HALILU IBRAHIM DANTIYE (mni, FNGE): Veteran Journalist, Editor at 60
When President Muhammadu Buhari’s media adviser, Femi Adesina, issued a statement on Thursday to felicitate with veteran journalist and editor, Malam Halilu Ibrahim Dantiye, the gesture marked a delightful departure from the tiresome felicitation with politicians who had participated in ruining the prospects of an otherwise blessed country.
According recognition to Nigerians other than the rich, the mighty and the few lucky ones, who found themselves in the corridor of power and misused the opportunity to write their names in gold, was commendable.
The presidency did well in this respect.
Dantiye is not a serving or former governor, neither is he a minister or an influential politician. He is rather a modest Nigerian who worked hard to reach the pinnacle of his career as a journalist.
Fondly called ‘Baba’ by his peers, Danitye was born on April 2, 1961 and started his career as a reporter at the Triumph Newspaper, Kano, in the early 1980s and within three decades rose through the cadre as a correspondent, assistant editor, deputy editor, editor, assistant editor-in-chief and later deputy editor-in-chief.
He left Triumph Newspaper to become the director of press and public relations and later director of press and communications strategy to the former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.
He also served as the director general, media and communications to the serving executive governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
He retired from Kano State civil service as permanent secretary in ministries of commerce, industry, cooperatives and tourism and that of environment. He was also the secretary to the Kano State Steering Committee on Ease of Doing Business. He was equally chairman, Technical Committee on Kano State Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).
A member of the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Dantiye was the general secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and a 2-term president president of the same body between 2003 and 2008. He was credited for imitating the All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC) in 2004.
At the global stage, he was one time executive member of both The West African Editors Forum (WAEF) and The African Editors Forum (TAEF).
He had rendered selfless services through his membership and chairmanship of various associations and committees such as the Ethics and Disciplinary, Training and Education, Credential/Election in NUJ and NGE respectively.
He was also a member of the National Political Reform Conference (NPRC) where he diligently served in two Sub-committees viz Business and Rules; Trade Unions, Civil Society and National Media Reforms. He also served as member of the National Steering Committee of Vision 20-2020.
As a true professional, nothing interests Dantiye more than the betterment of the society especially the improvement of the practice of journalism profession in Nigeria and beyond.
He advised Nigerian journalists to “first, always be right, then nice. Work hard and never compromise standard.”
Dantiye is known to be outspoken, steadfast, frank and detribalised.
Since his retirement from civil service, Dantiye said he has been engaged in media consultancy and community services.
Asked if he would be joining politics, he said “Not really. My aspiration is to statesmanship. Remember, anybody can be a politician but very few can be statesmen.”
