By Patrick Ochei
When you mention the first 100 most influential journalists in Nigeria, you must mention the name of Sunday Odita. He is not just a fine and thoroughbred journalist, he is tenacious, incisive, dogged, diplomatic yet daring beyond the ordinary.
This patriotic Anioma illustrious son was born over four decades ago at Onicha-Ugbo in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State. Schooled at the prestigious Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, he began his journalistic practice immediately after his national youth service with the Guardian.
Today, Sunday Odita is the Head, Defence and Security Affairs of the Guardian Newspapers, Abuja. The Guardian is a flagship of the Nigerian Press; the dream newspaper of every trainee journalist wanting to go into practice at graduation.
Sunday Odita was not just lucky to be employed by Guardian with strict adherence to intellectual capacity, he merited the employment as a result of his exploits during his NYSC days. Going by his antecedents at school also, he was a firebrand reporter within the campus, which mainstreamed him into becoming the Departmental President of the Association of Mass Communication Students (AMCOS), Auchi Polytechnic.
While in practice too, Sunday Odita was elected National President of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), a position he held with editors as members, and he brought visibility and international recognition to the group, which is a formidable platform under the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as an umbrella body of all practicing journalists in Nigeria.
Today, Sunday Odita wines and dines with the high and mighty in the society, yet he never forgets his professional calling, which is to be the voice of the voiceless and the Watchdog of the society.
As part of his individual social responsibility, Sunday Odita has continued to support development in education and human capacity building. For several years, he has been organising “Back To School”, a Programme he initiated to give back to society. Through this laudable programme, he has continued annually, to sponsor indigent children in Aniocha North back to school by procuring school bags, books, writing materials, maths sets, etc for them, including paying fees for those who couldn’t afford them.
Even amongst us journalists, we have continued to benefit from the magnanimity of Sunday Odita. He is a free giver and motivator. When he is in town, lodging in his usual Elomaz Hotel, we jostle to pay him visit. The outcome always makes us to beam with smiles.
I must not forget to recognise that Sunday Odita has contributed so much to the development of Public Relations practice in Nigeria. As a member, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Sunday Odita has raised the bar in image and reputation management.
For a couple of years now, through his PR practice, he has hosted the “Silent Heroes Award”, a platform used for the recognition of hard work, patriotism, career excellence, uncommon achievements and more. He has continued to use this initiative to dig up unsung heroes of our time from across the nation, making them feel good about their contributions to Nation building, as well as making them realise that their silent labour of love and time tested achievements is never forgotten.
On this special day, April 4, 2024, it has become imperative to celebrate a jolly good fellow. It is a good day to celebrate a good man. On behalf of my family, colleague journalists and people of Anioma Nation, I wish my own senior brother, senior colleague and numero uno a blissful and splendiferous Happy Birthday. Congratulations sir.
