Raymond Dokpesi: Senate urges FG to immortalise late AIT founder

The Senate, on Wednesday, urged the federal government to immortalise the late founder of DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi.

The resolutions were sequel to the point of Order raised by Senator Francis Alimikhena (PDP-Edo) at the plenary.

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Mr Alimikhena, while reading Mr Dokpesi’s profile, said his first business, Africa Ocean Lines, was the first indigenous shipping line in Africa and was established in the 1980s.

“Although the business did not last long, it contributed to the Nigerian Shipping Industry.

“It helped to formulate the Nigerian Shipping Act Decree 1986, which stated the sharing formula of 40:20:20 for cargo between developed and developing countries.”

He also explained that Mr Dokpesi launched his broadcast outfit when government-owned organisations dominated the media industry.

Other senators took turns eulogising Mr Dokpesi.

Sen. Eyinnaya Abaribe (APGA-Abia) described him as a trailblazer who pioneered private radio and television stations in the country.

“For that, we must at all times always remember the late Dokpesi as the man that stood forward for Nigeria and gave us one of the key ingredients of democracy, which is freedom of information.”

Similarly, Sen. Smart Adeyemi (APC-Kogi) said, “AIT, irrespective of how you look at it, is a balancing force in the media.

“He was a man that this country will miss greatly. Dokpesi contributed in no small measure to the growth of broadcast journalism in Nigeria.”

For Sen. Biodun Olujimi (PDP-Ekiti), the late media mogul brought the African Ocean Lines and also broke the jinx when he brought DAAR Communications.

A minute silence was observed in honour of Mr Dokpesi and was led by Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, who presided over the plenary.

(NAN)