By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Tony Momoh died on Monday at the age of 81.
Momoh was appointed Minister of Information and Culture by General Ibrahim Babangida, holding the position from September 1986 until 1990.
He was also a Nigerian journalist who started his journalism career as a sub-editor at the Daily Times in October 1962, rising steadily through the ranks to become Editor and Deputy General Manager (June 1976–May 1980).
He was educated at Government School Auchi.
He also attended Teacher Training College, Abraka, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the University of Lagos, and the Nigerian Law School.
After his appointment as the minister of Information, NatureNews gathered five notable events during his tenure.
- He was the Chairman of the African Conference of Information Ministers from 1988 to 1990.
- In 1988, Momoh ensured that information about Nigeria was adequately disseminated after he raised the alarm on how the government was trying to find radio sets that could only receive approved broadcasts from the federal and state radio stations.
- Momoh was dismissed and replaced by Alex Akinyele in 1991 after calls were made by journalists to remove him over his involvement in partisan politics.
According to Wikipedia, Babangida followed a policy of donating money, vehicles, offices and so on to local governments, political parties and others on the basis that this would keep them free of influence by the rich and the powerful.
As Minister for Information, Momoh justified the practice, saying, ‘’It is not as expensive as people are thinking in relation to the alternative.
‘’The alternative is allowing one man to dictate to the whole Nigeria because you don’t want it to be expensive. If money is not spent on democracy and a one-man dictatorship emerges … it is the same Nigerians who are talking of expensiveness now that will shout that one man is a dictator.’’ - Momoh was Chairman of the board of directors of Nigerian Airways from 1991 to 1993.
- As of 1996 Momoh was one of the directors of the Newswatch magazine.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar described the late Momoh as a good man.
Atiku wrote on Twitter,, “A good man, Prince Tony Momoh, has gone home. The veteran journalist, politician, and former minister was an avowed apostle of politics without bitterness.
“And like the prince he was, carried himself with dignity and respect.
“He will be sorely missed.
“My family and I, condole with his family; the Otaru of Auchi Kingdom, HRH Alhaji Aliru Momoh (Ikelebe III) and his Council; the government and people of Edo State, his friends, and associates.
“May his soul rest in peace.”
