>as well as prominent scholars, Professors Tunde Akanni, Abdul-Rasheed Na\u2019Allah, Wumi Raji, and Akin Adesokan were among the personalities who have celebrated former Editor of the Daily Times, Mr. Hakeem Babatunde Bello, as he turns 60 today.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Bello, who also served as Special Adviser, Media and Communications to Fashola both as Governor of Lagos State and Minister of Works and Housing, was the toast of the personalities as well as colleagues, family and friends who voiced their tribute to him in \u201cThe \u00c0t\u00e0nd\u00e1 Anthology\u201d- a rich compendium of tributes, reflections, and essays published in his honour.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In his Foreword to the book, Fashola, who described Bello as a \u201cselfless patriot and a man whose sacrifices defined loyalty and service\u201d, explained, \u201cHe resigned his own job to help me start what was then an uncertain political career. Since then, he has made my career his own for two decades and more. This work will explain what sacrifice looks like to those who still lack a definition.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The former governor, who has worked with Bello for two decades, extolled his humility and deep faith, describing him as a man \u201cof modest needs and content,\u201d and one who \u201ctakes parenting and family responsibilities as seriously as he takes his profession.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately, this work is our modest way of celebrating our colleague, friend, brother and a man of many pleasant parts\u201d, Fashola wrote, adding, \u201cThe anthology is more than a book; it is a monument to friendship, service, and integrity. This work will explain what sacrifice looks like to those who still lack a definition.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, f<\/span><\/span>or a man who has spent decades shaping Nigeria\u2019s public communication space with quiet diligence and integrity, Hakeem Babatunde Bello\u2019s 60th birthday is<\/span><\/span> n<\/span><\/span>o<\/span><\/span>t just a milestone; it\u2019s a celebration of legacy.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

That legacy finds its voice in <\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>The \u00c0t\u00e0nd\u00e1 Anthology: Words, Reflections, Images, Essays on Media and the Arts,<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span> a newly published collection of tributes, reflections, and academic essays dedicated to the journalist, public communicator, and family man.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Published by Kraft Books Limited, the 324-page volume was edited by Barakah Temitope Bello, W\u00f9nm\u00edb\u00e1y\u00f4 L\u00fap\u00ect\u00e0n, and Stanley Ugagbe.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

After s<\/span><\/span>etting the tone for the anthology <\/span><\/span>with<\/span><\/span> the<\/span><\/span> deeply personal foreword by Mr. Babatunde Raji <\/span><\/span>Fashola<\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span>media<\/span><\/span> veterans<\/span><\/span> like<\/span><\/span>Lade Bonuola, Eniola Bello, Taiwo Obe, Tunde Olusunle<\/span><\/span>, Lasisi Olagunju, <\/span><\/span>\u200bAngela Agoawike<\/span><\/span> and Adamson Momoh amongst others in their tributes, also share their recollections of Bello with warmth and admiration with Bonuola describing Bello as the embodiment of discipline and humility. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Lade Bonuola, pioneer editorial director at The Guardian, praised Bello\u2019s consistency and principles.<\/span><\/span> \u201c\u2026 I have interacted with him as my colleague, as an editor and a journalist as well as a public servant. I cannot remember one occasion l felt let down whether by his attitude or action,\u201d Mr Bonuola stated.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To ThisDay\u2019s Managing Director, Eniola Bello, it was a shared bond of brotherly love, which, according to him, stretching over four decades since their days at the University of Ilorin where they studied English together. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Recalling their shared years at the University, Eniola Bello, who wrote passionately about the bond of brotherly love between them, declared, \u201cHe and l have shared many things together in the last 40 years. We not only share the same surname, Bello, we both studied English at the Department of Modern European Languages, University of Ilorin, graduating the same year, 1988.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

D<\/span><\/span>escribing him as a leader and team player<\/span><\/span>, Bello adds,<\/span><\/span> \u201c<\/span><\/span>He had personal relationships with <\/span><\/span>not a few of <\/span><\/span>our lecturers, having proved himself a leader<\/span><\/span> and team player<\/span><\/span>,\u201d he wrote. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Also in his affectionate tribute, Veteran journalist and mentor, Taiwo Obe, founder of The Journalism Clinic, recalled Bello\u2019s consistency as \u201ca human being of exceptional goodness and patience.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

From the newsroom to the lecture hall, the tributes form a chorus of admiration for a man whose name evokes humility, discipline, and truth.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Prof. Tunde Olusunle, poet, scholar, and Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, reminisced about their early creative years in the University of Ilorin\u2019s Creative Writers\u2019 Club and Ajon Players Drama Troupe.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHakeem was a superb and brilliant mind, respected for his sharp intellect, high morality, and quiet confidence,\u201d he wrote.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na\u2019Allah, immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, described Bello as \u201ca distinguished scholar even in his undergraduate days.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe wrote his final thesis on Wole Soyinka and earned the top grade from Professor Niyi Osundare,\u201d Na\u2019Allah recalled. \u201cHe was a friend to everyone, kind, calm, and intellectually gifted.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Other colleagues, including Prof. Akin Adesokan and Prof. Wumi Raji, highlighted Bello\u2019s rare blend of intelligence and grace.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe stood apart for his quiet brilliance and conviction,\u201d Raji noted. \u201cHe is proof that humility and intellect can thrive in one man.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond the professional tributes, The \u00c0t\u00e0nd\u00e1 Anthology captures the warmth of family \u2014 the love that shapes Bello\u2019s private world.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

His wife, Alhaja Habeebat Bello, describes him as \u201ca responsible husband who never complains but always finds solutions.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a man of faith who leads with kindness,\u201d she said. \u201cHe never sees any distance too far to visit our children in school.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Their children, Barakah, Kareemah, Raheemah, and Mubarak, add their voices with touching honesty.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a role model not because he tries to be one, but because it\u2019s simply who he is,\u201d said Raheemah.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe sacrificed so much to give us the life he didn\u2019t have,\u201d added Kareemah.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a man of integrity who always reminds us that honesty is better than comfort,\u201d Mubarak shared.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

From his siblings and extended family came equally heartfelt words.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Otitoloju Abiola called him \u201ca first love, best friend, and protector,\u201d while Alhaja Muinat Bello, Deputy Director at NUPRC, hailed him as \u201ca compassionate and inspiring guru in journalism.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Prof. Mopelola Omoegun, <\/span><\/span>Vice Chancellor, Monarch University and <\/span><\/span>his in-law, described him as \u201ca man who carries responsibilities with grace, unassuming but dependable.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The second half of The \u00c0t\u00e0nd\u00e1 Anthology transitions from <\/span><\/span>personal recollections<\/span><\/span> to intellect, turning from tributes to essays that deepen the book\u2019s relevance as a scholarly resource.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

One standout paper, \u201cFake News, Cyberbullying, and Hate Speech: What Is It and How Do We Deal with It?\u201d by Mr. Chukwudi Enebeli, SAN, explores the challenges of today\u2019s digital media space and the urgent need for responsible communication.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFreedom of expression must not be weaponised,\u201d he cautions. \u201cThe new media environment demands balance, laws guided by ethics, and expression guided by empathy.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

His essay has earned praise for providing both a legal and moral framework for confronting online misinformation, a theme that resonates deeply with Bello\u2019s own ideals of ethical journalism.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Other notable essays include:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022\u201dTelevision as a Cultural Force: Evolution and Social Impact in Nigeria\u201d by Nwani Chidi Joseph, exploring how television shapes social consciousness.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/span><\/span> \u201c<\/span><\/span>Representation of Women and Minorities in Contemporary Media<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u201d by Akumadu Lucy Obiageri, which advocates inclusion and fairness in media narratives.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/span><\/span> \u201c<\/span><\/span>Social Media and the Rise of Citizen Journalism<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u201d by Stanley Ugagbe, analysing how the smartphone era empowers the public and challenges professionals.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/span><\/span> \u201c<\/span><\/span>The Ethics of Data Collection and Privacy in Digital Media<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u201d by Ola Olusegun Anthony, calling for a rights-based approach to digital privacy.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Each essay, the editors note, reflects Bello\u2019s lifelong commitment to truth, education, and the human side of communication.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur father believes knowledge must serve people,\u201d said Barakah Temitope Bello. \u201cThat belief guided our choice of essays and contributors. The book had to reflect his values: clarity, fairness, and service.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, <\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>The \u00c0t\u00e0nd\u00e1 Anthology<\/span><\/span>,\u201d<\/span><\/span> is more than a birthday keepsake. It is a living record of influence, a collection that shows how quiet service, done faithfully, can touch countless lives.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Its title, \u00c0t\u00e0nd\u00e1, meaning \u201cone who spreads light\u201d in Yoruba, perfectly captures the spirit of the man it honours: a communicator who uses his words to enlighten, not to divide; to build, not to boast.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis book is our modest way of sharing his light with others,\u201d said co-editor W\u00f9nm\u00edb\u00e1y\u00f4 L\u00fap\u00ect\u00e0n. \u201cIt reminds us that humility and intellect are still virtues worth celebrating.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As one of his prot\u00e9g\u00e9s summed it up so simply: \u201cIf journalism is a calling, then Hakeem Bello has answered it with grace, purpose, and quiet distinction.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Beautifully woven with heartfelt tributes and insightful essays, The \u00c0t\u00e0nd\u00e1 Anthology does more than honour a man; it invites us to reflect on journalism, ethics, and leadership in our time.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In celebrating Hakeem Bello at 60, it celebrates the timeless values he embodies: truth, service, and the steady light of a life devoted to others.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 <\/span>TAIWO OLAPADE <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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