An Editor with one of the mainstream Nigerian newspapers, the New Telegraph Newspapers, Alhaji Abdulwaheed Bakare is dead.
Alhaji Bakare, who is until his death, Editor, Saturday Telegraph died on Sunday in Lagos after a brief illness.
Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), in their separate reactions described Bakare as a devout Muslim.
NSCIA in a statement signed by Alhaji Femi Abbas, Chairman, NSCIA Media Committee noted that the demise of Bakare has reduced the media strength of NSCIA by a chunk.
Abbas said, “We of the Media Committee of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), hereby announce the demise of one of us, Waheed Bakare, an ardent journalist of international repute, Allahu Akbar.
“As at the time he breathed his last in the evening of 1441AH Eidul Fitr day (Saturday, May 24, 2020), the Media Ambassador, Bakare was the Saturday Editor of New Telegraph newspaper.
“His demise after a brief illness of about two weeks has come to reduce our media strength by a chunk. And, now, without him on board, the train of our profession continues its journey to a port of no specific destination.
“Whenever we announce the obituary of a fellow, male or female, we hardly think of the implications of such for now or for the future.
”Nigerian Journalists, particularly Muslims, are an endangered professional specie whose deaths entail nothing more than mere lamentations with consequential public indifference.
“Like many of his colleagues, dead or alive, Waheed Bakare devoted his life to the service of Islam with little or no encouragement, at all, from most concerned quarters. Now, in death, he left behind, not only a wife but children as well. And this is a time when journalists in private media outfits are virtually on their own in terms of salaries and other benefits. Who now cares for Bakare’s family?
“While wishing the family of Waheed Bakare the right fortitude with which to bear the entailed agony of his demise, we also pray the Almighty Allah to repose the soul of the deceased in perfect eternal bliss. Amin”.
Also, MMPN in a statement signed by its National President, Abdur-Rahman Balogun described Bakare as a thoroughbred journalist.
“On behalf of Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), we condole with the immediate family of our beloved brother, Editor and member, Abdulwaheed Bakare, Editor, Saturday Telegraph who answered Allah’s call on Sunday, May 24, 2020 ( Shawwal 1, 1441 A.H.)
“Brother Bakare was a thoroughbred journalist, a devoted brother, a family man and above all, a humble and wonderful personality. Recently, he took part in the financial contribution to the COVID-19 palliatives by a coalition of 55 Muslim groups in which MMPN is a member.
“His death coming on Sallah day is quite painful to us as a group, but we are consoled that he died as a believer and a committed Muslim.”