The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), former Senate president, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim have expressed shock at the demise of the Chairman and publisher of Leadership Group of Newspapers, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah.

The body of editors, in a statement by Mustapha Isah and Mary Aolagbe, president and general secretary, respectively, said it was shocked at his sudden death because he attended a meeting of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) in Lagos last Tuesday, where the Chairman of Media Trust Limited, Malam Kabiru Yusuf, was elected as the new president.

“The Nigerian media industry has indeed lost a thorough-bred professional, who made invaluable contributions to the development of journalism Africa.

“Nda-Isaiah was a popular columnist who later forayed into politics, even though he trained as a Pharmacist.

“The Guild remembers him as a great believer in the Nigerian project, who made immense contributions to the Nigerian media industry,” the statement said.

Saraki described the late publisher as a patriot and committed nationalist who saw every Nigerian as his brother and sister and therefore related to them based on equality, justice and fairness.

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Saraki in a statement signed on his behalf by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, added that the late publisher was a man who believed that the challenges the country is going through at the moment are temporary setback that can be overcome if the leaders continue to sustain the unity of the country and work to further entrench democracy.

He lamented that Nda-Isaiah died at a time when his incisive analysis of the Nigerian issues would help both the leaders and members of the public to have correct perspective and positive approaches to how to move the nation forward.

Similarly, former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, described the death as a huge loss to Nigerian journalism.

“The death of Mr. Sam Ndah Isaiah, publisher of the Leadership stable of newspapers, has not only deprived the journalism profession of a committed and patriotic hand, but a Nigerian of repute whose contributions to national development within the period he lived, were of inestimable value.

“As a believer in God Almighty, I cannot question why such a person full of ideas for a much better Nigeria would die,so soon. The consolation,however,was that he was very visible on the political landscape and his activities towards nation building,would ever be cherished.