Also, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, National Union of Textile, Garments and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria and Bayelsa State Council of NUJ, sent condolence messages.
In a condolence message to the President of the NUJ, Mallam Garba Mohammed, in Abuja, through his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, Mark lamented that the journalists were cut down in their prime.
He said: “I received with shock and sadness the death of your colleagues through a ghastly motor accident in Ilesa, Osun State. This is unfortunate.
“I share in this pain and earnestly identify with you in this moment of grief. Please accept my condolence on behalf of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Ten other members of the union involved the accident which took place along Ilesa-Ife-Ibadan Expressway, sustained various degrees of injury. While four of them are under intensive medical care in Lagos and Ibadan, six have been discharged from the hospitals.
The accident claimed the lives of Adolphus Okonkwo of the Voice of Nigeria, and former Secretary of Lagos council of NUJ; Olatunde Oluwanike of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, and Kafayat Odunsi of Nigeria Television Authority, Ikeja, Lagos.
Fatimah Abdulkareem, the National Treasurer of NUJ and chairman of Oyo; chairman and secretary of Lagos State Council, Deji Elumoye and Sylva Okereke, and Gbenga Opadokun are under intensive medical care. They were returning from Abuja after an official engagement.
In his condolence message, Governor Fashola of Lagos State, through Special Adviser on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello, expressed regret that the journalists lost their lives in the course of promoting the interest of their profession.
Oshiomhole, in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, 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.
I have no doubt that the other victims, Olatunde Oluwanike and Kafayat Odunsi, were no doubt eminent journalists in whom their colleagues reposed great confidence thus electing them as their representatives. I commiserate with the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, and the other entire media professionon this unfortunate inci dent.”
Ahmed: On his part, Governor Ahmed, through his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, described the death as unfortunate, shocking and devastating. Ahmed said: “The death of the journalists has again brought to the front burner the issue of insurance policies for working journalists in view of the hazardous nature of their vocation.”
Ahmed urged employers of journalists, whether in the private or public sector, to wholeheartedly embrace journalists insurance culture , just as his administration has done for all working journalists in the state, irrespective of their employers.
Sultan: In the same vein, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, in a statement on his behalf by Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the Secretary-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, said: “We received with deep grief and sorrow, the news of a road accident in Osun State which reportedly claimed the lives of three national officers of the Union. Coming at this time of our national life, such a disturbing incident only amounts to additional agony for the entire country, especially with daily reports of callous killings in one form or another”.
While commiserating with families of the deceased and the national leadership of the NUJ, the Sultan prayed the Almighty God to grant the souls of the victims eternal rest.He also prayed to God to grant their families the fortitude to bear the loss.
Tambuwal: Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, described victims of the auto crash as heroes who dedicated their professional lives towards the progress of their country.
He said by their sudden deaths, the nation has lost the services of vibrant and consummate professionals who gave their all for the unity and development of their union and the country at large.
Textile union: For NUTGTWN, its General Secretary Issa Aremu, who is also a Vice President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, said in a statement: “Our heartfelt sympathy goes to the dead, their dependants as well as the ten others that reportedly sustained injuries in the accident and are receiving treatment
“We pray and wish all of them a quick recovery. The death of these Journalists and comrades is highly regrettable as it was preventable if there were good road governance in terms of good and maintained roads, and appropriate road safety measures. Indeed the sudden deaths of these working Journalists further points to crisis of governance in Nigeria.”
Bayelsa NUJ: In a statement in Yenagoa signed by the chairman, Tarinyo Akono, the state council of the NUJ, noted that it was a trying time for the NUJ family adding that only God could see media practitioners through.The statement said: “We commiserate with the families of our colleagues who died in an auto accident last Friday. May God console and strengthen their loved ones. Our prayers also go to those injured and hospitalised.”
- See more at: http://houseretailnews.blogspot.com/2013/08/sad-death-of-journalists-govs-tambuwal.html#sthash.QkCcKe6u.dpuf
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