IPI mourns Maida, Buhari’s former spokesman

The International Press Institute (IPI) has mourned the death of one of its pillars, Mallam Wada Maida, aged 70, who died on Monday night at his residence in Abuja.

Until his death, Mallam Maida was the member representing Nigeria on the executive board of IPI in Vienna, Austria.

The distinguished journalist was the chairman of the People’s Daily newspaper, former Managing Director and lately, Chairman, Board of Directors of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and former Chief Press Secretary to Muhammadu Buhari during his reign as military head of state in 1983.

In a statement yesterday jointly signed by chairman, IPI Nigerian chapter, Kabiru Yusuf, and secretary, Raheem Adedoyin, the body mourned the passing into eternity of the doyen of Nigerian journalism and long-time member of the global network of media executives for a free press.

“IPI also commiserates with the family of our late leader and the media community. We pray that the Almighty Allah gives the family and the media community the fortitude to bear this loss.”

Malam Maida, former Editor-in-Chief and later Managing Director of NAN, was one of the pioneer editors of the agency and served at various times as its Regional Editor in Kaduna, Political Editor and London correspondent.

Maida, from Katsina State, was appointed NAN Managing Director in 1994 and served in that capacity for nine years before he bowed out in 2003. Until his death, Maida was a member of the Executive Board of the International Press Institute and also a shareholder of Media Trust Limited.

NAN Acting Managing Director, Mr Dele Ojo, while reacting to Maida’s death, described the news as “shocking and devastating. It is difficult to believe this news. It is very devastating. God knows best,” Ojo said in a telephone interview.