Society Gists

Azuka Jebose started his journalism career as one of the league of young journalists that pioneered a special brand of entertainment reporting in the country.

Then, Azuka Jebose was regarded as a bundle of talents with a creative writing style, which he used to dazzle his numerous followers.

Some years after, Azuka Jebose found himself in the United States of America, when he traveled with the band of the late superstar, Evangelist Sony Okosuns and decided to stay back in the country. He currently lives in North Carolina.

In his days with Punch Newspaper, Azuka was amongst the young journalists who scouted around Lagos entertainment circuits for news, and he worked under Ladi Ayodeji, who was his editor at that time.

To state that Azuka Jebose was popular and preferred is to state the obvious, he hung around music celebrities in the 80s and those, who knew him then had no doubt that he was actually cut out for the job of a journalist as he was said to be passionate about the profession.

But all these appear to be in the past as Azuka Jebose has since derailed and fallen.

Those who follow his moves in recent years made it clear that Jebose has perfected the art of using his pen to blackmail his perceived enemies on Facebook, while also doing some hatchet jobs on behalf of his pay masters to hound and intimidate top Nigerians.

His style is to praise you, when he considers you to be an asset, while he resorts to blackmailing and character assassination once he sees you or gets the contract to label you as enemy of the people.

He is said to be in the business of disparaging other people, promoting unfounded rumours and concocting lies about them and attracting negative attention to people through his publication on Facebook.

To some people, Azuka Jebose is clueless; he has lost his relevance in the profession and his frustrations are obvious for anyone to see in his recent write-ups.

They believe that Azuka Jebose ought to take a break, reflect on his life and see if he could retrieve his rhythm “rather than making a mountain out of a mole hill as he appears to be suffering from dementia in recent times.”

“It will not be a bad idea if Azuka Jebose seeks other means of livelihood rather than using his pen to throw tantrums at others at a great cost.

“He shouldn’t be seen in such a bad habit after years of practicing as a journalist. It is time for his chicken to go home to roost,” said an analyst.

Jebose rarely travels to Nigeria from his base in the United States and he was once linked to a cocaine smuggling ring in the states.

Those who know much about this “once upon a time darling of readers” said he has not been able to hold on to any reasonable job since he got to the United States of America.

But like the proverbial fowl that excreted inside pot, Azuka Jebose used his Facebook page to embarrass the publisher of Thisday Newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena some years back.

He informed the whole world that Obaigbena was a slave driver and accused him of maltreating hundreds of his workers by denying them salaries for months.

The story did not only diminish Obaigbena, it raised a lot of posers about Thisday Newspaper and it took some time before the publication could find its feet again and people eventually saw through the lies of Azuka. while Nduka Obaigbena and the Thisday title continue to soar higher.

That seems to be the calling of Azuka Jebose, whose style is to open can of worms, paint people in bad light, come up with unproven allegations against them, explore all avenues to ruin his prey’s hard earned image.

Azuka is a destructive writer, he believes in breaking an egg that could be difficult to put together.

No wonder, he has lost quite a number of followers in recent times as people have now come realize that Azuka is an unprincipled writer, a character assassin, who is highly unguided by the ethics of the journalism profession.

Flashback to 2015, when his Facebook page came into the limelight. Then, he sang the praises of President Muhammadu Buhari to high heavens.

Buhari warmed his way into Jebose’s heart, when he appointed Ibe Kachiwku as the Minister of State for Petroleum.

But trust Azuka, his allegiance has since changed after Kachikwu was removed from office.

His page is now devoted to finding faults in Buhari’s government, leaving many to see him as a fair weather friend.

He is a master in destructive game, who sees opportunity in bringing people down once you are in his bad book.

His victims are as many as they come, he moves from one individual to another, and attacks respected celebrities including politicians of note, businessmen, and others as if he had personal scores to settle with them.

An observer informed that Azuka Jebose might see himself as a veteran journalist, but that “he is a crook, and a nonentity, who has outlived his relevance in the noble journalism profession.”

“He blackmails people through innuendoes, obvious lies, and all forms of character assassinations.

“His style is to force you into his side with frivolous accusations and unfounded rumours.

‘He has lost patronage from people and I can tell you that history will not be on the side of Azuka Jebose,” said a concerned Nigerian.

Now, the question is what does Azuka Jebose want?

That seems to be a simple one. He wants attention. He is a noisemaker just like the novel Coronavirus Pandemic that is ravaging the whole world.

Indeed, Coronavirus pandemic is milder, Azuka Jebose is worse. He sits in the comfort of his room and produces pieces of information that could destroy the image someone has built for 20, 30, 40 years.

Is the job paying off, only Azuka Jebose could answer. His past appears to be hunting him and nemesis is about to catch up with him.

That he is attacking some respected personalities in recent times is a manifestation of the truism in the statement that a drum that makes an unusual noise is about to burst.

Azuka Jebose is a spent force and he should be seen as such.  He is totally on lockdown, and it might be difficult for him to find his feet again.

On what he wants, well time will tell as his dog might soon be in the belly of the lion. It is a matter of time