The FCT council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists has expressed sadness over the sudden death of Alhaja Kafilat Funke Taiwo Adebimpe.
A statement signed by Secretary of NUJ FCT chapter, Rafat Salami said NUJ “mourns the passing of one of its members Alhaja Kafilat Funke Taiwo Adebimpe, who passed on suddenly Saturday 11 November 2017. Alhaja Kafilat who until her sudden death a few hours after complaining of ill health was an Abuja based correspondent of The Herald newspaper.”
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The NUJ FCT secretary described Funke as a devout Muslim ‘peaceful, warm and calm woman who illuminated her surrounding with her warmth’.
She said ‘I met her for the first time in 2014 when she introduced herself to me in Mecca during the hajj. Again, during this last Ramadan, we were together for Itikaf at the Nasfat Mosque in Utako, where she again introduced herself to me and wondered why I always fail to recognize her. We maintained very close relationship during the Itikaf and we promised to link up after Ramadan. We never did and now she is no more. It is a personal loss to me’, she said.
Also, the FCT chairman of the NUJ Paul Ella Abechi, in his condolence message to the family prayed to God to grant her soul eternal rest and give the family the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss. The chairman of correspondent chapel Ralph Ekpang described her death as ‘a monumental loss to the chapel and she will be missed greatly.’
One of her former supervisors Amos Dunia says, “ Funke Adebimpe’s death remains a sad and shocking news. The Late Funke during her one year Industrial Training with the defunct New Nigerian Newspapers, was such a humble, respectful, easy going and ever ready to carry out any assignment given to her. I pray God to grant her soul deserved rest and the family she left behind the fortitude to bear her loss. “
The chairman of the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria Ustaz Abdurahaman Balogun, in his condolence message to the family prayed that “Allah will grant her jannatul firdaus while giving family the fortitude to bear the loss. Indeed from Allah we come and to Him we shall return. “
According to her family, Late Kafilat was born on December 25, 1970. She has since been buried according to Islamic rites.
The 8-day fidau prayer jointly organized by the NUJ and NASFAT working closely with her family shall take place at 1pm, on Sunday 12 November 2017 at the NASFAT Mosque in Utako, Abuja.
All journalists,according to the statement, are enjoined to be there for the special prayers.
