Igwe’s death great loss to Nigeria, say govs, lawmakers, others

                               

Governors, law­makers and other eminent Nigerians yester­day paid glowing tributes to veteran journalist and Vice Chairman of The Sun Publishing Limited, Pastor Dimgba Igwe, describing his death in a hit-and-run auto accident as a huge loss to the country and the pen trade.
Chime
Expressing shock at Dimgba’s passing in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, described the incident as tragic and unfortu­nate.
He described the deceased as a consummate professional and celebrated writer whose contributions to the develop­ment of modern journalism in the country were remarkable and exemplary.
Governor Chime condoled with the family of the de­ceased, the management and staff of The Sun as well as the media community over the sad development.
He urged them to take sol­ace in the worthy legacies the late journalist left behind.
Mimiko
Also speaking, Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, said Igwe’s demise had robbed the journalism pro­fession of a great intellectual and one of its finest brains.
In a condolence message to the deceased’s family, the me­dia and The Sun by his Chief Press Secretary, Eni Akinsola, the governor described the late Igwe as a rare breed among his peers and one of those who raised the bar of journalism profession in the country.


“Dimgba Igwe, through the practice of journalism and his weekly column, blazed the trail in professionalism, he was sen­sitive to national cohesion and development and a worthy role model in mentoring and en­couraging younger Nigerians.
“He was thorough in his writings, deep in his views and convincing in his logic. His death at just 58 notwithstand­ing, he led a remarkable and impactful life and left behind legacies, which will serve as a template for would-be success­ful journalists,” Mimiko said.
Imoke
For Cross River State Gov­ernor, Senator Liyel Imoke, the death of the former deputy managing director and deputy editor-in-chief of The Sun was tragic, shocking and sadden­ing.
Commiserating with the management and staff of The Sun, the governor, in a state­ment by his Chief Press Secre­tary, Mr. Christian Ita, said: “I received the death of Mr. Igwe with shock, pain and deep grief in my heart. It is saddening and regrettable that he died in such a gruesome manner while jog­ging.”
Recalling the late journal­ist’s incisive commentaries in his popular and well-read col­umn, ‘Sideview’, Imoke noted: “He was a seasoned and con­summate journalist who used his column, ‘Sideview’, not only to inform but to deplore the socio-political ills in the society.”
Fayemi
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, however, said the newsman’s death was dev­astating.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, the gover­nor said Igwe was one of the pioneers of human angle re­ports in the print media, which brought some freshness and excitement to newspaper busi­ness and the journalism profes­sion in the country.
The deceased, he said, served the journalism profes­sion with zeal, candour and integrity, adding that Igwe’s place in journalism was firmly secured as he gave much to the job as an editor, columnist, manager and administrator.
Okorocha
Imo State Governor, Ro­chas Okorocha, also expressed shock over the untimely death of Igwe.
In a press statement signed by Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, se­nior special assistant (Media) to the governor, Okorocha de­scribed the deceased as a true apostle of journalism.
“Mr. Igwe practised journal­ism with the fear of God and had also left an indelible mark as a journalist. May his gentle soul rest in the bosom of the Lord,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the governor has also condoled with the for­mer deputy governor of Imo State, Mrs. Ada Okwuonu over the death of her husband, Chi­laka Okwuonu. He described the death of Okwuonu as re­grettable.
Suswam
Also condoling with for­mer governor of Abia State and Publisher of The Sun, Dr. Orji Kalu and Mike Awoyinfa under whom Igwe worked as deputy managing director, Benue State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, expressed shock at the incident.
Suswam, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Public Affairs), Dr. Cletus Akwaya, acknowl­edged Igwe’s contributions in the days of Weekend Con­cord and the birthing of The Sun titles, where he served as deputy managing director for many years.
Amaechi
Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, however, said Igwe was one of the lead­ing lights in the media.
In a condolence letter ad­dressed to the Managing Di­rector and Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Lim­ited, Mr. Femi Adesina, and personally signed by him, the governor said: “Dimgba was passionate and painstaking. A thoroughbred professional and one of Nigeria’s brightest and best. His demise at this time, when our nation is in dire need of men of honour and cour­age and, when his younger colleagues need his steadying hands to guide their practice, is most painful. We in Rivers State feel a deep sense of per­sonal loss because of our close relationship with Pastor Igwe.”
Amaechi called on the Ni­geria Police to ensure that the driver, who knocked down and killed Igwe, was found and brought to book.
“It is unfortunate that this great man was cut down in what is unarguably, his prime as life only just begins at 40. While we wait for justice to be done, we want to assure the family of Pastor Igwe and those of you, his friends and colleagues that we share in your grief,.
“On behalf of my wife, Judith, the government and people of Rivers state, Please, be assured of our prayers as we commend his soul to God from whom we all have come, and to whom we undoubtedly shall return.
“May the soul of our de­parted brother, Dimgba and that of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace,” he said.
Omisore
Also speaking, Senator Iy­iola Omisore described Igwe’s death as shocking, saying the deceased was an icon in jour­nalism, who should be immor­talised.
He said in a condolence message issued yesterday: “I received the news of the un­timely death of Mr. Dimgba Igwe, the vice chairman of The Sun Publishing Limited with shock and disbelief.
“It is unfortunate that the media guru, who bestrode the journalism profession like a colossus, had to take a bow when his service is most needed at this moment of our nation’s history.
“His weekly column in Dai­ly Sun was a must-read for pol­icy makers and politicians be­cause of his elegant prose and an attempt to proffer solutions to the problems besetting the country through an informed. commentary.”
Ikuforiji
In his own condolence mes­sage, Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, described Igwe as one of the best media profes­sionals ever to come out of Africa
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Adebayo, the speaker said: “The sudden death of one of Africa’s best profes­sional media practitioners, in the person of internationally acclaimed Dimgba Igwe , is a national tragedy all Nigerians had wished never happened.
“It is even the more painful and most unfortunate that such a seasoned, hail and hearty pro­fessional could be killed while jogging near his home early on Saturday morning. That he was not even ill at all before his death makes it all the more painful.”
He added: “Right from his days at the Concord Group of newspapers, it is on record that Dimgba displayed rare professionalism, courage and versatility in the discharge of his official duties and soon carved a niche for himself in media practice. It is so sad and unfortunate that we have had to now lose him at his prime, and at this period in our nation’s history, when all seasoned pro­fessionals are needed to bail out our bleeding nation out of the mess in which she currently finds herself.”
Adeyeye
For Minister of State for Works, Prince Adedayo Adey­eye, Igwe’s passing was “one death too painful!”
He said: “This is another dark day in the journalism pro­fession. It is a loss of one of the biggest Iroko trees in the forest of the profession of journalism in Nigeria and I am very sad.”
The minister said the death of Igwe was an exit of a phe­nomenal role model and trail­blazer, who injected vibrancy, glamour and colour into the journalism profession.
Alao-Akala
Former governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, however, said the incident was a great loss to the media pro­fession.
In a press statement, signed by his media aide, Mr. Abra­ham Ojo, the former gover­nor said: “Though death is a price every mortal must pay, Dimgba’s death at this time is a tragic and great loss.
“Dimgba is one of the re­spected journalists and a model in the media profession; his writings and analyses are with­out prejudice and he is noted for writing to enlighten, edu­cate and defend the masses, es­pecially on his back page col­umn of The Sun newspaper.”
Alao-Akala commiser­ated with the family of the de­ceased, Chairman of The Sun Publishing Limited, Orji Kalu, management and staff of the company over the death of the journalist.
Agbaje
In his own tribute, Jimi Ag­baje, a governorship aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the country had lost a foremost icon in the field of journalism.
“Our prayer is that God will grant the Igwe family, The Sun organisation and the entire Nigerian press the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” Ag­baje said.
He, however, urged Igwe’s family and colleagues to take solace in the fact that the de­ceased distinguished himself in his calling as a journalist.
“Igwe was the man with the journalistic midas touch. I have followed his career since he teamed up with Mike Awoy­infa and others to create Week­end Concord, and build the paper into a pinnacle of jour­nalistic excellence. And that feat they replicated when they established The Sun newspa­per chain,” he added.
Uduaghan
Delta State State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, also expressed shock at the death of the celebrated columnist.
In a statement signed by Felix Ofou, his press secretary, the governor said the incident was a big blow to the media, fans and readers of the late journalist as well as lovers of truth worldwide.
Uduaghan recalled Igwe’s elevated piece on Delta and his bold effort at transform­ing the state, noting that the article published in Daily Sun, opened the floodgate for the many awards bestowed on him this year.
“Dimba Igwe’s Sideview column in the Daily Sun is well respected and has a large following. So, when he wrote about our modest ef­forts at transforming Delta State, many people took note. I believe that article and others written by those who attended the Nigerian Guild of Editors conference (NGE) in Asaba last year set the tone for the awards we have received in the last one year,” he said.
He added: “I take this loss as personal. It is also a loss to Delta since the wife is from our state. He was a dependable partner and we were looking forward to more fruitful rela­tionship before death struck.”
Akpabio
In his own reaction, Gov­ernor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State said Igwe’s death was a great loss not only to the journalism profession, but also to the nation.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Deacon Jackson Udom, the governor said: “I received with great shock and disbelief the news of the death of Pastor Igwe. It is indeed one of the darkest days in the nation’s history. Igwe was one of the shinning lights of the pen profession and his days in the defunct National Concord and his decision to team up with the publisher of The Sun Newspaper, Dr. Orji Kalu, was a turning point in de­velopment of the media, which he anchored professionally be­fore his gruesome death.”
Akpabio described the de­ceased as “a fierce and fear­less columnist, who became a household name because of his incisive and revealing analysis of local, national and inter­national issues. This quality and fearless writeups by Igwe would be missed by his teem­ing admirers.”
Idris Wada
Also, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Me­dia and Publicity, Jacob Edi, Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, described Igwe’s death as a “painful and untimely exit of a bastion of hope and an apostle of peace.”
Wada said Igwe carved a niche for himself as a crusader for integrity, rule of law and a saner society through his well-known column in The Sun.
Oyinlola
Former Osun State gover­nor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyin­lola, also expressed shock and disbelief over the death of Pas­tor Igwe.
In a statement he issued yes­terday, the firmer governor said it was a sad irony that a man who used his endowments to preach peace could be a victim of such a death.
He described Igwe as a thor­oughbred professional whose writings evoked the best in hu­manity.
He recalled that as governor, his interactions with Igwe on a number of occasions showed him as a calm intellectual in journalism driven by a deep sense of patriotism and godli­ness.
While commiserating with the Chairman of The Sun, Dr. Orji Kalu, the management and staff of the company, and the media community, Oyinlola prayed God to look after the family the deceased left behind while granting his soul eternal peace.
Ndoma-Egba
But Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba and Senate Ser­vices Committee Chairman, Suleiman Adokwe yesterday described the death of the jour­nalist as a “callous act of mur­der.”
In a statement issued in Abu­ja, Ndoma-Egba said although he “never met the late Igwe in person, I was close to his ‘twin,’ Mike Awoyinfa as we were classmates and through him, I remember their invalu­able efforts to birth The Sun newspaper that we all cherish today. To me, those efforts re­main indelible.”
Adokwe
On his part, Senator Adokwe also admitted not meeting the late Igwe in his lifetime but disclosed that “I was a regular reader of his column and to me, they were a must-read for me and my household.”
Ambode
Former accountant gen­eral of Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode, however, urged the bereaved family, colleagues and fans of the deceased to be consoled by the fact that Igwe deployed his God-given talents for the benefit of the Nigerian masses and mankind.
In a statement by his Special Adviser (Communication), Id­owu Ajanaku, Ambode prayed God to grant the bereaved fam­ily, management and members of staff of The Sun the fortitude to bear the loss.
Oshiomhole
Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who also con­doled with Kalu and members of staff of The Sun, described Igwe as “a journalist’s journal­ist, a teacher, preacher, pen-pusher extra-ordinaire and very humble personality”
A statement signed by the Special Adviser (Media and Public Affairs) to the governor, Prince Kassim Afegbua, said: “My dear comrades at The Sun, take heart. It came as a rude shock to learn of the death of one of your executives, a journalist with the midas touch, whose literary contri­bution to the development of Nigerian media has its unique place in history. I have had op­portunity to interact with him on a number of occasions and I could see the informed logic of his discourse, especially on issues of statehood. Dimgba was solid, articulate, prolific and commanded a mastery of the English word with effort­less ease.
“He was a journalist’s journalist. He was a teacher, preacher, pen-pusher extra-ordinaire and very humble personality. The journalism profession has lost yet again another brilliant mind, in such a shocking manner that no­body bargained for. It aches, it pains, it hurts and beats me hollow.”
NGE
Members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) also said they were saddened by the loss of one of their fellows, describing Igwe as a frontline journalist.
A statement by Isaac Ighure, general secretary of the body, said: “It is painful to recall that only recently, between August 27 and August 31, Mr. Igwe was in Katsina State, where he actively participated in all ac­tivities at the 10th All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC). His death, therefore, has dealt a great blow to the journalism profession to which he and his inseparable colleague, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, had made in­valuable contributions. Igwe was deputy to Awoyinfa when the Weekend Concord hit the newsstand in 1989. The part­nership was replicated when The Sun Newspapers came on board in 2003, and the various books that they co-authored.
“Finally, the guild wishes to use this medium to urge the security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police, to fish out the cowardly driver who com­mitted the dastardly act and inflicted this pain on the Igwes and the Nigerian media.”
Ihedioha
Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihe­dioha, also said the deceased was a pillar of journalism in the country, noting that Igwe left invaluable imprints on the sands of the profession.
The deputy speaker said he felt pained that the “departed hero of the pen profession is leaving when he still got a lot to offer in service not to just journalism but the nation as a whole.”
Ihedioha extended his con­dolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Igwe, especially the publisher, man­agement and staff of The Sun, asking God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.
Asipa
Former chairman of Imeko/ Afon Local Governmdnt Area, Albert Asipa and Pastor of Victory Life Bible Church, Abeokuta, Apostle Lawrence Achudume, also expressed sadness at the veteran journal­ist’s passing, saying the nation would greatly miss him.
Asipa, who described Igwe as a professional colleague, said: “I received the sad news with shock and disbelief hav­ing just finished reading his column on the last conference of the Nigerian Guild of Edi­tors in Katsina.”
Achudume
Achudume, on his part, said: “Not only his family and The Sun family would miss him, but many Nigerians like me, who enjoy reading his prolific and no-holds-barred commen­taries on individuals and na­tional issues.”
Chike Ogeah
Delta State Ministry of In­formation, however, said it received news of the death of Igwe with shock.
A statement by the Commis­sioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, said: “As one of the best brains in the journalism profession in Nigeria, he was on the sterling team that birthed The Sun Group of Newspapers that redefined news reporting and laid the template for qual­ity tabloid newspapers.
“As a columnist, he was a voice for the voiceless and en­sured that public office holders were accountable. As an in-law of the state as his wife is a Delt­an, we have suffered a personal loss with the tragic demise.”