EULOGY
THE LENS
THE LENS
Reverence of a Municipal Icon
Daud Adebayo
T communities that had and WASSCE result for his school in 1971. note who was willing to give back to
are still relishing the fountain of These are signpost of his brilliant the society what the society had offered
knowledge, astoundingly impactful life academic history all through his him to become who he was. Up to the
and legacy of the editor, Nurain Doyin secondary school days. time of his death, he was impacting a lot
Mahmoud, are still not fully recovered For almost a decade now we have of positive things on quite a number of
from the shock of his demise, even profoundly missed the strategic people; both in the institution where he
though it would be a decade, 78 days planner, business manager, versatile taught last, University of Ilorin, and
from now. and highly motivated journalist, great also in the larger society. We sorely
Egbon Doyin, as he is popularly and mentor and exceptional community miss him.
fondly called by many, was a versatile leader. It's almost ten
and achievement-oriented professional Speaking with one of his years now after
journalist and media administrator numerous mentees, Mr. his demise. What
who considered journalism as a Raheem Adedoyin, a do you miss the
religion, the tenets of which he held journalist, former most about him?
sacrosanct. As a born leader, equipped Editor of The Guardian Two things. The
with an enviable interpersonal skill, he and The Herald first is, I miss his
was committed to maximizing newspapers, Former wisdom. Before his
opportunities through his high energy, Commissioner for death, I'd risen to a
creativity and capacity for making Information, Kwara level where you
things happen. State and currently an could say I was an
Central to Mr. Doyin's dazzling career Adjunct Lecturer at the accomplished
in journalism is a corresponding Department of Mass journalist myself,
educational pedigree which is full Communication, he world of journalism, the merit, the first on his department's number of people including my humble
academia and the host of admission list in 1974 and had the best self. He was also a community leader of
Late Doyin Mahmoud
but there were
cerebral achievements, a result of hard University of Ilorin. work and uncommon determination. These are his submissions: would need to make some decisions
Always graduating at the head or near Who is Mr. Doyin Mahmoud to you especially when I was the Managing
the top of his class, Booker Tee Sir? Director of Herald; Editor-in-chief,
culminated this in 1975, when he won a He was a man of many parts. A Chief Executive, and more recently
Federal Scholarship Award, after professional of repute who was not when I was Commissioner for
leading his class in the first year only excellent himself, in professional Information in Kwara State, I would go
university examinations. He was, by journalism, but also mentored quite a back to him and say: “Oga, there are
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times where I
26
EULOGY
some complications I'm seeing. How do are journalists not just people who What do you believe to be his
I weather through it? And the advice he want to say: “We got a certificate from greatest legacy?
would give me would always see me University of Ilorin in Mass Well, I think everything I have said
through those difficulties. I continue to Communication.” We are missing him encapsulates into a legacy of service,
grow, professionally and that means I in that light too; the students certainly service to his provisional constituency.
will need his kind of counselling and are missing him. We miss him sorely because we know
wisdom for me to weather through the Can you remember your last what we were benefiting from his
challenges of the time. That's what I've discussion with him? wisdom and from his expertise. We
missed in him most but I also think the Well, the discussion I always had with don't get that anymore. But he also has a
Oke-Ode community have also missed him always centered on professional legacy of community service like I've
his extraordinary sense of community journalism whether as MD of Herald. said. That was why, during his burial, it
service. He was always there, to rally He was in Herald long before I even was not the family that was in mournful
round other community leaders to started my journalism career so it was mood, the entire community was
bring development to that community. easy for me to go back to him for some mourning because they had lost a rare
I think they miss him sorely on that as counselling when I was the Chief gem. They had lost an outstanding
well. And of community
course, I should servant and those
also know from a are the legacies
distance that that continue to
students of Mass define him even
Communication after death. Those
are missing him. I of us whom he had
was the chairman mentored are
of the technical never going to
committee that
recommended
that
Mass
forget him for the
Late Doyin Mahmoud (middle) with staff of The Department of
Mass Communication
mentorship. The
people he had
Communication be introduced in Executive there. When I also became impacted while he was a teacher here
University of Ilorin and I was proud Commissioner, he was of course, one of are not also going to forget him in a
when he was appointed as the pioneer my major counsellors and if I was going hurry but more importantly, the society
head of department for this prestigious to remember anything, it will be that as at large are still accustomed to his
department. I was also aware that somebody in public service, he was legacy of service.
students during his time were willing always telling me: “Be mindful of your to excel as professionals not as exit. It's easy to get sucked in by public bookworms. A lot of people today, office, don't let the aura of public study because they just want to have a service suck you in into forgetting you degree and get the hell out of the are first and foremost, a professional.” university. But in his time, like we are That was always what he was always trying to do now, we want to build what he was always telling me and I'm people who actually want to practice; sure that must have been one of the last people who want to be proud that they things we would have discussed.
27
“ …Oke-Ode community
have also missed his
extraordinary sense of
community service. He was
always there, to rally round
other community leaders to
bring development to that
community. ”
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