NewsDirect Publisher, Samuel Ibiyemi, Passes On @ 56
The Publisher of Nigerian NewsDirect, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi, is dead. His passage was announced in a statement released by his wife and children on Tuesday.
According to the family, Ibiyemi, who was aged 56, died at Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilisan-Remo, in Ogun State, after a brief illness.
The family noted that apart from being a thoroughbred journalist, Ibiyemi also planted Great Grace Apostolic Church, Gasline, Sango-Ota about four years ago and was the presiding minister until he breathed his last.
According to the family, they had “thought that a beautiful and loving soul that the Great Ife Prince was, would be with us for a long while.”
The family statement further said; “Dr Ibiyemi was a thoroughbred journalist, a servant of God, and had even started out in life as a soldier with the Nigerian Air Force before veering into journalism.
“He established Nigerian NewsDirect about 13 years ago and the paper has continued to be one of the leading newspapers in the country, contributing to the expansion of the socio-economic development of the nation.
“Aside from being a loving father and very caring boss to his staff and younger colleagues, Ibiyemi was humility personified and a cheerful giver. He was, no doubt, a colossus of some sort, who bestrode the media world during his lifetime”
Energy Correspondents Mourn Ibiyemi
Meanwhile, the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC) has described Ibiyemi’s death as a huge loss to the energy sector, the media, and Nigeria.
A statement by the Association’s Chairman, Mr Olu Phillips, said; “The Nigerian energy industry and the media would miss his in-depth and balanced reporting of the energy sector. The measures he brought to in-depth and balancing reporting of the energy sector and newspaper publishing is quite remarkable”.
In commiserating with the family, the Association urged them to see his transition as the will of God while taking solace in God for a qualified life spent by the deceased and the lives he touched during his lifetime.
“On behalf of the entire leadership and members of NAEC, I mourn the passage of a proud NAEC, Dr Sam Ibiyemi. His death is a great loss to us all. Dr Sam Ibiyemi was a man who gave life the best shot during his active days, and while he was hospitalized.
“He lifted himself through hard work, unusual courage, extreme doggedness, and commitment. He was a lesson to those that dared to dream and succeed. He was a good ambassador of NAEC at every level and he contributed his quota to the growth and development of energy reporting in Nigeria”, the statement said
