- Dedicated to Conrade Joe Ihonde, who passed on recently.
THE Nigerian Television Authority, (NTA) , still remains the most profound media House, I have encountered as a Young Boy growing up in the Sakponba Road /1st ,2nd and 3rd East Circular Axis of Benin City .I always looked forward to the many sitcoms, satirical and didactic bouquet that NTA Offered Daily and so did many of my age mates nationwide .
Lagos had its Village Headmaster and Basi & Company, South East had its Masquerade / Echoku and we in Bendel (Benin Delta ) had our own Hotel de Jordan. As Young children in Benin, Sunday was when we had our special delicacy -Rice and Stew ,sone times served with the Izoko leave , an esoteric presentation, understood only by the profound .Sundays were also when we watched the very comic , but satirical drama- Hotel De Jordan .Introduced by its apt sound track that captures the Nigerian Tragedy, thus : Poor Man Dey Suffer , Monkey Dey Work , Baboon Dey Chop
The Satirical Drama had different characters that surmises the Nigerian Pysche .From.the Bourgeois Chief Ajas , the oppressive money bag; the play boy Casino Manager; to the higly verbose Bob Alan , the probing journalist, played by a very ecclectic personality-Professor Richard Idubor who was my teacher in the Prestigious University of Benin, at the Faculty of Law , Ewuruojakor the symbol of a parasitic clergy; Dr Milo Moro the grandiose wordsmith; Idemudia and Kokori who both depict Nigerian”s Preloteriats ,the talakawas , who live on hope , singing priases on Chief Ajas ,like I say na lie , I say na bigi bigi lie o, person no go big , make e big like Chief Ajas, and the quite witty Gede Gede Gbemwuan.
The Sitcom was a constant feature in family discussions and the Bendel Public could relate , because it depicted the decrepit decadence of the time .
Not many people knew that there was a genius called Comrade Jonathan Ihonde , who created this Programme. PA Joe as he was later fondly called, kept the programme going for years with tenacity of purpose. This article is therefore a tribute to the man who.put smiles on our faces and gave us an insight as Young boys and girls , into the complex mellieu of the Nigerian jigsaw.
Rest on Uncle Joe , may your soul rest in perfect peace !I never met Uncle Joe , but his giant strides resonates , even into the next generation. For you reading this piece ask yourself this question What will I be remembered for?
