The Chairman, Board of Directors of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and member of the Executive Board of International Press Institute, Malam Wada Maida has died. He was 70 years old.
Maida was the Chief Press Secretary to President Muhammadu Buhari when he was Head of State in 1984.
The cause of his death has not been announced. Family sources also said Malam Wada Maida, who was in his office earlier in the day, did not show any sign of sickness before he slumped around 10pm on Monday.
Another source said he had just returned from Katsina State where he went to condole with a long time friend who lost his wife recently.
Maida, who was the Chairman, Board of Directors of People’s Media, was also a former Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of NAN.
President Buhari had in a congratulatory message to Wada Maida when he clocked 70 years in March this year said the chairman of NAN achieved a lot in journalism and public service.
The veteran journalist was born on March 5, 1950 in Katsina State. He joined NAN as a pioneer editorial staff in 1978 and was at various times, the political editor and London Bureau Chief.
Maida was buried on Tuesday in Abuja at the Gudu cemetery after funeral prayers at the Area 1 mosque by 1pm. He is survived by a wife and five children namely Fadila, Farida, Nabila, Abdullahi (a director of Media Trust Nigeria Limited) and Aminu as well as grandchildren.
