During editorial meetings, Emeka Obasi was usually at his best, doing what he loves doing most – mentoring, educating, teaching and intelligently arguing out issues.
These meetings afforded him the opportunity to put his workers on scale and assess their intelligence and their depth or understanding of issues. At such occasions, he was on top of his game and would readily pour out the content of his brain and let them drink from his fountain of knowledge acquired through in depth studies and wide associations with people that matter.
With these he regaled his staff, especially during these meetings. Most of his workers either looked forward to these meetings with him or dreaded them, depending on which side of the aisle you are on – informed or uninformed. Some of his ex-staff still look to those days with nostalgia.
These meetings were often a training ground for his staff, just as he made his home a ‘mecca’ of sort to many who desired to gain in depth knowledge of issues. He hosted intelligentsias, journalists, politicians, bankers etc. Imbued with the typical Igbo culture of hospitality, all who came to his house were entertained from light refreshments to sumptuous meals. That was ‘vintage’ Emeka; a man of the people.
From economy, politics to the mundane issues of life, Emeka was right on point. He was versatile.
He loved, slept, breathed and ate journalism; and remains one of the few, if not the only publisher of a newspaper in Nigeria who continued writing and remained true to his calling until death. Writing was his passion, which he acquired from an early age through reading. He was an avid reader, whose personal library stocks quality books from all works of life. He made his staff buy and read the ‘Economist’ magazine. He never failed to show his disdain for people in his ‘pen’ profession who failed to read. The only way to get him was through quality books and intelligent conversations. He was also a good mixer. He made friends; hobnobbed with the high and the lowly.
In his heydays before he took ill, he would visit the politicians, bankers and all those who were relevant in the society at their homes. This brought him closer to many presidents; past and current. He knew more about the doings of the politicians and most behind-the-scene manoeuverings in and out of government. Little wonder his assessments of political situations were always on point and without fault.
If he wasn’t a journalist, he would have passed off for a secret service or private investigator; what with his probing eyes and deft ability to read between the line or even sense something you are not saying. All these together with his naturally inquisitive nature gave his journalism career a boost like no other.
Some thought he may have made an excellent politician, but there are doubts if he was ever interested in being one. He loved what he was doing – writing, mentoring, teaching – too much to want to do anything else.
He wrote several unpublished books that did not see the light of the day because they would be too revealing. He didn’t choose not to publish because he was scared; for he was a courageous man, but he chose not to publish because he still had more to give to the society; and like many would say ‘his time had not come’.
His last published book, “Saved For His Praise,” he wrote while on his sick bed. The launch of the book attracted a huge crowd of the crème de la crème of the society, and was widely publicized.
He is the brain behind the “Zik Award,” which has gained global recognition and has hosted the likes of Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and many prominent Nigerians.
Blessed with an uncanny ability to turn every challenge into greater opportunity, he was able to pull off very successful meetings of great minds every year during the Zik and Business Hallmark Awards; despite not being able to be as physically active as he used to be due to his ill health. He was undeterred and remained resolutely strong.
A leading light in journalism, he set up various Newspapers from Hallmark Newspaper to National Mirror which he eventually sold to Jimoh Ibrahim a Nigerian businessman..
His Newspaper, the Business Hallmark remains one of the best, if not the only, analytical piece of reference materials for students, businesses ,politicians and policy makers alike. It gives an incisive, fact-checked and fair-minded coverage of politics, economics and business reports. His column, “The Presidency,” which he wrote consistently for years was as insightful as it was a “must read,” for many,
While it is not easy to capture the whole essence of the life of the “Prince, “ in one write-up, Emeka Obasi has come, made his marks and left his footprints in the sands of time. He would be remembered by posterity for his invaluable contributions made not only in the field of journalism, but to the lives of those he had touched through his silent philanthropy. He was also a great source of inspiration to many.
Prince Emeka Obasi, though a workaholic who worked till he breathed his last; was a family man who put family first above all other considerations.
Geraldine Onyenweaku