Govs, APC, NPAN condole with NUJ

[Punch]

A torrent of condolences from governors, the All Progressives Party, the Police and the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, on Wednesday, trailed the death of the three journalists, who lost their lives in an auto accident that took place in the Osu area of Osun State on Friday.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Monday led some members of the State Executive Council on a sympathy visit to the state council Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Gbenga Opadotun, and the National Treasurer of the union, Alhaji Fatimah Abdulkareem, who are currently on admission at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

The state government officials also paid a condolence visit to the Awotan, Ibadan residence of Mr. Olatunde Oluwanike, a staff of Federal Radio Corporation, Ibadan, who died in the auto accident.

The governor, who was represented on the occasion by his deputy, Chief Alake Adeyemo, said the death of Oluwanike was an irreparable loss and a void that could not be filled.

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on his part, commiserated with the NUJ over the death of three of its members.

The governor, in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Peter Okhiria, said the death of the journalists was most painful, given the fact that they embarked on the journey to press home a case for enhanced welfare for their members.

He said, "I had met the late Adolphus Okonkwo at the Constitution Review conference of the NUJ held in Benin in 2011, and from my interactions with him, he came across as a dedicated, dutiful and thoroughbred professional, who knew his onions.

Similarly, Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, described the death of the three journalists as most shocking, sad and a monumental loss to their families and the union.

In a condolence message to the NUJ, the governor noted the invaluable contributions made by the late Okonkwo; the National Financial Secretary of the NUJ, Kafayat Odunsi of NTA, Lagos, and Tunde Oluwanike of Radio Nigeria, Ibadan Network Centre, to the growth of the profession and national development, stressing that they would be greatly missed by all.

The All Progressives Congress also condoled with the NUJ as well as the families of the three journalists, saying the party was deeply shocked and saddened by the untimely deaths.

"Please accept our condolences on the demise of your colleagues and family members. We pray that God will grant repose to the souls of the departed and give all those they left behind the strength to bear their irreparable loss,'' the party said in a statement on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The Lagos State Police Command expressed sadness over the death of the three journalists.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Umar Manko, in a statement on Monday, condoled with the families of the victims and the NUJ on the death of the journalists.

Manko, in the statement, said, "Words seem inadequate to express the sadness we feel about the sudden demise of our dear journalists, who lost their lives in a ghastly motor accident in Ilesa, Osun State.

"The command shares your grief at this time of bereavement with deepest sympathy and condolence. We pray that God, in His infinite mercy, will grant you the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss."

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, also sympathised with the NUJ on the death of three of its members.

The minister said at a press briefing on Monday in Abuja that he received the news with shock, and described the accident as unfortunate.

Wogu said the ministry and his entire family identified with the families of the deceased in their moment of grief.

He said, "I received with shock the news of the sudden death of the active journalists, cut down in their prime by the cold hand of death through a ghastly motor accident in Ilesa, Osun.

"I share in the pain and identify with the NUJ and families of the deceased in this moment of grief.''

In a related development, the Newspapers Proprietors' Association of Nigeria on Monday commiserated with the NUJ over the death of the three journalists.

In a condolence  letter  to the NUJ President, Garba Mohammed, NPAN described the death of the trio as "a monumental loss to the "fraternity of pen profession" and the nation at large.

NPAN's General Secretary, Comfort Obi, who wrote the letter dated August 4, 2013,  on behalf of the association's Executive Council, also prayed for courage for the union, its members, and families of the deceased to bear the loss of the deceased.

The Punch