The Honourable Minister of Information and Communications has described the death of Dr. Stanley Macebuh as a monumental loss to the media profession in particular and the nation at large.

In a special tribute, Prof. Akunyili recalled that Dr. Macebuh was among young intellectuals that positively revolutionalized media practice in Nigeria in the early 80s. As the founding Managing Director of the Guardian, Dr. Macebuh provided the professional leadership that established the Newspaper as a model in editorial credibility, through balanced, informed and analytical approach to issues.

Prof. Akunyili noted that it was the generation of journalists in the likes of Stanley Macebuh and the late Dele Giwa that were instrumental to the growth and liberalization and emergence of modern journalism in Nigeria . The Minister urged all Nigerians to pray for the repose of Dr. Macebuh’s soul.

In a similar development, the Minister sympathized with the management and staff of the News Agency of Nigeria on the death of a one-time State House Correspondent of the Agency, Mallam Salihu Abubakar. Prof. Akunyili described Salihu Abubakar as a dedicated professional who acquitted himself creditably in the discharge of his duties as Chief Correspondent of NAN at the Presidential Villa for several years. The Minister urged NAN and the family of late Salihu to bear the loss with fortitude.

Prof. Akunyili however observed with concern the alarming rate of deaths among media practitioners in the country in recent times. She advised media practitioners to take their health issues quite seriously by imbibing the culture of undertaking regular medical check-ups.