The veteran journalist Dimgba Igwe died on Saturday morning after he was knocked down by a vehicle while jogging around his residence in Okota area of Lagos State.
Igwe, who was said to have sustained a fatal injury from the accident, died immediately after undergoing a surgery at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has received with shock, the sad news of the untimely death of Mr. Dimgba Igwe, Vice Chairman of the Sun Newspapers.
On behalf of himself, his family and the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Jonathan extends heartfelt commiserations to the publishers of the Sun newspapers, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and all friends and associates of Mr. Igwe, for whom his unexpected death must be exceedingly painful.
President Jonathan believes that the late Mr. Igwe will always be remembered as a hardworking and dependable professional, who, through his various writings as columnist, author and public speaker, demonstrated a special ability to convey the truth and his convictions in lucid, compelling prose, and in a style that was shorn of cant and foppery.
As they mourn him, the President enjoins Mr. Igwe’s family, friends and associates to be consoled by the knowledge that he put his God-given abilities to the best possible use in a very purposeful life that was wholly devoted to the defence of truth and the public interest, as well as the promotion of the highest standards of his chosen profession of journalism.
President Jonathan prays that God Almighty will grant them the fortitude to bear the loss of the very forthright journalist and media administrator, and also grant his soul, peaceful repose.
PDP, APC mourn
By Bola Badmus-Lagos
Lagos State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed shock and great sadness at the news of the death the Vice Chairman of the Sun newspapers, Dimgba Igwe, just as it commiserated with the family of late seasoned writer as well as the Sun newspaper management where he served at the top echelon over the loss.
The party gave this reaction through its publicity secretary, Mr. Taofeek Gani, who spoke with the Sunday Tribune on phone.
This is as it tasked the nation’s security to ensure that the killer of late Dimgba was fished out and brought to justice.
The PDP said it received with shock the news of the death of Dimgba, who it described as one of those that brought colour and professionalism to journalism, declaring that journalism profession in Nigeria had loss an Icon.
Also, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condoled with the management and staff of The Sun newspapers over the death, in very tragic circumstances, of Pastor Dimgba Igwe, on Saturday, saying with his death, Nigerian journalism has lost a shining star.
The party said this in a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, expressing shock and sadness at the sudden death the late foremost journalist.
His death, a sad loss to journalism, literary world —Fashola
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, on Saturday, expressed shock and sadness at the sudden death of veteran journalist, Columnist and Vice Chairman of the Sun Publishing Limited, Mr Dimgba Igwe.
In a condolence message to the widow of the late journalist, who had also once served as the Deputy Managing Director and Deputy Editor-in- Chief of The Sun Newspapers, the Governor said the death is a sad loss to the journalism profession in particular and the literary world in general.
Describing the late Dimgba Igwe as a trail blaizer, who along with his age long friend and partner Mike Awoyinfa, pioneered a refreshing brand of newspapering with the Weekend Concord, the Governor recalled the vibrancy which late Dimgba Igwe brought into journalism with his inimitable writing style and comments on contemporary issues as well as the stimulating biographies which he has authored.
According to the governor, he had the opportunity to further observe the departed Igwe as a perceptive professional on the occasions he met with him and his colleague, in the course of an ongoing book project.
Editors, IPI mourn
MR Femi Adesina, the President of Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), on Saturday in Abuja, described the death of Mr Dimgba Igwe, Vice Chairman of The Sun Newspapers, as devastating.
Mr Adesina speaking to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) lamented Igwe’s death, saying: “It is very sad; a colossal loss to journalism; he was a very dedicated journalist; a General of the Guild and an impeccable writer.
“At our last conference in Kastina, he contributed a lot and was one of the discussants in a paper.
“To hear that he is dead one week after is indeed devastating; Nigerians in general and journalists in particular will miss him.
“I pray God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute(IPI) has also expressed shock over the news of the sudden death of its distinguished member and media icon, R. Ddimgba Igwe.
Mr. Igwe, 58, until recently, was the Deputy Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Ltd and remained a highly regarded back-page columnist of its flagship newspaper after he retired from its management.
He will be long remembered and celebrated as a well-rounded journalist who distinguished himself as a reporter, writer, columnist, editor, media manager, author and publisher
IPI sends its condolences to his family, to The Sun Publishing Ltd and to the media community in the country.
Senior journalists express shock at his death
Some senior journalists in Lagos on Saturday described the death of Mr Dimgba Igwe, vice-chairman, Sun Newspapers, as shocking and unbelievable.
Former Ogun governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, said he would need a life time to overcome the shock of this death.
“We were together at the Guild of Editors Conference which ended in Katsina only last Saturday. In fact, we agreed to meet next week over some issues of mutual benefit to both of us.
“What a brilliant man; what a loss! I pray that God will grant his family the fortitude to bear this loss. It’s quite saddening”, Osoba told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Igwe’s former colleague at Newswatch Magazine, Ray Ekpu, heard the news of the death from NAN telephone call and could not compose a response.
“What! God, no”, he said repeatedly and NAN had to cut the connection.
Igwe died after being operated upon for the injuries he sustained in the incident.
…Mimiko too
The Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has described the death yesterday, of the Vice Chairman and pioneer Deputy Managing Director of The Sun publishing limited, Mr Dimgba Igwe as shocking, tragic and a colossal loss to the pen profession, the literary world and the Nigeria nation.
Reacting to the news of the death of the Associate Publisher, Entertainment Express Newspaper, Igwe, yesterday, Governor Mimiko in a statement issued by the Ondo state Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade said the columnist of repute bestrode the journalism profession as a colossus winning many professional awards and distinguishing himself as a worthy practitioner of the Fourth Estate.
According to him, the late Journalist took his job as his passion and his passion as his job.
Nigeria has lost another bright mind —Fayose
By Stephen Gbadamosi
Ekiti State governor-elect, Dr Ayodele Fayose, has described the death of ace journalist, Mr Dimgba Igwe, as a loss of another bright mind by Nigeria.
Reacting to the death of the columnist in a statement made available to Sunday Tribune by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, Dr Fayose said he commiserated with The Sun newspaper, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the entire nation for Igwe’s untimely death.
“This is a sad moment, not only for our friends in the pen profession, but also for the entire nation, because in the late Vice-Chairman of The Sun Publishing house, Mr Dimgba Igwe, the country has lost yet another bright mind.