Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has mourned the passage of the Publisher of Nigerian NewsDirect Newspaper, Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi.
He described Ibiyemi’s death as shocking and a colossal loss to journalism and the media industry in Nigeria.
Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi died on Tuesday at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State of pulmonary embolism.
Governor Sanwo-Olu in a condolence message issued on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, said Ibiyemi’s death is painful and heartbreaking, noting that the rich experience and knowledge of the deceased will be sorely missed.
Sanwo-Olu, who also commiserated with the Ibiyemi family, the management and staff of the Nigerian NewsDirect Newspaper over the death of the Publisher, said Dr. Ibiyemi had written his name in gold and the legacies he left behind are immense and indelible.
He said: “On behalf of the Lagos State Government, I sympathise with the Ibiyemi family, the management and staff of Nigerian NewsDirect over the death of an accomplished journalist and Publisher, Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi.
“I also commiserate with the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the President, Executives and members of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), the deceased friends, colleagues, and entire journalists in Nigeria over the demise of Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi.
“Dr. Ibiyemi was a brilliant, hardworking and versatile journalist, who had distinguished himself in the media profession as a Reporter, Business Editor and Energy Editor, before establishing his newspaper, Nigerian NewsDirect.
“He made lots of positive impacts during his lifetime, contributing meaningfully to the growth and development of journalism in Nigeria, as well as the economic and political development of the country as an employer of labour and publisher of one of the credible newspapers in the country.
“Dr. Ibiyemi’s death is a great loss to the media industry and Nigeria. He will be greatly missed by all of us. I pray that God will grant the deceased eternal rest and grant his family, friends, colleagues, staff, and media industry the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
