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President
Goodluck Jonathan on Friday commiserated with the family of the veteran
journalist, Alhaji Alade Odunewu, who died on Thursday at the age of
85.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on
Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President said the
deceased’s relatives and associates should be comforted by the knowledge
that his place alongside the greats of Nigerian journalism was assured.
Jonathan said as they mourned Odunewu’s
death, the present generation of Nigerian journalists should strive to
emulate the deceased’s exemplary craftsmanship, courage, forthrightness,
fairness, patriotism, honesty and moral rectitude.
The statement read, “On behalf of
himself, the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria, President
Goodluck Jonathan commiserates with the family of foremost journalist,
public affairs analyst, administrator and role model for media
professionals, Alhaji Alade Odunewu, who passed away yesterday at the
age of 85.
“President Jonathan joins the Odunewu
family and all who knew ‘Allah De,’ as he was popularly known, in
mourning the veteran journalist, who attained national fame with his
popular and widely read satirical newspaper columns with which he
entertained, educated and edified an adoring public.”
Also, Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has commiserated with the Nigerian media over the death of Odunewu.
The governor, in a message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, described Odunewu as an icon of his profession.
He said the deceased did not only
inspire and nurture many journalistic talents, he also used his writings
to advance the cause of national development and social justice.
Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola,
said the late Odunewu had left big shoes, which would be difficult to
fill in the journalism profession in Nigeria.
In a statement signed by his Special
Adviser on Media, Hakeem Bello, on Friday, Fashola described Odunewu, as
one of the greats of the journalism profession in the country.
He urged his family to take solace in
the rich legacy he left behind in journalism and his being named as one
of the 14 icons of journalism development in the 140 years of Nigerian
journalism.
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi,
described Odunewu as an “inimitable icon of journalism, who used his
pen to reform the society.”
Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief
Press Secretary, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, said that Odunewu’s contributions
to the media profession would remain indelible in the memory of
Nigerians, who appreciated his readiness to defend the truth.
He urged the contemporary journalists to emulate the ideals, which Odunewu stood for in his lifetime.
In a similar vein, former Governor Segun Oni also joined in mourning the late journalist, describing him as a man of integrity.
He said, “He was a great pen pusher, who never compromised his integrity and that of the journalism profession.
“Baba’s death has no doubt denied the journalism profession the wealth of experience of another of its veterans.”
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