Azuka Jebose
You may wonder why I am writing this appreciation. It’s unlike my writings and expected of me to glow about an outstanding son of Onicha Ugbo. Love Dr Kachikwu, or loathe him, you can never ignore him, especially if you’ve had a privileged encounter with this kind heart, half human and half amazing. To each, his or her own: this is my story triggered by a social media memory notification.
So this morning my social media handle shared pictures, attached here, to remind me of once upon an amazing accomplishment, the mega mad rebranding of HINTS MAGAZINE, Nigeria’s first romance tabloid magazine owned and published then by Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.
By late 2011, I took a Christmas vacation from my boss at Public Radio here in the US. I flew to Lagos to spend a splendid Christmas with family and friends. But the state of Nigeria was darkened by the rumors that the reelected President Goodluck Jonathan was considering fuel subsidy removal. There was chaos, confusion and uncertainties in our homeland, brought about by the rumors of the removal of fuel subsidies.
The administration denied the rumors only to ambush its citizens on January 3rd, 2012 with fuel subsidy removal.
While the conversations were circulating, I was also unsure of my long stay in the country. A dear hometown friend visited and encouraged me to contact Dr. Kachikwu because he heard Doc wanted new ideas and makeovers for the fledging romance magazine he birthed more than 20 years ago. He was looking for someone with a breath of fresh air to power Hints make over. My friend came to me because he read my Sunday columns on the Glitterati pages of ThisDay newspapers. What he did not know was that I was serializing my first novel, WAITING FOR MY HUSBAND TO DIE.
However, I reached out to Dr. KACHIKWU; trust a brilliant technocrat, he requested the submission of a proposal on how I would transform an aging romance magazine into a sensual, breezy breathing, and captivating read. That was a challenge. I had not seen the magazine in years. So I asked that he give me two weeks to present the proposal: a proposal that turned into a mini magazine dummy.
About two weeks later, I sent him the proposal. Less than forty-eight hours after I sent the proposal, Dr. Kachikwu offered me the job of Managing Editor. He continued to add to my responsibilities, such as independently recruiting my staff, and becoming the executive Director of the publishing sector of his business empire. I was supposed to return to North Carolina by January 15th but the assignment and trust blessed me by Dr. Kachikwu made returning to the US impossible at those times. To assume these challenges, I had to ask my boss at the public radio in the US for an indefinite leave of absence which was granted.
So I went in search of creative and bohemian young reporters to recruit for this new exciting responsibility: writers, and creative graphic designers. Dr. Kachikwu believed in me, perhaps, he had read my resume in the Nigerian media, so he trusted me and stepped out of the way, once he gave me my job descriptions.
I assembled a hotter-than-a-humid Lagos young editorial team. We were mercenaries. We came to change Nigeria’s Lifestyle Journalism. Imagine the assembled talents: Myke Pam, Vanessa Obioha, Rita Chioma Okoye, Stella Olajiga, Annjay Chioma and Chuks Nwabueze.
Damn, the Hints Magazine revolution was anxiously awaited by Vendors. We excitedly embraced this project as the latest best lifestyle magazine that would change lifestyle journalism. My team was young and brilliant. Every week, Dr. Kachikwu called in to make sure we were, first okay and updated. We would hold weekly meetings with Dr Kachikwu every Saturday at our Head office in Lekki.
Some of the best memories of that brief sojourn were the Saturday weekly meetings with the Chairman of the board, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, where we brainstormed and strategized.
What a Time!!!
What a crazy Team!!
What a tight creative Unit!!!
But those who thought they knew nothing played silly behind Doc. A few higher forces at the company felt threatened by our free spirits, my direct access to Doctor Kachikwu. They always found our creative muses a threat to their survival and their foolish agenda at the company. I didn’t understand the work culture of Naija’s fellow executives o. I had never faced office politics and loyalty test, the thing was strange, Biko!
Except for Dr. Kachikwu who believed and trusted us, a few of the ugly heads within the company felt we were just noise makers and rascals who couldn’t produce anything written on toilet paper. They also think I had been away from Nigeria’s mainstream media market and its conservative shenanigans, so my simplified brashy inclusiveness styles may not have worked in their time. Until we shocked them with two sizzling covers. The covers are shared herein. By the time we produced those covers, I was burnt out navigating unnecessary office “kparakpor” within the establishment. I did not want to disturb Doctor with my complaints of resistance from those he had on board. My team was also tired of that office-high jinks or horse plays. So just as in the spirit of the bohemian revolution, one late afternoon, the editorial team agreed to “scatter everything”. We all resigned, en-mass. I called Dr. Kachikwu, apologized to him and shared why we were collectively resigning. He understood. He felt my pains.
I wished we had rocked our society with that new breezy Hints romance magazine. Thanks to the brilliant friends and dedicated colleagues for their sacrifices.
This is the first time I am sharing my story because social media triggered my memory when social media sent me the cover of a magazine that was destined to become a game changer.
Some people come to us at unique times in our lives and strangely impact our lives with unforgettable memories. Dr. Kachikwu did that for me, hence this Salute. I continue to remain close to Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, the Odogwu of Onicha Ugbo Kingdom, more than a decade after this brilliant experience. And I Salute and adore him for these profound memories.
Odogwu Ebi!!!
