By Mike Asuquo
Through the rich recall of Muyiwa Akintunde and Banji Adisa, we get the near-to picture of Ndaeyo Uko during his stint at the newsroom of Rutam House (The Guardian).
Then, deadlines ruled the roost and no Line Editor could afford a smile unless his or her daily-birthed baby was sleeping soundly in the press! Remember, those were the days before computers entered the maternity wards of the newspapers or media establishments in the country.
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Ndaeyo Uko was a libero on the Sunday desk. He was even more – an impresario with the reporters as his ensemble. Ndaeyo not only worked with words – he worked the words to mint their worth! Guess how “Wordsworth” got its true meaning with this average built, reserved and unsmiling dude whose life – the newsroom bit – abbreviated his out-of -newsroom life! Here, I wonder into uncharted waters!
Ndaeyo was a gift with his brand of journalistic genre and value – adding fetishism of how English should be written and appreciated with colour, wit and delight! He was – in his column – a black English gentleman with his pen or biro!
Now, we can understand why the man was so exacting because unbeknown to the newspaper readers, the reporter and his scoops were just condiments to be mish-mashed into magical menu and presented to the readers ala carte! .
In this sense, Ndaeyo and his clan of line and sub-editors were like seasoned caterers who gave the restaurants – sorry newspapers – their tasty appeal!
In those days when The Guardian was a galaxy of stars and superstars and aspiring starlets, each journalist – man or woman – earned his or her stardom on a daily basis! You can understand why a martial scowl took over the furrows of the newsroom superintendents during the working hours!
For Ndaeyo Uko, earning his acclaim from “Wordsworth” and more was a full-time occupation with little time to be wasted on things not directly linked to the journalistic bottom line!
At 70, Mathematics and Biology seem to be in fierce competition for our brother – albeit, in opposite directions! While the Mathematical line is finite and final, Biology seems to dispute the age claim that Ndaeyo Uko is far younger than he looks! But then nature will have the last say – and score – on this matter.
But at 70, Ndaeyo’s work ethic and his unique selling point as a journalist will fill – and feed – our memories that this rather average guy packed more than a knock-out punch in the days his own sun shone so brightly on the pages of the Magazine section of the Guardian on Sunday!
At 70, some of his wards and colleagues recall and recount that beneath that terror-stricken mien and an overdose of talented word- smithery laid a dose of pure and kindly humanity!
If only the reporters under him had spared a moment to ask – or seek – from the man or his name, they would have found out that the answer was right there in the name – NDAEYO UKO!
Literally, “Ndaeyo” means “Dry Season ” and “Uko ” stands for “Brave”!
Now, you can understand why our guy bravely stood up for words and their worth beyond his Season – in those halcyon days at The Guardian on Sunday and the different continental shelves he has sojourned across the globe!
