- As the right-hand man of Archbishop Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, all you needed to get to the Archbishop was to contact Msgr. Osu.
- He knew how to feed the media with relevant news and to get them coming back for more.
- He never disappointed.
By Tony Agbugba, KSM
Sir Tony Agbugba, KSM
I enjoyed a very close working relationship with the late Very Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Osu. He was a father figure, my mentor and my friend. He was an exceptional priest with a great love for all and sundry. Highly charismatic and good-looking, he attracted people to himself like bees to honey. As a communicator, he was the darling of the Nigerian media. For over twenty-five years he held sway as the Director of Communications in the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, ensuring that the voice of the Church was properly heard and understood. Though domiciled in Lagos, when he spoke, it was like the whole Church in Nigeria had spoken. He was very proficient with the spoken word, the radio and the television. He could delve into any topic that bothered on human rights, faith and justice at short notice. You could call him at any time of the day to react to issues affecting the State and the Church, and you would not be disappointed. He was a media delight, ever smiling, ever accommodating, ever willing to share his conviction on how to make the world a better place. That is the vintage Msgr. Gabriel Osu.
“The late Msgr. Gabriel Osu was for years a household name in the communications apostolate in Nigeria.” – Sir Agbugba, KSM.
The late Msgr. Gabriel Osu was for years a household name in the communications apostolate in Nigeria. A native of Obulu-Uku in Delta State, he was ordained a Catholic priest in the year 1981 at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos. He was later sent to Rome to study Moral Theology at the Accademia Alfonsiana, where he bagged an S.T.L. in Moral Theology. He returned to the Archdiocese of Lagos in 1987 and was appointed chaplain to St. Gregory’s and Holy Child Colleges, Obalende, Lagos. Before travelling to Rome for further studies, he was privileged to serve as the Master of Ceremonies at the Holy Cross Cathedral during the visit to Nigeria of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II in the year 1982.
The late Very Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Osu during one of his birthdays.
An Exceptional Priest
Very Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Osu was always down-to-earth and accessible. He was always friendly, ready to attend to the spiritual needs of God’s people. Wherever he went, you would always see people flocking around him, particularly the needy, who always left with smiles after encountering him. He was generous to a fault. I recall following him on several occasions to some churches, including not-so-flourishing places like Maroko, a ghetto-like part of Lagos Island, in the late eighties. He never distinguished between the poor and the rich. And his phone was always buzzing with calls from all and sundry.
“he had an uncanny interest in the media and could make any sacrifice to ensure the Church was at the forefront of positive public discourse.” – Sir Agbugba, KSM.
He will always be remembered for bringing back to life the comatose Catholic Herald newspaper around 1990 on his return from further studies. Though he never formally studied Communications, he had an uncanny interest in the media and could make any sacrifice to ensure the Church was at the forefront of positive public discourse. The then Archbishop, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, spotted this gift in Msgr. Osu, hence he was quick to appoint him not only as the General Manager of the Catholic Herald newspaper, but also as the Communications Director of the Archdiocese of Lagos. He occupied this position for well over twenty-five years, making him the longest serving in the Church in Nigeria. I recall the great sacrifices made by Msgr. Osu to ensure that the newspaper came out on a regular basis, often using his own resources and reaching out to friends and well-wishers. He enjoyed a very good working relationship with the media, from the Managing Director to the reporter – everyone knew Msgr. Gabriel Osu.
As the right-hand man of Archbishop Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, all you needed to get to the Archbishop was to contact Msgr. Osu. He knew how to feed the media with relevant news and to get them coming back for more. He never disappointed.
“During the military era, when Archbishop Okogie was on regular collision with the powers-that-be, Msgr. Osu was the engine house…” – Sir Agbugba, KSM.
During the military era, when Archbishop Okogie was on regular collision with the powers-that-be, Msgr. Osu was the engine house, mobilising all the ‘arsenals’ in his kitty to ensure that his principal never lacked bullets. He knew when to speak and when to shift attention to the Archbishop, when to ‘fire’ and when to retreat. He remains a hero, the hand behind the curtain. To show you the exceptional personality that Msgr. Osu is, allow me to take you back to an interesting story of how I first met him at his residence in Obalende in 1991. I felt both nervous and excited as I approached the imposing building that served as the priest’s residence. How would Fr. Osu receive me? I wasn’t there for a job interview or financial aid – I just wanted to learn how I could be more involved in Catholic journalism.
The office of the Catholic Herald was situated in a modest room on the ground floor of the parish house. Upon arrival, I was greeted by Pascal Omole, Fr. Osu’s steward at the time, who led me to the priest. He was gentle-looking and quite friendly. Though I was barely 21, he never looked down on my age. Rather, he listened attentively as I explained my aspirations. He asked several questions to better understand my intentions and, after our conversation, took me on a tour of the school and introduced me to Mr. Tony Cardoso, the editor of the Catholic Herald. Mr. Cardoso was a veteran journalist from the famous Cardoso family of Lagos Island. I also met Mr. Joseph Umukoro. At the time, the Catholic Herald was a modest operation, and the office was sparsely furnished – far from the bustling newsroom environment I had imagined.
“The hours spent with Fr. Gabriel Osu and my senior colleagues at their meetings encouraged my passion for Catholic journalism.” – Sir Agbugba, KSM.
After this first visit, whenever I was on the island, I would make it a point to stop by St. Gregory’s College. Fr. Osu and Mr. Cardoso always welcomed me with open arms. I recall sitting leisurely several times with the veteran Catholic communicators at St. Gregory’s College over a drink. At the meeting were the likes of late Ted Mukoro, Sony Irabor, Ibidun Allison, late Fortunatus Dawodu, late Akin Peter Thomas, Peter Oke, Chief Julie Coker, etc. These were the who’s who of the Lagos media. They all came together with Msgr. Osu on a monthly basis to discuss how to communicate the views of the Church to the society.
During one of such meetings, the focal theme was the election that brought in the late Sir Michael Otedola, who was a Catholic. We were all rooting for him, though his two other competitors were very formidable. At the time, the two major candidates that were the favourites to win were clearly Dapo Sarumi and Dr. Femi Agbalajobi. However, as fate would have it, due to internal squabbles, the two leading candidates were disqualified and Sir Michael Otedola, a native of Epe, was elected as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, and he went on to emerge as the governor of Lagos State. The fact that he was a devoted Catholic and a Knight excited us, and we were only glad to support him in any way we could for him to succeed. We chanted, “Ote ti dola” (the rejected one has emerged victorious).
The hours spent with Fr. Gabriel Osu and my senior colleagues at their meetings encouraged my passion for Catholic journalism. That meeting metamorphosed into what we now call the Catholic Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria. For years, we met regularly at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, with Msgr. Osu in attendance, leading the way. Later, I got to work more closely with Msgr. Osu on several projects, including being the Editor of the Evangelist Newsletter at St. John the Evangelist, which was founded in 1996. He it was who gave me the opportunity to cover the Pope’s visit to Nigeria in 1998, among several other offers. When eventually he invited me to work with him in the Directorate of Social Communications in the year 2010 and as Editor of the Catholic Herald in 2012, I never looked back because I knew it was another opportunity to serve God.
Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Osu.
“I enjoyed working with him because he allowed you to express yourself and guided you through.” – Sir Agbugba, KSM.
Msgr. Osu was a man of great ideas and vision, always ready for the next project that would move the Church forward. He was a regular voice on radio through the Catholic Family Radio on Raypower FM every Sunday. No major event in the Church ended without a report of it in the major national dailies, courtesy of his office. He was a regular face on television, always speaking, always educating, always advocating for good governance. I enjoyed working with him because he allowed you to express yourself and guided you through. Even when you made mistakes, he corrected with love and never condemned. He had always dreamed of building an ultra-modern communications centre with state-of-the-art equipment for the Archdiocese. Alas! Illness never allowed it to materialise.
On Friday May 12, 2026 Msgr Osu passed on after a protracted illness; aged 72. Though he is no more, I will always remember Msgr. Gabriel Osu as an exceptional priest who brought smiles to many. Such a great man deserves to be immortalised because the likes of him are rare. He was a silent philanthropist who went out of his way to touch lives, including fellow priests who also benefited from his generosity. He was a communicator par excellence, a lover of God and an outstanding fisher of men.
Editor’s Note: All photos are courtesy of Sir Tony Agbugba, KSM.
