A former Chief Press Secretary to President Muhammadu Buhari in 1983, Malam Wada Maida, has died.
Echotitbits gathered that a family member confirmed to NAN that Malam Maida died in Abuja on Monday at the age of 70.
Maida, one of the pioneer editors of the agency, was until his death, chairman, Board of Directors of NAN, where he had previously served as Editor-in-Chief and later Managing Director, including other various roles as Regional Editor in Kaduna, Political Editor and London correspondent.
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When President Buhari became Military Head of State in December 1983, Maida was appointed chief press secretary and later returned to NAN in 1985 as Editor-in-Chief for eight years.
A native of Katsina State, Maida rose to become Managing Director at NAN in 1994 and served in that capacity for nine years before he retired in 2003.
He was also a member of the Executive Board of the International Press Institute and also a shareholder of Media Trust Limited until his demise.
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In his reaction to the death of their board chairman, Acting Managing Director, Dele Ojo, described the news as “shocking and devastating”.
“It is difficult to believe this news. It is very devastating. God knows best,” Ojo said in a telephone interview.
