Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has commiserated with the management and staff of the New Telegraph newspaper on the death of its former Saturday editor, Alhaji Waheed Bakare, describing the loss as painful end of a promising journalistic career.
Sanwo-Olu, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile said although the demise of Bakare was a rude shock to his family, friends, colleagues and associates, we should accept it as the Will of Allah. The Governor said, this would certainly have been the reaction of late Waheed as a faithful Muslim.
He said: “ we should be consoled by the modest achievements of late editor. Death is inevitable as we all will die. Our goal in life is not to live forever, but to create something that will outlive us, bearing it in mind that it is not the length of life that matters, but the depth of life.”
“Waheed lived an exemplary life. He was a devout Muslim, a dutiful husband and a good father to his children. Above all, he touched millions of life through his chosen profession as a journalist, who rose to the position of Saturday editor of a national newspaper.”
Sanwo-Olu also extended message of condolence to the Lagos State chapter and the national body of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), as well as the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) on the death of Waheed Bakare, who he described as cerebral and prolific writer.
“No doubt, the Nigeria Union of Journalists both at the State and the national level as well as the Nigeria Guild of Editors will by now be mourning the loss of an illustrious member. I pray that God will comfort you.”
“May God comfort his immediate family, friends and associates. May God grant them the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss. May He grant the soul of Waheed al-Jannah firdaus, amen.” Sanwo-Olu said.