The State House has been thrown into mourning following the death of a senior information officer, Peter Onwubuariri, who passed away in Kano after a prolonged illness.
Onwubuariri, an Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations at the State House, died on Monday evening at the age of 48.
His death was confirmed by his wife, Catherine Ezinna Onwubuariri, who disclosed that the veteran journalist had been battling the illness before his death.
Onwubuariri was a seasoned journalist with years of experience in the Nigerian media industry. Before joining the State House, he worked with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), where he built a career covering and reporting on national affairs.
Received treatment in Kano
The deceased had reportedly been receiving medical treatment in Kano for about one month before his death.
He was treated at the Kano Cancer Hospital, with his medical care reportedly authorised by the Kano State Government.
Despite the efforts to save his life, Onwubuariri died on Monday evening, leaving behind his family, colleagues, friends and associates to mourn his passing.
Following his death, his remains were released by the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital on Tuesday and subsequently commenced the journey to Owerri, Imo State, where he is expected to be laid to rest.
The remains were formally handed over to Oche Echeija Egwa, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations at the State House.
Egwa received the remains on behalf of the Presidential Spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
The handover ceremony was witnessed by the spokesperson to the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, as well as the Chairman of the Kano State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sulaiman Dederi.
Governor Yusuf mourns journalist
Reacting to the death, Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, expressed his condolences to President Bola Tinubu, members of the Presidential Media Unit and the family of the deceased.
In a statement issued through his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, the governor described Onwubuariri as a dedicated professional who made significant contributions to the image and reputation of the Presidency.
Governor Yusuf also commiserated with the deceased’s colleagues, friends and associates, describing his death as a painful loss to those who knew and worked with him.
The governor prayed for the repose of Onwubuariri’s soul and asked God to grant his family the strength and fortitude to cope with the loss.
Colleagues mourn
The death of Onwubuariri is expected to be deeply felt within the State House and the wider Nigerian journalism community, particularly among colleagues who worked with him during his years in public service and at NAN.
His transition at the age of 48 marks the loss of a journalist and public information officer who dedicated a significant part of his career to communicating issues of national importance.
As his remains are taken to Owerri for burial, tributes are expected to continue pouring in from colleagues, government officials, friends and members of the journalism community who knew him during his lifetime.
