HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SULAIMAN

 AHAMEFULA NJOKU pays tribute to Sulaiman Aledeh, ace broadcaster, at 50

I first met Sulaiman on the set of Channels television prime morning program Sunrise Daily in 2012 to discuss the one-year anniversary of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. Other panelists who were to interview me were the moderator and charismatic, ever young- looking Chamberlain Usoh and the smart Sunrise Daily anchor Maupe Ogun, now Ogun-Yusuf.

In the interview that lasted for about 50 minutes and now available on U-Tube, I was asked a lot of questions about Jonathan’s administration for the last one year, ranging from health, education to agriculture, etc. l gave him an excellent mark.

Aledeh was not impressed. His grouse mainly was that nothing had changed in the electricity sector. Much as l tried to suggest that it was ”a work in progress” considering the decade long challenges that had existed in that industry, he still had his reservations.

The last time l met him was at the Abuja airport lounge, where we had a good laugh over the way he tried to stress me at that interview and how l refused to budge. Looking back now at how things have gotten bad in Nigeria today that interview is always a reminder that Jonathan’s administration was pragmatic in addressing economic and political issues, despite a few lapses and that citizens faired better under him.

Aledeh is a newshound. From Channels Television to Television Continental (TVC) he is now one of the iconic figures on ARISE News Television. 

Aledeh is one of those journalists that has a ”swag” and members of the public like watching him. With his trade mark braces on top of a white shirt and a tie popularised on television by Larry King on CNN, his image on television is unique.

When he is reading the Arise Television Prime News at 9pm, he is a delight to watch. At appropriate intervals, he turns witty as he cracks some jokes. Sometimes, he could be dramatic. While reading the news on the recent World Water day, he paused and had a sip of water.

In the interview segment, he becomes ever more serious in his questioning of guests. Woe betide you if you try to put up a defence for non-performing politicians like governors, ministers, government officials or civil servants. He would give you a long look from his eye glasses and make it clear to you sometimes by drawing parallel examples that your views may not be correct. 

Aledeh is a humanist and philanthropist. Long before the word palliative found its way into the Nigerian political and economic lexicon, he always tried to do something for the truly needy and less privileged. Every festive season like Christmas, Easter or Ramadan period, he would try to raise funds to attend to their needs.

As he clocks 50 years of age, l wish him a long life with prosperity. As one doctor recently advised at a public lecture, he should eat well, drink a lot of water, do his regular walking exercise and sleep between seven and eight hours in the night.

Njoku, a former Columnist of The Guardian Newspaper is a lawyer and author of ”The Millionaires Curriculum.”