Senate Urges FG to Immortalise AIT/Raypower Founder, Dokpesi

•NPAN mourns, says late media proprietor left enduring legacy 

•Atiku, PDP NWC, BoT members visit residence of  deceased

Chuks Okocha, Emmanuel Addeh and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate, yesterday, urged  the federal government to immortalise the founder of AIT/Raypower, High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, Ezomo of Weppa-Wanno Kingdom, Edo State, who died on May 29, 2023, in a hospital in Abuja, after a brief illness.

Also, the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), has mourned the passing of Dokpesi, saying he was unassuming and touched several lives, while using the instrumentality of his media platforms to give voice to the voiceless.

Similarly, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, led members and chieftains of the party to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late media mogul, Raymond Dokpesi.

However, the senators, who took turn to pay glowing tributes to late media mogul, observed  a  minute silence in honour of Dokpesi and resolved to send a delegation to pay a condolence visit to the family.

Resolutions of the Senate yesterday were  sequel to a motion titled Demise of High Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi PhD, DSC, FNSE, OFR and sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, Tariff and Excise, Senator Francis Alimikhena, PDP, Edo North.

In his presentation, Senator Alimikhena, expressed shock over the demise of the media mogul, and called on the Upper Chamber  to observe a minute silence in his favour, and urged the federal government to immotalise him based on his immense contributions to national development.

Senators Matthew Urhoghide, Edo South;  Clifford Ordia, PDP, Edo Central; George Thompson Sekibo, PDP, Rivers South East; Enyinnaya Abaribe, APGA, Abia South; Biodun Olujimi, PDP, Ekiti South; Smart Adeyemi, APC, Kogi West  and Ovie Omo-Agege, APC, Delta Central, who presided over plenary took turns to pour encomiums on the late Dokpesi.

Abaribe described him as a trail blazer, who pioneered private radio and television stations in the country.

“For that, we must at all times always remember the late Dokpesi as the man that stood forward for Nigeria and gave us one of the key ingredients of democracy, which is freedom of information,” he said.

Olujimi noted that the late media mogul was a jinx breaker, saying, “He broke the jinx when he brought the African Ocean Lines and also broke the jinx, when he brought DAAR Communications “

Adeyemi said, “AIT, irrespective of how you look at it, is a balancing force in the media. He was a man that this country will miss greatly. Dokpesi contributed in no small measure to the growth of broadcast journalism in Nigeria. The departure of Dokpesi is a great loss to the media.”

NPAN Mourns, Says Dokpesi Left Enduring Legacy

The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), while expressing shock over Dokpesi’s death, said in a statement by its President, Kabiru Yusuf, that the deceased was unassuming and touched several lives, while also using the instrumentality of his media platform to give a voice to the voiceless.

“It was with  great shock that we learnt  on Monday, May 29, 2023, of the passage of High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, OFR,  founding  chairman of the media behemoth, Daar Communications Plc . He was 71.

“Chief Dokpesi, a trained marine engineer and politician,  pioneered private radio and television broadcasting in the country with the establishment in 1994, of  Ray Power, an Fm radio station and the  Africa Independent Television (AIT),  two years later.

“A seasoned politician, High Chief Dokpesi, held various strategic positions in the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and acquitted himself. Very unassuming and a philanthropist , he touched several lives, while also using the instrumentality of his media platform to give voice to the voiceless,” NPAN stated

While commiserating with members of  the media fraternity, his immediate and  political families, on the irreparable loss, NPAN said it was consoled by the fact that Dokpesi left behind an enduring legacy of hard work and selflessness.

It however, encouraged the youth to emulate Dokpesi’s industry, modesty and passion for the people, stressing that the nation had lost a great pioneer, patriot, advocate of good governance  and free press as well as the right of people to know.

Atiku, PDP NWC, BoT Members Visit Dokpesi’s Residence

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, led members and chieftains of the party to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late media mogul, Raymond Dokpesi.

Accompanying Atiku on the entourage that left from the PDP National Headquarters, Abuja,  was the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Umar Damagum; the National Secretary and PDP Guber Candidate in Imo State, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu; the National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba; the National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyegikuro and the National Treasurer,  Ahmed Yayari Mohammed.

The delegation met with his first Son, Raymond Dokpesi Jnr, his wives, sons, daughters and other members of his families.

Also, the Board of Trustees of the PDP has expressed sorrow over the death of Dokpesi.

Acting Chairman of the BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara, while quoting the words of Jack Thorne, said, “Those we love never truly leave us, there are things that death cannot touch.”

He said these words “describe the current feeling of the entire Board of Trustees of the PDP as we remember our dear friend and brother, High Chief as he was fondly referred to. He was passionate about Nigeria.”

Wabara said Dokpesi was an advocate of good governance, which was reflected by his constant appraisal of policies, which favoured citizens and open criticism of those that adversely affected the masses.

“Regardless of his social status, High Chief was the leader of the South-south People Assembly (SSPA) as a result of his deep-rooted interest for the people of his geopolitical zone. An avid businessman, media mogul, maritime engineer, and philanthropist, High Chief was a lot of things to a lot of people.

“Whereas our brother and friend has hearkened to nature’s call to the great beyond, he has left lasting legacies that death cannot touch. Forever and always in our hearts we reflect on these legacies while we mourn your passing.”

A former national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has also expressed deep sorrow over the death of Dokpesi, whom he said worked with him for so many years with a high level of loyalty and trust, and  even ended up serving him as his Personal Assistant and confidant, while he was the Governor of the Old Gongola State.

On the political front, Bamanga relied very much on the support and trust of Dokpesi while  he served as the National Chairman of PDP.

A statement by his media aide, Oliver Okpala, stated: “To baba, this is a colossal loss to his family, the media, the entire nation and human race. Raymond has left a footprint in the sand of time.”