Mr Hakeem Bello, a former Editor of the Daily Times, has received accolades from the immediate past Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, media veterans and scholars on his 60th birthday.
Other personalities that celebrated him include veteran media personalities like Lade Bonuola, Eniola Bello, Taiwo Obe and prominent scholars, Professors Tunde Akanni, Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, Wumi Raji, and Akin Adesokan.
Bello, who also served as Special Adviser, Media and Communications to Fashola both as Governor of Lagos State and Minister of Works and Housing, was the toast of the personalities as well as colleagues, family and friends.
They showered the tribute on him in “The Àtàndá Anthology”- a rich compendium of tributes, reflections, and essays published in his honour.
In his Foreword to the book, Fashola, who described Bello as a “selfless patriot and a man whose sacrifices defined loyalty and service”, explained, “He resigned his own job to help me start what was then an uncertain political career.
“Since then, he has made my career his own for two decades and more. This work will explain what sacrifice looks like to those who still lack a definition.”
The former governor extolled Bello’s humility and deep faith, describing him as a man “of modest needs and content, (who) takes parenting and family responsibilities as seriously as he takes his profession”.
“Ultimately, this work is our modest way of celebrating our colleague, friend, brother and a man of many pleasant parts.
“Indeed, for a man who has spent decades shaping Nigeria’s public communication space with quiet diligence and integrity, Hakeem Babatunde Bello’s 60th birthday is not just a milestone; it’s a celebration of legacy,” Fashola said.
“The Àtàndá Anthology: Words, Reflections, Images, Essays on Media and the Arts,” a newly published collection of tributes, reflections, and academic essays was dedicated to the journalist, public communicator, and family man.
Published by Kraft Books Limited, the 324-page volume was edited by Baraka Bello, Wùnmíbáyô Lúpìtàn, and Stanley Ugagbe.
Foreword of the work was done by Fashola, media veterans like Lade Bonuola, Eniola Bello, Taiwo Obe, Tunde Olusunle, Lasisi Olagunju, Angela Agoawike and Adamson Momoh amongst others.
They also shared their recollections of Bello with warmth and admiration with Bonuola describing Bello as the embodiment of discipline and humility.
“… I have interacted with him as my colleague, as an editor and a journalist as well as a public servant. I cannot remember one occasion l felt let down whether by his attitude or action,’ Bonuola said.
To ThisDay’s Managing Director, Bello: “He and l have shared many things together in the last 40 years. We not only share the same surname, Bello, we both studied English at the Department of Modern European Languages, University of Ilorin, graduating the same year, 1988.
“He had personal relationships with not a few of our lecturers, having proved himself a leader and team player,” he wrote.
Veteran journalist and mentor, Taiwo Obe, founder of The Journalism Clinic, recalled Bello’s consistency as “a human being of exceptional goodness and patience.”
Prof. Tunde Olusunle, poet, scholar, and Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, said: “Hakeem was a superb and brilliant mind, respected for his sharp intellect, high morality, and quiet confidence.”
Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, described Bello as “a distinguished scholar even in his undergraduate days.”
“He wrote his final thesis on Wole Soyinka and earned the top grade from Professor Niyi Osundare. He was a friend to everyone, kind, calm, and intellectually gifted.”
Other colleagues, including Prof. Akin Adesokan and Prof. Wumi Raji, highlighted Bello’s rare blend of intelligence and grace.
“He stood apart for his quiet brilliance and conviction. He is proof that humility and intellect can thrive in one man.” Raji noted.
Beyond the professional tributes, The Àtàndá Anthology captures the warmth of family — the love that shapes Bello’s private world.
His wife, Alhaja Habeebat Bello, describes him as “a responsible husband who never complains but always finds solutions.
“He’s a man of faith who leads with kindness. He never sees any distance too far to visit our children in school,” she said.
Their children, Barakah, Kareemah, Raheemah, and Mubarak, add their voices with touching honesty.
“He’s a role model not because he tries to be one, but because it’s simply who he is,” said Raheemah.
“He sacrificed so much to give us the life he didn’t have,” added Kareemah.
“He’s a man of integrity who always reminds us that honesty is better than comfort,” Mubarak shared.
The second half of The Àtàndá Anthology transitions from personal recollections to intellect, turning from tributes to essays that deepen the book’s relevance as a scholarly resource.
One standout paper, “Fake News, Cyberbullying, and Hate Speech: What Is It and How Do We Deal with It?” by Mr Chukwudi Enebeli, SAN, explores the challenges of today’s digital media space and the urgent need for responsible communication.
“Freedom of expression must not be weaponised. The new media environment demands balance, laws guided by ethics, and expression guided by empathy,” Enebeli said.
In celebrating Bello at 60, the anthology indicates the timeless values he embodies: truth, service, and the steady light of a life devoted to others.(NAN)
Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz
