Osinbajo pays tribute to Innocent Oparadike, condoles with family, people of Imo

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has condoled with the Oparadike family, the government and people of Imo on the death of Chief Innocent Oparadike.

Mr Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President (Office of the Vice-President) said this in a statement he issued in Abuja on Friday.

He said that Osinbajo also commiserated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) on the demise of their colleague.

The acting president described Oparadike “one of Nigeria’s brightest journalists and thinkers’’.

Osinbajo noted that Oparadike, who had a very distinguished career as a journalist and administrator, would be long remembered by his colleagues and admirers for his “profound decency, boldness and uprightness’’.

He saluted Oparadike’s sterling leadership qualities, dedication and brilliance during very challenging times in the nation’s history, particularly as the Editor of the Federal Government-owned New Nigerian Newspaper and later,Managing Director,Daily Times.

He urged the associates of the deceased in the media and the Anglican Communion, where he served dutifully as Knight of Saint Christopher, to honour his memory by upholding the virtues of hard work, discipline, philanthropy and justice to which Oparadike devoted his life until his death.

Acting President Osinbajo prayed that the Lord would to grant Oparadike’s family the fortitude to bear the loss, and comfort all who mourned him.

The late Chief Oparadike, Mpidike Mbaitolu, was also a former Commissioner for Information and Culture in Imo.

The renowned journalist and newspaper manager has been described as one of the earliest Mass Communication students to graduate with a First Class degree from the University of Nigeria, died in Lagos on Monday.

He also obtained M.Sc degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos.