AWKA- Miss Ifeoma Anumba, the Secretary of Anambra Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) is dead.
This is contained in a statement issued by the council Chairman, Mr Henry Nwasike, made available to newsmen in Awka.
According to the statement, Anumba died during a brief illness.
The statement quoted Nwasike as saying “our amiable secretary passed on in the early hours of May 4, 2015 at the Anambra State University Teaching Hospital, Amaku-Awka during a brief illness.’’
He stated that the council was already in contact with the family on her funeral arrangements, adding that the public would be duly informed as soon as confirmation was received.
The chairman then declared a week of mourning for the deceased from May 5, and urged council members to pray for the repose of the deceased’s soul.
He said that a condolence register had been opened at the Press Centre in honour of the council’s scribe.
Meanwhile, the Anambra Governor, Mr Willie Obiano, had expressed deep sorrow over Anumba’s death.
He described the death as shocking, given the fact that the deceased was at her prime age and prayed that God would grant the council the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Obiano also prayed for the repose of the soul of the council’s secretary in the bosom of Jesus Christ.
In his reaction, the Publisher of Orient Daily Newspaper, Mr Godwin Ezeemo, described the death of the NUJ scribe as “a terrible shock.”
Ezeemo stressed the need for people to re-evaluate their lifestyles and make amends for meangful existence.
He said “when I got a telephone call this morning to the bad news, I was shocked to my bone marrow as I did not hear of her illness. NUJ Anambra is my family. I am short of words.’’
He added that her death was highly painful as she bowed out at a prime age when her services would be needed by both her family and the profession .
The publisher recalled when he last met the deceased at the Anambra NUJ council’s secretariat, describing her as “a very diligent and hardworking young lady.”
He urged journalists to make out time to rest and check up themselves medically in spite of their tight schedules.