The media community in Akwa Ibom State, South-south Nigeria, was thrown into mourning on Monday as two journalists in the state died the same day.
The two deceased journalists are Patience John and Esther Ukpe.
Ms John reportedly died on the way while being rushed to the hospital for an undisclosed ailment. Until her passing, she had worked with the state-owned AKBC-TV.
The other, Ms Ukpe, was said to have slumped and died some hours later. She used to be the editor of an independent publication called Explicit.
Both incidents happened in Uyo, where the two were active members of the Akwa Ibom chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists
They were also members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has expressed shock over the journalists’ death.
“The late Comrade Patience John was an integral part of the Press Corps in my Office and was noted as a diligent and hardworking professional,” Mr Eno said on Wednesday in a statement from his spokesperson, Ekerete Udoh.
“While we were struggling to absorb the sad news of her death, then came news of the sudden death of yet another journalist, Comrade Esther Ukpe of the Federated Chapel of the Union. This is deeply sad and unfortunate,” the statement.
The governor consoled the family of the deceased journalists and the Nigeria Union of Journalists, and prayed for God to grant eternal repose to the souls of the departed journalists.
In his condolence message to the NUJ, Ini Ememobong, the state’s commissioner for information, said it was a “dark day” for journalists in Akwa Ibom.
He said the journalists’ passing was “devastating news” to him and the Ministry of Information.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the Chairman, leadership and the entire members of the State Council and the Acting Director General and staff of the Akwa Ibom State Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) on these deaths, which have brought untold grief to our association and our state.
“These journalists were very illustrious and hardworking in the execution of their assigned responsibilities. We will miss them sorely,” Mr Ememobong said.
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