EDO VETERAN JOURNALISTS VISIT CHIEF DAVID EDEBIRI'S FAMILY By Besiru Enakhimion.

Mr. Josiah Obadigie signs the condolence register.

Veteran journalists in Edo state, were recently led by their Chairman, Mr. Josiah Obadigie on a condolence visit to the family of late Chief David Edebiri, the Esogban of Benin Kingdom. 

The team was warmly received by some members of the family of the deceased led by his eldest son, Mr. Collins Edebiri .

Mr. Obadigie in his speech disclosed that the mission of his team was to condole with the family the Esogban left behind . He noted that the late Chief Edebiri was a member of the league of veterans who identified with the body when he was alive. He qualified the Chief as a great leader who was very intelligent and thanked God for the good life , he lived. 

On the age of the Esogban, the Chair of the veteran journalists said, 

" We thought that our baba will clock more than 100 years because, afterwards, the mother was 101 years". 

Every member of the visiting team hailed the late Chief, especially for his journalistic prowess.  

A member of the League, elder Sam Eboigbe summed it up this way,

 " I came in contact with pa in 1967, immediately I left secondary school . I met him in the Ministry of Information . Himself, late Tony Uwaifoh, late Prefa, late S. Obadan and Ojo. They were the ones. By that time, they only had jotters and biros. You don't have midgets, you don't have any recorder. Those names I mentioned were the only people who covered category A assignments . What is tagged category A assignments are the Heads of states and the Ministers. No other person and before 6.00 o'clock, that news must get to the radio, television and all. So, our baba has been very hard working . I thank God for his life, he lived well".

Mr. Edebiri thanked the visitors for identifying with them . He noted that in addition to the league of Veteran journalists, some other groups who are associates of his father have visited them, while some are yet to come. He however promised to carry all the available groups along in planning his father's funeral . 

To the admiration of every one present, Mr. Edebiri who was once a columnist with the Nigerian Tribune joined the League of Edo veteran journalists during the visit, to occupy his father's position . 

"That vacancy that tended to have arisen as a result of my dad's passage , I am filling it up now " . He said, jokingly . He later gave his name to the Secretary of the league for registration.

In terms of unity, Mr. Edebiri stressed that the unity of members of his family was assured, that they will not allow anybody to come between them.

Highlight of the visit was the handing over of the burial programme used by Chief David Edebiri for burying his mother 20 years ago, to the host by Mr. Obadigie .

Mr. Edebiri expressed gratitude for the burial programme booklet and promised to keep it in his library .