A former Military President of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd.), has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of renowned journalist and Newswatch Magazine co-founder, Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, praying Allah to grant his soul eternal rest and forgive his shortcomings and accept him into Aljanat Firdaus.
Mohammed, a former Managing Editor of Newswatch and ex-Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Newswatch Communications Limited, died on Tuesday at the age of 75.
IBB’s condolence message which he personally signed seen by Veracity Desk (veracitydesk.com) reads in full below:
PRESS STATEMENT
BUT WHY, YAKUBU MOHAMMED
Death, has a way of undercutting our expectations. It comes with hurt. It benumbs. It makes us helpless and speechless. I was aware of his health challenges lately, but it never occured to me that it was life threatening. As usual, we always speak, exchange interesting banters and recalled fond memories of yesteryears. Yakubu was a great friend, very idealistic, and full of valve and sparkle. A confidant of uncommon emanations, trusted and reliable.
He combined Journalism with business, interacted with all categories of personalities, made friends across the Niger, networked himself amongst the big players in various fields of human endeavour. He was suave, urbane and cosmopolitan. Highly civilized with a large dose of morality, Yakubu Mohammed was a formidable Nigerian whose sense of patriotism was eternal. I truly have lost a great and reliable friend.
On any issue, you would know Yakubu Mohammed’s thoughts and position. He was not the road of the middle man. He was cerebral both in writing and knowledge of his subject matter. He was prolific in presentation. He belonged to a set of Journalists that carved a niche for Nigeria Journalism, during my time as Military President. Yakubu Mohammed, Soji Omotunde, Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese, Dele Giwa, were a pack of intellectual giants who shaped the cause and course of Journalism in Nigeria at that time. As a government, we tapped ideas from their reservoir of knowledge as we navigated through the challenges of governance in those years. Yakubu Mohammed was exceptional in his relationship. He was pointedly frank, unpretentious, argumentative and intellectually sound. He would disagree with me on issues based on superior logic, and he would convey such impressions without bating an eyelid.
As a gentleman officer, I saw in him a “civilian General” steeped in discipline and principles; indices that distinguished him amongst his colleagues. He was transparently honest and infectiously robust in his friendship. Each time I wanted to tap his brain, I would invite him over, to rub minds on salient national issues. His ideas and perspectives were never in doubt. Deep and conscientious, punchy and straightforward. That’s the stuff that Yakubu Mohammed was made of. I have lost a dear friend, a confidant and compatriot of unusual verbiage.
May Allah grant his soul eternal rest. May he forgive his shortcomings and accept him into Aljanat Firdaus. Rest in peace, my dear Yakubu Mohammed.
GENERAL I. B. BABANGIDA, GCFR
Former Military President
Minna Hilltop
Niger State.
