- Some documents presented by Mr. Abiola to buttress his case
The above was the headline to a rebuttal from Joshua Osuolale Agbeniga, published on January 8,2020, to an interview granted newdawnnger by Mr. Abiola Ayakunbi ex Circulation Manager of Independent Newspapers to mark the release of his book, which was also published on January 2, 2020.
One had thought that with the rejoinder, all frayed nerves have been calmed but months after, Ayankunbi is back; picking holes in the rebuttal and doing so with witnesses and documented evidence.
Below is his piece:
“I am constrained to react to the rejoinder of Mr. Joshua Osuolale Agbeniga based on the interview I granted your online medium because keeping quiet will amount to admittance of his position that were full of half truths and inaccuracies.
“From his own account, he claimed that he was the Snr. Circulation Manager and I was in Port Harcourt as Snr. Circulation Executive while the crisis lasted. He stressed further that I did not sell The PUNCH except I sold as a vendor before I joined the company. Besides, he played down the role played by Gani Kayode Balogun (GKB) in resolving the Ibadan crisis.
“I have decided to react using facts and documents. On October 5, 1998, Manager, Administration, sent a transfer letter to me in Port Harcourt and asked me to resume at the head office on October 26, 1998. Sequel to this, I handed over circulation functions to Daniel Ifetola on December 2, 1998. Mr. Akpandem James, the then Assistant News Editor witnessed it. I couldn’t resume in Lagos on October 26, 1998 because Daniel didn’t come early enough and Mr. J. O Agbeniga, the then Snr. Circulation Manager asked me to tarry for a while. I resumed in Lagos on December 7, 1998.
I was promoted to the post of Assistant Circulation Manager with effect from January 1, 1999. There was a sales conference for all the circulation staff on March 3, 1999 and there was a picture to that effect on page 27 of The Punch edition of March 4, 1999.
Shortly thereafter, Mr J. O. Agbeniga was redeployed to the newly created department, Corporate Affairs & Marketing; he was made a senior manager there.
In order to buttress the fact that Mr Adetomiwa Olorunsola became the Circulation Manager, first as acting manager. He in a memo written by him with a directive, on behalf of The Punch, that I should collect the value of unused ticket from the management of Bellview Airline Limited. He signed off as Ag. Circulation Manager.
I will like to draw the attention of Mr. J. O Agbeniga to the report given to the Administration Manager on August 11, 2000. He reported that I denied Mrs Florence Adelaide, his secretary from using the fax machine in the circulation department. If he was the head of department, will there be a need for him to “beg” to use fax machine?
“I will like to refresh his memory that the crisis happened in 2001 and Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye, current Provost, Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), was the Editor then. He occupied the position from November 11, 1996 – December 31, 2001. I was at Star FM, Alausa, Ikeja to place an advert on December 13, 2001. I was given a commission of N2,500.00 but decided to return it thereby paid it into the company’s account via receipt number 072168. For his attention and record purposes, Mr Azubuike Ishiekwene was the Daily Editor from January 1, 2002 – October 24, 2006. Mr J. O Agbeniga should provide evidence that he was redeployed to the circulation department to manage the crisis.
“There are records to show that I sat in meetings called by Chief Ajibola Ogunshola. The days involved were January 24, 2002, February 3, 10 & 21, 2002, May 16 & 17, 2002, June 28 & 29, 2002, August 8 & 9, 2002 and June 27, 2003.
“If I was not the second in command, why did I act as Circulation Manager when Mr Adetomiwa Olorunsola, went on leave from Dec 1 – 21, 2000, Nov 1 – December 5, 2001 and December 5 – 29, 2002?
“Furthermore, if he was the Snr. Circulation Manager, why didn’t Akeem Amuda Adekola, Punch sales staff in Kaduna take his name to the herbalist? This staff took our names (Circulation Manager, Asst. Circulation Manager, Chief Accountant and Snr. Internal Auditor) to the marabout for prayers so that we will be doing his biddings. His accomplice leaked the information and the staff involved did not deny.
“I was in Ibadan, Oyo State from April 5 – 10, 2000 in order to find out why Tribune sold more than The Punch. Certain things were done and after few months, The Punch became the champion in terms of copy sales. Newspapers’ agents abandoned the sales of The Punch in Uyo, I was there between April 20 & 23, 2001 and the impasse was resolved. Calabar agents did similar thing and I was there from April 23 – 30, 2001; God did it for The Punch again. Akure agents refused to sell The Punch for seven days and the crisis was resolved while there between July 30 & August 2, 2001. It was the turn of Ilorin between August 29 – “September 1, 2001; the agents refused to pay the correct checking rate. God touched their hearts and they paid the correct amount. Sanni Taylor was the Circulation Executive there; he was marveled at how the crisis was resolved. I stayed in Abuja between May 12 – 14, 2003 in order to determine the actual freighting costs. Port Harcourt station experienced low sales, I was there between June 10 & 13, 2003; the sales picked again. I can go on and on. While in these locations, I gave situation reports to Mr Adetomiwa Olorunsola, my boss who directed me how to go about it. Was he the Snr. Circulation Manager who sent me to these places?
“I hereby repeat myself; Gani Kayode Balogun (GKB) solved the Ibadan crisis. I was generous to Mr J. O. Agbeniga in the said interview when I said that Mr Agbeniga was sent to Ibadan but nothing so much was achieved until Gani Kayode Balogun (GKB), then Deputy Advert Manager was sent there. I have reviewed the Ibadan crisis with GKB on many occasions and I am fully aware about how the crisis was resolved. If Mr Agbeniga was the Snr. Circulation Manager during the crisis, why did he abandon Lagos, the “centre of action”? GKB even made this clear on his Facebook page post of April 16, 2020.
“From the foregoing, it’s very clear that he was not in charge when the crisis happened, I was not in Port Harcourt, I was an Assistant Circulation Manager, I was “second in command” to Mr Adetomiwa Olorunsola and GKB resolved Ibadan crisis. People like Messrs Gbemiga Ogunleye, Azubuike Ishiekwene, Steve Ilo, Tunde Rahman, Akpandem James, Yemi Ajayi, Akin Olaniyan, Lekan Ajetumobi, Emeka Madunagu, Adeniran Asimiyu, Bolaji Adebiyi, Niyi Adesina, Dele Adeosun, Remi Ibitola, Segun Dipe, Mojeed Jamiu, Olowere Bukunmi Isaiah, Kayode Ozoya (Circulation Executive, Ibadan), Daniel Ifetola, Raji Tajudeen, Sorunke Shakiru, Rufus Adeniji (Mr J. O Agbeniga’s younger brother), Ibitoye Samson, Rasaq Bakare, Monday Akhamiewan, Kayode Olawuyi, Felix Ofou, Mrs Siyanbola, etc will be laughing at his submission that I didn’t sell The Punch during the crisis. I am very sure that Mr Ademola Osinubi, The Punch MD and Chief Ajibola Ogunshola, the then PUNCH Chairman will not agree with him. Even, Oga Dafe Onojovwo will be shaking in the grave. What made “Punch people” to call me Taliban during the crisis? When last I saw Mr Gbemiga Ogunleye, he still called me by the name! Punch management and staff supported the cause and my boss, ably supported by me led purposefully. I hereby encourage him to read my interview again with an open mind as there was no where, according to him, I “arrogantly claimed credit”. Equally, I did not denigrate nor impugn his contribution, rather, I said the obvious; Mr Adetomiwa Olorunsola, the then Circulation Manager and Mr Gani Kayode Balogun, then Deputy Advert Manager are living witnesses. They can be contacted.
“To Mr. J. O Agbeniga, my Ada, Osun State born brother, I have more than what is written here in my book: My Sojourn In The Media. I will avail him a copy once I take delivery of it. I want to believe that he wrote the rejoinder not based on facts but on perceptions. I wish him a nice stay in the Republic of Ireland.”
