Tony Momoh
Encyclopedia
Prince Tony Momoh is a Nigerian journalist and politician who was Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture (1986–1990) during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida
.
, Edo state, of Edo
origin.
He was the 165th child of Momoh the first.
He attended Government School Auchi (1949–1954) and Anglican School Okpe (1954).
Momoh was Pupil Teacher at the Anglican School, Auchi (January–December 1955) and Headmaster at the Anglican School, Ubuneke, Ivbiaro, Owan Local Government (January 1958 – December 1959).
He went to the Provincial Teachers Training College, Abudu, Edo State and Government Teachers College, Abraka in Western Region
(1960–1961).
Later, while working at the Daily Times
or on sabbatical, he attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (September 1964 – October 1966) where he earned a degree in Mass communication, and then the University of Lagos
where he studied Law.
He attended the Nigerian Law School
, Lagos (October 1974 – May 1975), and was called to the bar in June 1975.
In June 1979, during the lead-up to the transition from military to civilian rule at the start of the Nigerian Second Republic
, Momoh said of the five presidential candidates: "They are all the same ... It's going to turn into a personality contest".
In 1981 the Senate led by Joseph Wayas
summoned Momoh for contempt. This caused a major legal battle in which Momoh successfully argued that as a journalist he was empowered by the constitution to hold government accountable at all times.
In Tony Momoh v. Speaker, House of Representatives (1982) it was held that a person had the right to refuse to disclose their source of information.
However, in Senate v. Tony Momoh (1983) the Court of Appeals held that the press is not a fourth arm of government. A newspaper publisher has no special immunity and the press can be ordered to disclose its sources in some cases.
Momoh was General Manager of the Times from June 1984 to Sept 1986.
He was Chairman of the African Conference of Information Ministers from 1988 to 1990.
In 1983 the editor of Newswatch, Dele Giwa
, was detained for a week by police for publishing what they called "classified material". On 17 October 1986 Giwa was accused by Colonel A.K. Togun of the State Security Services (SSS) of anti-government activities including attempting to import arms to foment insurrection. On 19 October 1986 Giwa was killed by a parcel bomb. At first, Momoh pledged that there would be a government probe of the incidident. He soon backed down, saying "a special probe would serve no useful purpose".
Speaking at a seminar in Lagos in 1987, Momoh said that radio, television and newspapers should be seen as tools "for the promotion of national unity and integration".
In 1988 Momoh announced that the government was trying to find radio sets that could only receive approved broadcasts from the federal and state radio stations. This was "as a means of ensuring that information about the country was adequately disseminated".
In a February 1990 interview published in Ebony magazine Momoh talked about the rich and diverse Nigerian culture. He stated that British-style parliamentary democracy and the American-style presidential system had both failed in Nigeria because they were not comatible with these local cultures. He said that Nigeria was now establishing a system of grass-roots democracy in a two-party system.
In May 1990 party elections were held for local ward positions using an "open ballot", where voters showed their preference by standing in front of a photograph of the candidate. Party elections were then scheduled for the state and national elections. Momoh said the government would not interfere in the inner workings of parties. Soon after, all the National Republican Convention
candidates for national offices were disqualified on the grounds that there were irregularities in their application forms.
Babangida followed a policy of donating money, vehicles, offices and so on to local governments, political parties and others on the basis that this would keep them free of influence by the rich and powerful. As Minister for Information Momoh justified the practice, saying of Democracy that it "is not as expensive as people are thinking in relation to the alternative. The alternative is allowing one man to dictate to the whole Nigeria because you don't want it to be expensive. If money is not spent on democracy and a one-man dictatorship emerges ... it is the same Nigerians who are talking of expensiveness now that will shout that one man is a dictator".
Babangida was tough on the press at times, but tried to avoid open conflict. When the press began calling for Momoh's dismissal he was slow to respond, since Momoh was intelligent and reflective, and had experience from his own days as a newspaper editor. However, he finally dismissed Momoh and replaced him by Alex Akinyele, who had previously been in the customs services and had been a director at Newswatch.
He was appointed a Member of the Edo State Economic Advisory Committee in 1991, and a member of the Nigerian Press Council in December 1992.
As of 1996 Momoh was one of the directors of the Newswatch magazine, said to have a circulation of 150,000 copies in Africa, Europe and North America.
Momoh was Director of the Alex Ekwueme Presidential Campaign Organization in 1999.
He was Chairman, Media and Publicity of the All Nigeria People's Party
(ANPP) Campaign Organisation in the 2003 and 2007 elections.
He was also Chairman of the Political Committee of the Muhammadu Buhari
Organisation.
In January 2011 Momoh was appointed Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change
(CPC) in the lead-up to the April 2011 national elections, with Buba Galadima
appointed the National Secretary.
Soon after being appointed, Momoh said the CPC would bar any of its aspirants to become candidates if they were to engage in corrupt practices or thuggery during the primaries.
Following disappointing results in the April 2011 elections, Momoh asserted that massive rigging had taken place. However, he described the CPC as a mass movement that was bound to grow and achieve the high goals of its founders.
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
.
Birth and education
Momoh was born on 27 April 1939 in AuchiAuchi
Auchi is a larger town in Edo State, Nigeria. It is the headquarters of the Etsako West Local Government Area.The town has an official Post Office....
, Edo state, of Edo
Edo people
Edo is the name for the place, people and language of an ethnic group in Nigeria. Other Edo-speaking ethnic groups include the Esan and the Afemai...
origin.
He was the 165th child of Momoh the first.
He attended Government School Auchi (1949–1954) and Anglican School Okpe (1954).
Momoh was Pupil Teacher at the Anglican School, Auchi (January–December 1955) and Headmaster at the Anglican School, Ubuneke, Ivbiaro, Owan Local Government (January 1958 – December 1959).
He went to the Provincial Teachers Training College, Abudu, Edo State and Government Teachers College, Abraka in Western Region
Western Region, Nigeria
The Western Region was a subdivision of the federation of Nigeria until 1967. Its capital was at Ibadan.It was established in the 1930s under British rule as a subdivision of the Southern Nigeria colony...
(1960–1961).
Later, while working at the Daily Times
Daily Times of Nigeria
The Daily Times of Nigeria is a newspaper with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria.At its peak, in the 1970s, it was one of the most successful locally owned businesses in Africa....
or on sabbatical, he attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (September 1964 – October 1966) where he earned a degree in Mass communication, and then the University of Lagos
University of Lagos
The University of Lagos - popularly known as Unilag - is a federal government university with a main campus located at Akoka, Yaba and a college of medicine located at Idi-Araba, all in Lagos, Lagos State, southern Nigeria...
where he studied Law.
He attended the Nigerian Law School
Nigerian Law School
The Nigerian Law School was set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1962 to provide a Nigerian legal education to foreign-trained lawyers, and to provide practical training for aspiring Legal Practitioners in Nigeria....
, Lagos (October 1974 – May 1975), and was called to the bar in June 1975.
Journalist
Momoh started his journalism career as a sub-editor at the Daily Times in October 1962, rising steadily through the ranks to become Editor and deputy General Manager (June 1976 – May 1980).In June 1979, during the lead-up to the transition from military to civilian rule at the start of the Nigerian Second Republic
Nigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
, Momoh said of the five presidential candidates: "They are all the same ... It's going to turn into a personality contest".
In 1981 the Senate led by Joseph Wayas
Joseph Wayas
Joseph Wayas was Nigeria's third Senate President during the Nigerian Second Republic .-Background:Wayas was born in Basang, Obudu, Cross River State on 21 May 1941 and attended the Dennis Memorial Grammer School, Onitsha...
summoned Momoh for contempt. This caused a major legal battle in which Momoh successfully argued that as a journalist he was empowered by the constitution to hold government accountable at all times.
In Tony Momoh v. Speaker, House of Representatives (1982) it was held that a person had the right to refuse to disclose their source of information.
However, in Senate v. Tony Momoh (1983) the Court of Appeals held that the press is not a fourth arm of government. A newspaper publisher has no special immunity and the press can be ordered to disclose its sources in some cases.
Momoh was General Manager of the Times from June 1984 to Sept 1986.
Minister of Information and Culture
Momoh was appointed Minister of Information and Culture by General Ibrahim Babangida, holding this position from September 1986 until 1990.He was Chairman of the African Conference of Information Ministers from 1988 to 1990.
In 1983 the editor of Newswatch, Dele Giwa
Dele Giwa
Dele Giwa was a Nigerian journalist, editor and founder of Newswatch magazine, who was killed by a mail bomb in his home on 19 October 1986...
, was detained for a week by police for publishing what they called "classified material". On 17 October 1986 Giwa was accused by Colonel A.K. Togun of the State Security Services (SSS) of anti-government activities including attempting to import arms to foment insurrection. On 19 October 1986 Giwa was killed by a parcel bomb. At first, Momoh pledged that there would be a government probe of the incidident. He soon backed down, saying "a special probe would serve no useful purpose".
Speaking at a seminar in Lagos in 1987, Momoh said that radio, television and newspapers should be seen as tools "for the promotion of national unity and integration".
In 1988 Momoh announced that the government was trying to find radio sets that could only receive approved broadcasts from the federal and state radio stations. This was "as a means of ensuring that information about the country was adequately disseminated".
In a February 1990 interview published in Ebony magazine Momoh talked about the rich and diverse Nigerian culture. He stated that British-style parliamentary democracy and the American-style presidential system had both failed in Nigeria because they were not comatible with these local cultures. He said that Nigeria was now establishing a system of grass-roots democracy in a two-party system.
In May 1990 party elections were held for local ward positions using an "open ballot", where voters showed their preference by standing in front of a photograph of the candidate. Party elections were then scheduled for the state and national elections. Momoh said the government would not interfere in the inner workings of parties. Soon after, all the National Republican Convention
National Republican Convention
The National Republican Convention was a Nigerian political party established by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida and ultimately disbanded by the incoming military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1993.-Alignment:...
candidates for national offices were disqualified on the grounds that there were irregularities in their application forms.
Babangida followed a policy of donating money, vehicles, offices and so on to local governments, political parties and others on the basis that this would keep them free of influence by the rich and powerful. As Minister for Information Momoh justified the practice, saying of Democracy that it "is not as expensive as people are thinking in relation to the alternative. The alternative is allowing one man to dictate to the whole Nigeria because you don't want it to be expensive. If money is not spent on democracy and a one-man dictatorship emerges ... it is the same Nigerians who are talking of expensiveness now that will shout that one man is a dictator".
Babangida was tough on the press at times, but tried to avoid open conflict. When the press began calling for Momoh's dismissal he was slow to respond, since Momoh was intelligent and reflective, and had experience from his own days as a newspaper editor. However, he finally dismissed Momoh and replaced him by Alex Akinyele, who had previously been in the customs services and had been a director at Newswatch.
Later career
Momoh was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nigerian Airways from 1991 to 1993.He was appointed a Member of the Edo State Economic Advisory Committee in 1991, and a member of the Nigerian Press Council in December 1992.
As of 1996 Momoh was one of the directors of the Newswatch magazine, said to have a circulation of 150,000 copies in Africa, Europe and North America.
Momoh was Director of the Alex Ekwueme Presidential Campaign Organization in 1999.
He was Chairman, Media and Publicity of the All Nigeria People's Party
All Nigeria People's Party
The All Nigeria Peoples Party is a conservative political party in Nigeria. At the last legislative elections , the party won 27.0% of the popular vote and 92 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives and 27 out of 109 seats in the Senate...
(ANPP) Campaign Organisation in the 2003 and 2007 elections.
He was also Chairman of the Political Committee of the Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
Organisation.
In January 2011 Momoh was appointed Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change
Congress for Progressive Change
The Congress for Progressive Change is a political party founded in Nigeria in 2009 in preparation for the April 2011 elections.It is the 63rd political party to be founded in the country and also the last political party to be registered in Nigeria....
(CPC) in the lead-up to the April 2011 national elections, with Buba Galadima
Buba Galadima
Engineer Buba Galadima is a Nigerian politician who was appointed National Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change party, formed in the run-up to the 2011 national elections as a platform for former military ruler General Muhammadu Buhari....
appointed the National Secretary.
Soon after being appointed, Momoh said the CPC would bar any of its aspirants to become candidates if they were to engage in corrupt practices or thuggery during the primaries.
Following disappointing results in the April 2011 elections, Momoh asserted that massive rigging had taken place. However, he described the CPC as a mass movement that was bound to grow and achieve the high goals of its founders.