The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has described the death of Hajiya Rafatu Salami, the Assistant Director of Digital Media of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and Treasurer of the International Press Institute, Nigeria, as a great loss to the media industry.
“Hajiya Rafatu, a seasoned and consummate journalist, and former Secretary of the Abuja Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) will be remembered for a meritorious journalism career and has mentored several young others, particularly at the Voice of Nigeria (VON) where she rose to become the cornerstone of the organisation’s digital operations, in her remarkable 23 year career in the organization,” said Idris.
Her death, Idris added, “leaves a huge gap within the VON family and at the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria), where she served diligently in the consolidation of the Institute as a critical defender of the rights of journalists, promoter of press freedom and the welfare of journalists and was recently reelected as its treasurer.”
The Minister recalls that the late Rafatu remained professionally active until her final moments, having fully participated at the 3-day VON Management Retreat, which ended a day before her death on Friday.
“I therefore want to condole with the management and staff of the VON, the IPI Nigeria, as well as the Nigerian media community on the death of such an illustrious woman who was dedicated to the journalism career, and lived a life of impact, compassion and trustworthiness,” Idris posited.
The Minister prayed for Allah to grant her eternal rest and to give her immediate family the fortitude to bear the loss.
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