By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Nigerian editors on Tuesday mourned one of their own, Prince Tony Momoh, who died on Monday at the age of 81.
Momoh, former Minister of Information and Culture during General Ibrahim Babangida’s military regime, was also editor at the old Daily Times conglomerate.
A statement jointly signed by Mustapha Isah and Mary Atolagbe, President and General Secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) eulogised Momoh as “a distinguished elder statesman, a patriot and a nationalist of the first order,” who “will be greatly missed by the Guild, the entire Nigerian media industry and the country at large.”
The statement reads:
“The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) is once again thrown into mourning over the passing of veteran journalist and consummate administrator, Prince Tony Momoh FNGE.
“He died at his residence in Abuja on Monday February I, 2021, at the age of 81.
“Prince Momoh’s death is coming less than one week after the Guild lost one of its Fellows, a former Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Mr. Ben Egbuna, mni, to the cold hands of death.
“Prince Momoh, also a Fellow of the Guild, was a lawyer, politician, author and a former Minister of Information and Culture (1986–1990), during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. He was Chairman of the African Conference of Information Ministers from 1988 to 1990.
“He was also the National Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of the parties which merged to form the now ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC).
“A bibliotherapist, Prince Momoh was a journalist per excellence, who served Nigeria creditably in several capacities.
“Prince Momoh started his journalism career as a Sub-Editor at the Daily Times of Nigeria in October 1962, rising steadily through the ranks to become Editor and later Deputy General Manager of the media conglomerate.
“Prince Momoh is a recipient of many honours, including fellowships of the Commonwealth Journalists’ Association, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria.
“Undoubtedly, Prince Momoh was a distinguished elder statesman, a patriot and a nationalist of the first order. He will be greatly missed by the Guild, the entire Nigerian media industry and the country at large.
“The body of Editors joins the royal family of Auchi Kingdom and the government and people of Edo State to mourn Prince Tony Momoh, a quintessential Nigerian, who gave his all to the service of his beloved country.
“May his soul rest in perfect peace.”