Here is a brief biograph of Dr Reuben Abati(culled from wikipedia.org)

Reuben Abati, born November 7, 1965 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, is a newspaper columnist. He was a first class honours graduate of Theater Arts from the University of Calabar where he won the Vice-Chancellor’s prize for the best overall graduating student and presently the chairman of the editorial board of the Nigerian newspaper The Guardian. His column also appears regularly on the popular Nigerian website, [Nigerian Village Square (NVS)]See Abati's page on NVS.

He has won a number of awards including The Cecil King Memorial Prize for Print Journalist of the Year in 1998, The Diamond Award for Media Excellence for Informed Commentary in 1998, Fletcher Challenge Commonwealth Prize for Opinion Writing in 2000, and the Diamond Award for Media Excellence for Informed Commentary, 2000.

He is married to Iyabo Abati who is a banker. He has four kids, James Abati, Elizabeth Abati, Daniel Abati and Samuel Abati. Recently appointed as the spokesman for President Goodluck Jonathan.


Now spokesman(Media matters) for the president.

In the recent times,he has been fantastically doing the jobs he is paid to do.I used to respect him,his views and contributions on national issues.But ever since,he has become the spokeman,his opinion,perspectives etc on national issues have drastically changed and turned to anti-democracy crusader considering his stance on 6-year single term and other issues.

What is/areyour opinion(s) about this man.Is Dr Reuben Abati a true patriot?

Leave the man to do the job he is paid to do. Who cares if you lost respect for him or not? What has he said or done wrong? List them here one by one to let us see, and if you cant list them to convince us, you and millions like you who criticize for nothing should just keep quiet.

Depends on your view of patriotism; to me its good he's there in government, it would be a good test of his standards and ideals, I hope he wont turn out to be like fani kayode and el-rufai who spent a while in office only to come out and criticize their boss for their failures.

This thread is another example of the petty and shabby politics that the opposition has taken to. You don't just try to smear a mans name for no reason, it is immoral.

It is disgusting to behave as if Abati is committing some kind of sin because he is in govt. What does anybody have to point at that the man has done wrong?
Is it that he has a doctorate? Is it that he obtained his doctorate in his early twenties? Is it that he is an accomplished author and journalist? What has Abati done to you?

The OP went so low on this one. Will YOU turn down the offer of being the presidential mouth peice if you are approach(assuming you can handle the task)? Lets be sincere and deal with issues and not sentiments or using slightest opportunity to display sheer envy.

Am a professional with a super IQ , so i know the pains . . .2pac says "even the genius are asking questions and regretting for blessings"

I think this deserves coming back to FP. The views here were 2011. How about now?

Abati used to be a critic of the brashness of the current first lady when her husband was vice-president, how he came to be involved in the cover-up and bared faced lies that she was not sick and only went for a rest is a big somersault. if Abati had remained at Guardian at he material time, he would have produced an article condemning the deceit of government functionaries. Te fact that he was involved shows a man not ready to leave by the principles he espoused in the editorial column and in patito's gang discussion.

Then how is he able to defend the wrong decisions and impunity of this government such invasion of the house of assembly, swearing in of Fayose after a judge was beaten up, preventing the House from investigating his Minister of petroleum etc. Imagine what he would have written against this government actions if he were independent.

The fact that none of the above listed incidents and many others has made him indignant enough to walk away shows that he is more concerned about his pay and prestige than principles.

In that guise he is far from a patriot, how can you compare someone not willing to lay down his pay to someone who is ready or has laid down his life?