Celebrating journalism in Nasarawa State where leaders are made; the inspirational story of Comrade Dogo Shammah's rise from the microphone to the mantle of opposition
By God'spower Ede, Lafia.
When Nasarawa State was created in 1996, the terrain was raw, the institutions were young, and the truth needed fearless messengers. Among the pioneer voices that braved the dust roads and distant hamlets across the state’s 13 local government areas was Comrade Dogo Shammah— a rural, rugged reporter whose pen and voice became synonymous with courage, consistency, and impact.
In those early years, Dogo was not just reporting the news; he was shaping the narrative. His byline and voice were regular features on Nasarawa Broadcasting Service news bulletins at 5 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., the daily rhythm of information for thousands of households. So dominant was his presence that pioneer mass communication students of the then Nasarawa State Polytechnic, now Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic when asked “Who is a journalist?” would answer without hesitation: “Dogo Shammah is a journalist.” That was both a definition and a standard.
He carved a niche not through grandstanding, but through selfless storytelling — giving voice to the voiceless and putting faces to forgotten communities. That quiet service did not go unnoticed. Dogo rose through the ranks to become the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nasarawa State Council, serving two terms. In that role, he became the conscience of the press and the rallying point for a profession in transition.
Towards the end of his second tenure, Governor Abdullahi Sule spotted what many had long known: leadership does not always come from party halls. In 2019, the Governor appointed Dogo as his first Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism. The appointment was both an honour and a crossroads — it demanded he lay down his microphone and retire from active civil service in 2021.
But for Dogo Shammah, public service is not a season; it is a vocation. Since leaving office, he has continued to navigate the corridors of leadership at various levels. Now, his years of preparation have culminated in another defining chapter: he has been appointed State Chairman of the newly registered Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) in Nasarawa State.
The NDC is fast becoming the political bride for disillusioned heavyweights fleeing the internal fractures of the traditional opposition. With the entry of national figures like Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the party is positioning itself as the new rallying platform ahead of 2027. The rumoured “OK Movement”— Obi-Kwankwaso alliance — is already stirring the political waters, much like the Obidient wave did in 2023.
And in Nasarawa, the baton of this emerging opposition rests firmly in the hands of a man who understands the power of narrative: Comrade Dogo Shammah — veteran journalist, former NUJ Chairman, former Commissioner. He now leads the charge to offer the state an alternative voice when 2027 arrives.
Dogo Shammah’s journey from newsroom to news maker is proof that in Nasarawa, journalism does not just report leadership — it produces it. Prepared, tested, and now positioned, he steps into 2027 not as a spectator, but as a contender shaping the next political chapter.
For Nasarawa, the message is clear: the storyteller has become the story.
*God'spower Ede is a senior news editor with the Nasarawa Broadcasting Service NBS*
