President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor yesterday expressed the joy of being associated with the late Vice Chairman of The Sun Newspapers, Pastor Dimgba Igwe, for not just being a vibrant and successful journalist but for doing very well as a minister of God.
He stated this when he paid a condolence visit to the widow of the veteran journalist and clergy man, Mrs. Obioma Igwe in his Okota, Lagos, home, saying the Christian body in Nigeria is happy to be identified with him as a respectable minister of God who also performed excellently as a journalist.
The late Igwe was until his death the Deputy General Overseer of Evangel Pentecostal Church, Lagos and pioneer Deputy Editor-In-chief of The Sun Newspapers.
Oritsejafor said his visit was not only to commiserate with the bereaved family but for the world to know that Christian ministry was his place of primary assignment and that the CAN was pleased with him.
He disclosed how he used to discuss with him on phone and how they exchanged views, saying he never knew he would die so soon like that, and that his death came as a surprise to everybody but not to God.
The former President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), added that nothing happened by surprise to God because He is fully aware of when everything will happen, why and how it will.
He admonished Dimgba’s family, his friend and former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Newspapers, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, who received him and other CAN top members that God knows the best and that nobody can query Him over anything.
Oritsejafor charged Igwe’s widow to always give thanks to God, saying, “Heaven has received him. You will miss him, but one day, you will be with him. God will not abandon you.
“We will not turn our back on you and your children. I am not a politician and don’t talk the way politicians talk but I say we will not abandon you. God will help you.
“You knew the man more than anyone here. We know there is a vacuum and God will fill that vacuum,” he added.
On Awoyinfa’s comment on the dearth of ultra-modern medical facilities in Nigeria, the CAN president expressed his desire to see at least one fully equipped hospital that will be of international standard.
He noted that if there is such hospital in Nigeria, a lot of lives being lost when there is an emergency will be minimized.
Earlier, while welcoming the CAN leader, Awoyinfa, who was accompanied by the MD/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Newspapers, Mr. Femi Adesina, said he met the late journalist about 30 years ago through the late Dele Giwa in Concord Newspapers.
Since then, he said they became inseparable friends since then until death separated them this month, the death came as a surprise hence, he had been asking a lot of questions from the time he received the bad news.
According to the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors his late boss was a great man, saying that the series of events that happened after his death pointed to this direction.
While lamenting the absence of adequate facilities in various hospitals in the country, Adesina disclosed that he and others who tried to rescue Igwe spent about four hours carrying him from one hospital to another without getting one that had needed facilities.
Pastor Oritsejafor was accompanied by the South West Chairman of CAN, Archbishop Atilade, CAN’s Director of National Issues, Elder Sunday Oyibe, Venerable Ogunmuyiwa (from African Church), Rev. Adeniyi and others.
The CAN condolence team later visited the Management and Staff of the corporate headquarters of The Sun at Kirikiri, Apapa where they commiserated with the management and staff of The Sun Newspapers.
They were received by The Sun,MD/Ediror-in-Chief, Adesina, the Executive Director (Special Duties) Mr. Bolaji Tunji, Senior Manager (Business Development), Mr. Ademola Abioye and General Manager (Human Resources & Administration) Mrs. Ogechi Uche.
Meanwhile, more condolence messages have continued to flow in from individuals and organisations from different parts of the country.
Stella Jibrin, Executive Secretary Nigeria Press Council, Abuja
In her condolence letter, the NPC secretary said: “Mr. Igwe, pioneered The Sun Newspapers in 2003 alongside Mike Awoyinfa as Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, while he was Deputy Managing Director/Deputy Editor-in-Chief after illustrious days at the Weekend Concord which they nurtured in 1989.
“He will be remembered and celebrated as a well-rounded journalist, who distinguished himself as a reporter, writer, columnist, editor, media manager, author and publisher.”
THE SUN
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