On Friday (October 30) I joined a room full of legends of Nigerian broadcasting at a surprise party to celebrate the impending birthday my great egbon, Ron Mgbatogu, at 80 (on November 2, 2026).
With the excellent Anike-Ade Treasure Durodola adroitly directing the programme, it was an elegant and heartfelt opportunity for long-standing friends and colleagues to enjoy a reunion on account of their ‘Ronnie Boy’ clocking this landmark age! Looking around that room, I thought about how many of the voices that shaped our lives belonged to people gathered there, and how privileged I am to call one of them my egbon, my mentor, and my friend.
Egbon Ron and I have known each other since 1987, when I worked as a radio/TV producer at Lintas advertising in its famous 202 Awolowo Road Ikoyi enclave. He was Client Service Director, leading the brand-building work for Guinness, and I had the privilege of working for him and his team. But long before our paths crossed in advertising, he was already a star: an accomplished broadcaster on Radio Nigeria, presenting news and current affairs programmes with the authority, elegance and unmistakable bass voice that became his signature.
For a young producer finding his feet, there was much to learn simply by watching him work. His presence, his standards and his understanding of how to communicate all left an impression that has stayed with me.
Then, shortly after his 70th birthday, I had the gall to ask this distinguished gentleman to become “The General” in our television drama series, BATTLEGROUND! He could quite reasonably have told his aburo to let him enjoy his retirement. Instead, he embraced the adventure and gave us one of the most memorable characters in the series.
As General Horace Njoku, popularly known as “The General”, Ron brought a commanding screen presence to the complex world of BATTLEGROUND. A formidable military figure whose authority, alliances and influence intersected with the power struggles and intrigues of the Bhadmus family, he became an important pillar of the show’s dramatic universe. His sharp delivery, remarkable poise and natural authority gave the character a distinctive credibility.
For more than 260 episodes, he inhabited that role with such conviction that The General became one of the standout characters of the series. BATTLEGROUND, produced for Africa Magic, became one of Nollywood’s flagship telenovelas, and Ron found himself winning a new generation of admirers across the continent. People who may never have heard him on radio or encountered his work in advertising discovered him afresh—and claimed him as their own.
I found something deeply moving in that.
Here was a man I had looked up to for decades, trusting me enough to step into a new creative experience with us. Directing the work of someone whose example had helped shape your own is a particular privilege. You feel the responsibility.
You also feel the joy.
There was something especially gratifying about watching a man whose voice had commanded radio and television for decades now command the screen in an entirely different way. Egbon Ron reminded us all that talent does not retire simply because the years advance. It finds new expressions, new audiences and sometimes, new adventures.
Just a couple of years ago he also brought his star-power to my latest project performing as a newscaster in our feature adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s THE MAN DIED, now streaming on Prime Video. There was a lovely sense of a circle closing: that familiar broadcast authority finding its place once again in another generation’s storytelling.
Egbon, thank you for the example you have set, for your guidance and for the trust you have placed in me. Thank you for showing us that a distinguished career can still make room for curiosity, play and new beginnings. Above all, thank you for being someone I can continue to look up to, with affection and gratitude, after all these years.
May God bless you with good health, peace, laughter and many more years surrounded by love. Happy 80th birthday, my dear egbon. You were a star long before we called you General. It has been our joy to give a new generation the chance to discover why.
With love and deep respect.
**Odugbemi, a filmmaker and storyteller, is the CEO of Zuri24 Media
