By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem
Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina on Wednesday led workers in the media office and members of the State House Press Corps to condole the family of late Director of Information in the Villa, Justin Abuah who passed away on Sunday.
Adesina described Abuah’s death as traumatic, saying the Presidency had lost a very competent man.
“Words failed me to actually describe him (Abuah), when he passed the first thing that came to 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 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 wife and children.
Adesina said the State House would love to be fully involved in Abuah’s burial plans.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu described the deceased as a pillar of support, an icon worthy of emulation and a unique individual who served seven presidents.
Shehu in his remarks said, they were just beginning to learn from a man whose uniqueness and brilliance earned him the respect of everyone.
The Presidential Media aide who said they were initially angry that his ill-health was not known to them until his passage, noted that he was one who did not like to bother others with his problems.
“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 is a man who did not like to bother anybody with his pains”.
The Chairman State House Press Corps, Kehinde Amodu, said the corp will miss a man of integrity whose yes was yes and no was no, saying a man of his calibre will 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 quite 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”.
Responding on behalf 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 bother’s life was only known to himself, Abuah’s wife and son.
