SUNRISE NEWS, Lagos, July 23, 2020 THE refurbished Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) House, on Adeyemo Alakija Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, has been renamed after the late former Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) President Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua.
It (edifice) will henceforth be known as ISMAILA ISA HOUSE, a statement signed on behalf of the collective leadership of the Nigerian media by NPAN President Prince Nduka Obaigbena said yesterday.
Funtua died at 78 on Monday after driving himself to a hospital in Abuja. He was buried on Tuesday.
According to Obaigbena, who is also Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) President, the gesture was in recognition of Funtua’s contributions to the development of journalism and press freedom.
He said the decision to rename the building was taken by the NPAN, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
The statement reads: “For his untiring contributions to the development of Journalism and Freedom of the Press in Nigeria and around the world, it is the privilege of the Nigerian Press Organisation – Newspapers’ Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) – to name the newly rebuilt Nigerian Institute of Journalism House, Adeyemo Alakija Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, as ISMAILA ISA HOUSE to honour the life and times of Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua, OFR, Mni, who died on Monday July 20, 2020 after a life of dedicated service to Nigeria that spanned politics, business and media.
“His contributions to the development of journalism is innumerable: including, but not limited to his co-founding of Democrat Newspapers; presidency of the NPAN at a time of national crises, and later a life patron; services to the international Press Institute where he served on the global board; contributions to journalism education as Chairman of the Governing Council of the NIJ, among others.”
The statement said Funtua, who was born in Funtua, present day Katsina State, “will be deeply missed but not forgotten”.