When the news broke last Monday that Ismaila Isa Funtua has joined his ancestors in a dramatic way, his exit sparked a controversy akin to what transpired at the announcement of the departure of Abba Kyari, chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.
By the next day (Tuesday) all manner of write ups had started to surface; some of which detailing the real or imaginary Funtua depending on information at the disposal of the individual writers
Conversations centered around his alleged role in the Buhari administration in the mould of the late Kyari. The sentiment is so strong that some commentators pointedly said that there remained one more of the member of the cabal that had held the country hostage, whatever that means!
Indeed, Funtua was among the three musketeers that were dreaded and on whose personalities many Nigerian weaved a lot of myth.
He was also said to be one of the four former journalists very close to Buhari. Three other names that made the list were the late Kyari, Babagana Kingibe and Mamman Daura. And these individuals have continued to wield so much influence in the corridors of power in the last five years to the extent that it is said by those in the know that there is nothing they cannot do in the current administration, leveraging their rapport with the President.
When in April some permutations were made on the likely replacement for the late Kyari as chief of staff to Buhari, Funtua did not take the mention of his name in the pack lying low as he considered it belittling listing him for that post.
He believed he had passed that level and preferred his position as an “unofficial consultant” to the government. Those who knew him very closely said he had every reason to think so.
Sometime ago, when a picture of his trended on social media, where it appeared Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was taking orders from him, reading from the latter’s posture in the picture, there were lots of interpretations.
When Emefiele was reappointed despite a welter of permutations surrounding his fate as his first tenure was winding down, there were strong indications that he owed his reappointment to Funtua’s influence on President Buhari. At that time, critics alleged that the likes of Funtua needed the CBN boss in the saddle for special functions in watering their own interest.
During his life time, the late Isa Funtua who was president of Newspapers’ Proprietors of Association of Nigeria (NPAN) did not hide his penchant for press freedom whether under civilian or military rule.
He practically demonstrated this during the faceoff mid last year between National Broadcasting Commission, NBC and DAAR Communications Plc., owners of Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power FM.
The faceoff over debt payment led to the suspension of operating license of Daar Communications. Worried about this development, Mallam Isa Funtua was among the frontline personalities that held late night meeting to resolve the crisis.
The stakeholders intervention was a demonstration of commitment to freedom of expression and the constitutionally guaranteed role of the media under sections 22 and 39 of 1999 Constitution to hold governments accountable, which states amongst others that the press, radio, television and other agencies of mass media are to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in the 1999 constitution and ensure the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.
In one of the NPAN meetings during the days of Olusegun Obasanjo as Nigeria’s president, Funtua recognised the increasing level of freedom which was different during the dark days of dictatorship when seminars and conferences were routinely aborted, when newspapers and magazines were routinely proscribed and when journalists were routinely incarcerated.
He said then that the press is a dynamic institution that can sustain democracy. He called on the media to ensure democracy survives.
It was therefore, not surprising that the Nigerian Press Organisation has named the newly rebuilt Nigerian Institute of Journalism House after Isa Funtua who was its former president and life patron.
A report states that the President of the Newspapers’ Proprietors of Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nduka Obiagbena, on behalf of the collective leadership of the Nigerian media revealed the decision to name the journalism house after the late Funtua.
The statement reads: “For his untiring contributions to the development of Journalism and Freedom of the Press in Nigeria and around the world, it is the privilege of the Nigerian Press Organisation – Newspapers’ Proprietors Association of Nigeria ( NPAN); Nigerian Guild of Editors ( NGE) and The Nigerian Union of Journalists ( NUJ) – to name the newly rebuilt Nigerian Institute of Journalism House, Adeyemo Alakija Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, as ISMAILA ISA HOUSE to honour the life and times of Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua, OFR, Mni, who died on Monday, July 20, 2020 after a life of dedicated service to Nigeria that spanned politics, business and media.
“His contributions to the development of journalism is innumerable: including, but not limited to his co-founding of Democrat Newspapers; presidency of the NPAN at a time of national crises, and later a life patron; services to the international Press Institute where he served on the global board; contributions to journalism education as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, etc “Samaila Isa Funtua, 1942 -2020, will be deeply missed but not forgotten.”
Reacting to his demise, Chief Obasanjo, through his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi in a report said: “There is no doubt, this is a grievous loss to his family, his friends and associates, Katsina State and, indeed, the entire nation. We commiserate with the entire family of Mallam Isa Funtua and the great people of Katsina State over this great loss. “Mallam Isa-Funtua was a well-respected elder statesman, an accomplished business mogul/publisher, an astute politician and a frontline industrialist whose various contributions to the development of governance and public administration have ensured for him an evergreen memory in the hearts of many admirers and associates, particularly during the administration of President Shehu Shagari under whom he served as Minister of Water Resources as well as during his membership of the committee of the 1994-1995 Constitutional Conference that came up with models in key areas of Nigeria’s existence”.
Similarly, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media, Ola Awoniyi, said among others; ”He was a man who touched many lives and impacted the development of Nigeria with his foresight, industry, enterprise, boundless enthusiasm, magnetism, friendliness and accommodating spirit. Mallam Isa Funtua made friends across tribe, religion, generation and class in Nigeria, and touched many lives in public service as well as in his private life.”
On his part, Asiwaju Tinubu in a statement by his Media Office, said: “The passing of elder statesman, nationalist, newspaper publisher and prominent businessman, Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua, is a saddening national loss. He was a rare individual of immense talents, abilities and generosity.
Similarly, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udoh, described the late Isa Funtua as ‘’a great Nigerian patriot, a strong advocate for press freedom and a highly successful businessman and journalist whose intellectual rigour added deep value to our national discourse. Above all, he was loyal to causes he believed in. He will be deeply missed.
Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, said it is deeply saddened by Mallam Funtua’s demise, describing him among others, as an elder statesman, newspaper publisher, a brilliant administrator, a former minister and a feisty defender of free press. In a statement by its President and Publicity Secretary, Mustapha Isah and Ken Ugbeche, respectively, NGE said: “A friend and political associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, Ismaila Funtua has, over the decades remained consistent like the Northern Star, whose influence stretched beyond journalism to manufacturing and politics. In him, the nation will miss a forthright and bold patriot who deployed his defunct newspaper, The Democrat, to foster national unity, promote free speech and engender a culture of high ethical standard in journalism.
Isa Funtual was a Nigerian statesman who also served as a Federal Minister in the Second Nigerian Republic. After government service, Isa Funtua went into business where he cultivated clients, business associates and friends who extended his interests beyond the normal scope of a businessman.
He was a long time personal friend and close associate of President Muhammadu Buhari; and was a very influential figure in the Buhari administration.
Information on Wikepedia states that Ismaila Isa was born in Funtua in January 1942. He received Islamic education, where he learnt the Qur’an, Islamic jurisprudence and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad. He later attended the Commercial College in Zaria, Federal Training Centre in Kaduna and the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria. He also attended the University of Manchester, and was the Monitor-General of Course 9 of the Senior Executive Course at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies.
A highly capable administrator, Isa Funtua started his career in the Katsina Native Authority, where he eventually rose through the ranks working in the defunct North Central State. He later joined United Textiles Limited in Kaduna, where he was the personnel manager showcasing great managerial finesse over ten thousand workers. Isa Funtua later became the Federal Minister of Water Resources in the Second Nigerian Republic. He was a member of the 1994 Constitutional Conference under General Sani Abacha.
He then retired into private business where he became a director of several companies. He was the founder of Funtua Textiles Limited, and managing director of the Democrat Newspaper. “He was also the founder and Chairman of Bulet Construction Company (one of the largest indigenous construction companies in Nigeria), responsible for building several federal buildings.”
May God grant his family, the good people of Katsina State and all his friends and associates the fortitude to bear his unfortunate demise and let the press freedom he stood for endure.
