The Nigerian Guild of Editors has appealed to the Federal Government to name the News Agency of Nigeria edifice in Abuja after the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the agency, late Malam Wada Maida.
Mustapha Isah, NGE President, made the appeal when he paid a condolence visit to NAN Headquarters on Tuesday in Abuja.
Isah noted that the naming of the edifice after the Maida would be in recognition of his enormous contributions to the development and growth of the agency.
He said: “We are here to pay a condolence visit of one of our own, Alhaji Wada Maida.
“We also know that Maida spent a better part of his journalism career as a reporter, correspondent, editor and as the Managing Director of the agency.
“At the time of his death, he was the Chairman, Governing Board of the agency.
“So, I can confidently say that he died in active service.
“We are here to say, we are sorry, his death is not only a loss to NAN, but also a loss to the Nigeria Guild of Editors.
“We also recognise that he has contributed enormously to the development and growth of the journalism profession in the country.
“I am also aware that he was a gentleman to the core, to an extent that even when faced with challenges, you won’t even notice it.
“I also make out time to speak with some members of staff of the agency, both serving and former, and they said while he was the MD of the agency, he does not joke with workers’ welfare and was a father of everybody.
“So, we are making an appeal to the Federal Government to please name this NAN edifice after Maida in recognition to his contribution to the development of the agency.”
Dele Ojo, the acting Managing Director of NAN, commended the association on the condolence visit.
Ojo, who was represented by a Director, AbdulHadi Khaliel, Head, Department of Administration, said the history of the agency could not be mentioned without the late Maida.
He said: “A lot of us are his products and I want to assure you that the name and legacy Maida left behind will continue to grow.
“We in the agency also want to assure you that with your recommendation, that we will take up the matter to the higher authority and we believe that they, the Federal Government, will say yes to our request.
“We believe that we share the same feeling that his name should be immortalised.”
The Managing Editor, Northern Operations, The Nation newspaper, Malam Yusuf Alli, prayed for the repose of the late Maida.
Similarly, the Guild of Editors also paid a condolence visit to the families of late Maida as well as the families of the late Isah Funtua.