Danladi Bako@65: Versatile Man of Letters and Vision

BY Femi Akintunde-Johnson

D uring these first few days of September 2022, two gentlemen dear to my creative side, and diametrically opposed in many ramifications, marked landmark dates on the calendar of life’s intractable journey towards an inevitable destination. One on the first day of the month, is a man who now luxuriates in the intangible perquisites of his sterling contributions to Nigerian television production and presentation, dramatic arts, broadcasting, entertainment, culture, and more. The other, five years younger, has chiselled indelible marks in the arcane business of the promotion and distribution of popular music, management and nurturing of musical talents, and professionalising the commercial prospects of the much neglected traditional Nigerian music counter-culture.

DANLADI BAKO, OON: 

He doesn’t need a quota system or affirmative action to escalate his talents; this brilliant broadcaster had used the auspices of the tube to increase the stock and craft of many of the cream of today’s superstars…at their gateways to elusive fame. From the detective serials, Special Protection Anti-Crime Squad, SPACS (1985 – 1987) which featured RMD and Mahmood Ali-Balogun (yes!) as co-leads; to directing and producing the creative writings of 1984/1985 graduands of NTA/BBC Writers’ Workshop (with Zeb Ejiro, Andy Amenechi, Bond Emeruwa, Murtala Sule, Taiwo Ogundipe, Ralph Nwadike, Charles Owoyemi, etc, as shimmering stars); Nasir Danladi Bako, PhD, has been at the nerve centre of the prenatal and birthing process of the Nigerian video success story.

 And with NTA’s adaptation of the British sit-com, Mind Your Language that was popular with Nigerians of the 70s, our own hilarious Second Chance was born. Bako, who was installed as Kogunan Sakwatto by the Sultan on May 12, 2001, directed a boisterous classy cast of Olu Jacobs, Lai Ashadele, Soni Irabor, Funso Alabi (all played Teacher Gyang alternately), Tony St Iyke was Nicodemus Okonkwo, Abiola Atanda was Madam Kofo, Collins Onomor was Odiri, Tola Osinubi was Kucha, Joke Silva was the coquettish Roli, Isaac Ijoma was Anuka, James Johnson was Fyne Face; and Ghanian actor, Evans Hunter who was the first teacher, in the half-hour drama – from 1984. Of course, the cast list is not exhausted. Even the show’s scripting department was packed to the rafters with quality: the sublime Ihria Enakhimio, Charles Owoyemi, Zeb Ejiro, Akin Clinton, etc. RMD also contributed a couple of scripts. Bako also produced a few teledramas, like The Lost Tribe (1985).

 Ebullient and more popular as the talk show host of Morning Ride and MasterSports, the multi-talented gentleman is noted for his encyclopedic grasp of the trends and talents of Nigerian visual media. Voracious in study and expression, Bako has a BA (Hons) English from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1978); MSc, Mass Communication (UNILAG, 1981), and almost forty years after, a PhD, Development Communication from ABU (2019).

His broadcasting career shot off from 1973 at Rima Radio, Sokoto, and culminated as the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (1999 – 2002).  The Koguna also served as Sokoto State Commissioner for Information (2012 – 2015), amongst other national communication assignments. 

On the 1st of September, 2022, the suave, genteel and coyly youngish chief turned 65 – even the highest office in the land confirmed it with a rousing congratulatory missive. Surely, it is in order to celebrate this bold, gently boisterous pathfinder, in many fields, and a consummate conversationalist, Mallam Danladi Nasir Bako, PhD, OON. Happy birthday!

TEMITOPE AKINYELE:

Sometime in the heady 90s, I came across this young man – he was the Promotions and Publicity Manager (or assistant, I’m not too certain which is what now) of Sony Music, then domiciled on Aromire Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos State. Temitope B. Akinyele was eager to work, willing to learn, not one of those hopelessly disposed to underhand plots of luring journalists into using their relentless “press releases” – yet his warm candour and open admiration made you more considerate in dealing with ‘his case’.

Over the years, as we moved from one publication to the other, and as we planned and executed one award ceremony or the other, Akinyele was a constant though distant associate, willing to help us push the letters that made the rounds in search of logistical and other support frameworks. 

When we started the first major gospel music award in 2013 (named Music and Entertainment Gospel Awards, MEGA), Akinyele, now the CEO of his own promotions outfit, Collective Communication Ltd., was one of the first set of people we assembled. He didn’t have to wait and think about it – his instant reaction was both supportive and motivational. 

 Akinyele has spent a large portion of his time, resources and pedigree promoting Nigerian traditional music, with special craving for gospel music, and traversing several towns and villages of the South West and South South, pushing and pulling the enormous but repressed potential of the Nigerian gospel music.

Suddenly Tope Akinyele is 60! On Wednesday, 7 September, 2022. Unsurprisingly, the cadence, tendon and connotations of my expectations and estimation of him have remained unchanging and resolute – a character of the Divinity that Akinyele also clings to. 

 If you need a formidable partner; if you desire a relentless supporter; if you crave for a dogged intermediary; if you long for a dependable ally… a man who will continually impress and astound you with unselfish, remarkable yet un-sycophantic friendship and stewardship… Yes, if you need a man who speaks his heart without whimpering, or lambasting, yet exuding humility and passion that provoke admiration… Then the person to have in your corner is Temitope Akinyele. 

Though a strong character with immense drive for good and for God, Akinyele is also a reserved man who prefers to work humbly in the background. We therefore seize this auspicious moment to rejoice with our friend, supporter, and encourager whose love and devotion to his adorable wife (whom we call Erelu Sunshine) and his remarkably precocious children with peculiar name tags…humble and impress us as father and husband.

  Happy birthday!