Abuja – Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina on Wednesday led the Presidential Media and Protocol teams to condole with the family of late Justin Abuah, Director of Information, State House.
Adesina described the death of Abuah as traumatic, adding that “a competent man has gone.’’
He said Abuah was an excellent man, who did his job excellently
“Words failed me to actually describe Abuah. When he passed on, the first thing that came to my mind was that a competent man has gone.
“He related well with many people. He was an excellent man and did his job excellently.
“His passage is trauma to us. We realise that death is a road all mortals must pass through but we would have felt better if it didn’t happen now.
“When we come and go are in the hands of God. At 57, he was not an old man, he lived a very quality life. We urge you to keep his memory alive. Be comforted and be consoled,’’ Adesina told Abuah’s widow, Loretta, children and other members of the family. The presidential aide expressed the readiness of the State House to be fully involved in Abuah’s burial plans.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president, Malam Garba Shehu, described the deceased as a pillar of support, an icon of emulation and a unique individual, who served seven presidents.
“We feel a sense of loss over a man who has served seven Presidents with dedication. We lost a pillar of support, an icon of emulation.
“We were just learning about him, we felt angry we were not in the know of his ill-health but we found out that he was a man who did not like to bother anybody with his pains’’, he said.
Chairman of the State House Press Corps, Kehinde Amodu, described the Abuah as a man of integrity and honesty, saying that a man of his calibre would be difficult to replace.
“He was a senior colleague. His yes was yes and his no was no. He was firm and truthful and a man of integrity.
“He was a quiet and private person but he knew everyone individually. We are 109 journalists in the State House and he knew everyone individually.
“We will miss him, I don’t think he can be replaced’’, he said.
Responding on behalf of the family, Arnold Abuah, a retired Commissioner of Police and medical doctor, described his brother as a man of integrity.
He said the illness that eventually took his brother’s life was “only known to himself, OJ, his wife and probably his son.’’
Special prayers were offered to Almighty God to grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest, and provide the family the fortitude to bear the loss. (NAN)