By Polycarp Nwaeke
Chief Monday Wehere was born in 1960 into the respected family of Rumuwosu, Rumuwokerebe in Rumuokwurusi, Obio Akpor Local Government Area, and also hailed from the great Ogiamien Royal Family of Benin Kingdom.
From those roots he carried a deep sense of identity, culture, and responsibility that shaped his life and work.
He chose journalism as his calling, and in Port Harcourt he founded Surveillance, one of the oldest newspapers in Rivers State.
Through Surveillance he did more than publish news; he built a school of practice where many young journalists learned their craft.
He taught them how to write incisive stories, how to ask the right questions, and how to report with courage and clarity.
I worked with his newspaper briefly before moving to other titles, and I saw firsthand his patience with beginners and his insistence on standards.
He was one of the founders of the Rivers State Independent Newspapers Publishers Association (RIVPA) and chaired the association several times.
His leadership in RIVPA helped strengthen independent publishing in Rivers at a time when it was not easy to sustain.
He was also a staunch member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State chapter, and his contributions to the union were invaluable.
Colleagues recall his steady voice in meetings, his fairness in disputes, and his willingness to stand for journalists’ welfare.
Chief Wehere was an amiable personality — easygoing, loving, compassionate, and always eager to help people.
He welcomed fellow journalists to his office with open arms, cracking jokes that lightened long days in the newsroom.
He enjoyed teaching, and he shared with many his own brand of spirituality which he called ‘Esoteric’, which he practiced wholeheartedly throughout his life.
In his office in those days he created a mini kitchen where staff would cook for journalists who trooped in, ensuring no one worked hungry.
He understood the economics of the profession and was famously understanding with advertisers and colleagues alike.
Chief Wehere would collect as little as N20,000 to publish a full-page advertisement that other papers would charge N100,000 for.
Later on, as survival became too difficult in journalism, Monday Wehere opted to use his newspaper for public relations jobs which were what kept the newspaper afloat until his demise.
That decision was not abandonment of journalism but an adaptation, and he carried it out with the same integrity he brought to reporting.
He believed journalism should serve the public, not just profit, and he lived that belief in small, consistent acts.
He died on the 2nd of December, 2025, at the age of 65, leaving a void in newsrooms and homes across Port Harcourt.
Because of the love Rivers journalists had for him, they organized a candlelight memorial ceremony in his honor on Thursday, March 26.
The ceremony was held at the NUJ Press Center, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, and drew many journalists who came to pay their respects.
One after another, colleagues gave glowing tributes to their departed friend, recalling his mentorship, humor, and kindness.
Family members also spoke, pinpointing his achievements while alive and the values he instilled in them.
As he is laid to rest on Saturday, April 4th, at his hometown in Rumuokwurusi, the community will gather to bid him farewell.
He will be remembered for his generosity, his kindness, and the love he showed to humanity without discrimination.
He is survived by his wife, his brothers, his children, and many grandchildren who will carry forward his name and lessons. Chief Monday Wehere’s pen is still, but the many journalists he trained will continue to write, and in their work, his voice lives on.
