A national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has commiserated with the family of the late Waheed Bakare, the management of New Telegraph newspaper and the Nigerian Guild of Editors over his passing.
Mr Bakare, editor of Saturday Telegraph, died on Sunday after a brief illness.
In a condolence letter to the managing director of the newspaper, Ayo Aminu, made available to journalists on Tuesday, the APC leader said he understood that the late editor was a diligent and committed journalist who was devoted to the journalism profession.
“I’m deeply saddened by the news of the death of your colleague, Mr. Waheed Bakare, the Saturday Telegraph Editor,” he said.
“I have been made to understand and appreciate Mr. Bakare’s journalism trajectory, particularly his rise from being an Assistant Editor at Punch Newspapers to the zenith of the profession as Editor at Telegraph Newspaper.
“His career, as I learnt, was hallmarked by diligence, commitment, perseverance and professionalism.
“I recall his contributions on Journalist Hangout, TVC’s award-winning programme, where he engaged in incisive analysis of national issues.
“Indeed, Mr. Bakare’s demise is a sad loss not only to his family, the Telegraph Newspaper, the Guild of Editors and the media industry generally; it’s also a big loss to all of us.
“My thoughts are with his family and colleagues at Telegraph Newspaper at this moment. May Almighty Allah comfort his wife and children and give them strength to live with this demise.
“I pray that Allah SWT accept the soul of Waheed, reward his good deeds as a devout Muslim, forgive his sins and grant him Aljanna Fridaus Amin.”
Similarly, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has commiserated with the management and staff of the New Telegraph newspaper over Bakare’s death.
Mr Sanwo-Olu, in a statement on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, said although the demise of Bakare was a rude shock to his family, friends, colleagues and associates, it should be accepted as the will of Allah.
The governor said this would certainly have been the reaction of late Waheed as a faithful Muslim.
He said: “We should be consoled by the modest achievements of late editor. Death is inevitable as we all will die. Our goal in life is not to live forever, but to create something that will outlive us, bearing it in mind that it is not the length of life that matters, but the depth of life.
“Waheed lived an exemplary life. He was a devout Muslim, a dutiful husband and a good father to his children. Above all, he touched millions of life through his chosen profession as a journalist, who rose to the position of Saturday editor of a national newspaper.”
Sanwo-Olu also extended condolences to the Lagos State chapter and the national body of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), as well as the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) on Bakare’s passing.
“No doubt, the Nigeria Union of Journalists both at the State and the national level as well as the Nigeria Guild of Editors will by now be mourning the loss of an illustrious member. I pray that God will comfort you.
“May God comfort his immediate family, friends and associates. May God grant them the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss. May He grant the soul of Waheed al-Jannah firdaus, amen,” Sanwo-Olu said.
