High Chief Raymond Aleogho Anthony Dokpesi, By Soni Irabor

PRELUDE

As an introduction to this tribute by Soni Irabor, I would like to explain that in January 1968 when I was admitted to Form One in Immaculate Conception College, ICC, Benin City, Raymond Dokpesi was already in Form Four and my friend and brother, Soni Irabor was two years ahead of me in Form Three, so Soni had more time to interact and know Raymond more than us ‘small boys’. Small we were, at least as compared to Raymond who was a big bulky guy. He was the school goalkeeper and I know he also was an athlete, the sprints, I think. But three years gap was not a joke and we young ones looked up to the seniors, especially if they were sportsmen which made them also popular. His name, Raymond is also my given, baptism and confirmation name so the attraction of namesakes was also there. After he left ICC, my path with Raymond Dokpesi did not cross again until we established the Lagos Branch of ICC Old Boys Association in Lagos in the late 70s/early 80s and he hosted our meeting a couple of times in his Victoria Island residence, as we moved from one old boy’s house to another then. Our paths did not cross at the business level but I know Soni kept in touch with him and they did some business together, while a couple of his sisters were our co-parishioners at St. Agnes Maryland and always kept us updated about the family. Of course, my brother Tony Akiotu, as CEO of DAAR Communications Group, was always our link too. 

Like many others like us touched by the recent demise of Raymond Dokpesi, Soni Irabor’s tribute to the great man was also touching. Here it is.

Epa Ogie R. Eboigbe

===================

HIGH CHIEF RAYMOND ALEOGHO ANTHONY DOKPESI, BY SONI IRABOR

As you journey to your maker, I cannot but look at the man, the school mate, the philanthropist, the humble but great trailblazer who has kept faith being a humanist et al.

This gentle giant came from Loyola College Ibadan to Immaculate Conception College Benin and passed from the class of 1969. He was one year before me, I left in 1970. I didn’t see him again until many years later after he had returned from Poland with a PhD. He was a Personal Assistant to Alhaji Bamanga Tukur at the Ministry of Transport.  He was also with Bamanga Tukur when he was Governor Gongola State in the 70s. Dokpesi was uniquely positioned to rise because he was a reliable, dependable confidant of his principal. the relationship lasted till the end.

It is worthy to note that he was in the thick of the stormy shareholders’ relationship between Bamanga Tukur, M K O Abiola and Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. It culminated in Dokpesi becoming the MD of Africa Ocean Lines. It was a short-lived success story as the main shareholders parted ways and allowed one of Africa’s largest shipping lines to go down. I had seen Dokpesi in his AOL London office. He stood solidly with Bamanga Tukur throughout the imbroglio. Unfortunately, that promising enterprise didn’t last but his resilient spirit did. In no time he had been breeding his media enterprise when in 1992 he pioneered the first private radio station in Nigeria during the Babangida years. President Babangida granted the first set of private broadcasting licences and Ray Power 100.5fm Radio was born. It was a huge success from the outset. Raymond was never shy to seek advice from people. He always went for the best and he had a good crop of them from Kenny Ogungbe, Sesan Ekisola, Dayo Oduneye, Ladi Lawal (RIP), Tony Akiotu to name a few. There were many who consulted in the background like Mohammed Okorejior (RIP).

He had an open-door policy that made his Alagbado sprawling office, a behive of activities. Friends, colleagues and associates were always welcome but it never deterred his hands in the control of his growing media empire.

I was one of his privileged few who were invited to his beautiful home in Victoria Island to discuss how my programme Soni Irabor Live would have its maiden broadcast on his brand new African Independent Television, AIT. It was High Chief Raymond Dokpesi that named it Soni Irabor Live, SIL. Everyone at the meeting immediately agreed. Kenny Ogungbe, Sesan Ekisola and Late Ladi Lawal all agreed it was a good title.  This was in late 1996. High Chief was to ‘stampede me to start immediately! This meant I had to get a Producer, a Director and of course a befitting guest! I got Ebis Ogunoyibo to act as Producer/Director. High Chief directed his staff to build a befitting set for the programme. I was very lucky to get the then High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Mr. George Nene. We were over one hour late for the maiden edition of the programme! Reason: heavy traffic from Ikoyi to Alagbado at peak evening rush hour. High Chief Raymond Dokpesi was waiting calmly to receive us in person! I looked distraught, very anxious! But he calmly took us to his office, made us comfortable and I excused myself to go and prepare for the programme.  He brought the Ambassador to the studio and we had a very fantastic programme!

I had some of the best guests on Soni Irabor Live on AIT because of High Chief Raymond’s welcoming disposition. Jerry Rawlins of Ghana, Ruth Perry of Liberia, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Emeka Anyioku, Senator Jibrin Aminu and Grace Alele-Williams; to name a few.

The rest is history.

On a personal note, High Chief was my friend from Immaculate Conception College Benin and he played host to the old students of ICCOBA a few times at his Victoria Island Lagos residence. The last encounter between us was in December 2022 when I appealed to him to be the Chairman at our annual dinner at Federal Palace Hotel. He told me he was just arriving Abuja from Lagos but he would ask his wife Chief Moji Dokpesi to stand in for him. It was a glorious day for all our Old Boys as the wife not only showed up but gave a good account of herself in representing her husband.

High Chief Raymond Aleogho Anthony Dokpesi was as hardworking as he was happy-go-lucky.  He was humble yet firm. Very giving (generous is an understatement). His bulky hairy frame belied the simplicity he exuded.

His sudden passing is a rude shock! But God gives, God takes. One never knows when. We thank God for your great life. I remember you for all the good you represented to us. God bless you as you journey to your creator. May He grant you eternal rest. Adieu Raymond.

Soni Irabor