Mr Shehu Abui, former Editor-in-Chief of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has been laid to rest in his home town Manchok, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Abui, who served as Editor-in-Chief of NAN between 2000 and 2006, died on July 20, after a brief illness.
Mr Tagwai Sambo, Chief of Moro’a, during internment rites at St. Luke’s Anglican Church described the deceased as “a man of ideas”, saying, “we will miss him dearly.”
Sambo, represented by the District Head of Manchok, Mr Ishaya Tabat, said the Moro’a traditional council would miss the deceased contributions to the development of the land.
“Abui was a great asset to Moro’a Chiefdom. His demise has created a vacuum that will be difficult to fill. We will never forget his immense contributions in the Chiefdom.
“We pray that God will console us all,” he said.
Ven. Emmanuel Zacharia of St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Unguwan Rana, Kafanchan, said that Abui was a dedicated Christian, husband and a father.
Zacharia said that the deceased dedicated himself fully in service to God and spent his resources, time and energy for the growth of the service.
“He was a humble man that gave his best to everyone that knows him,” he added.
Abui was born on May 21, 1946 in Manchok, to the family of Abui Boman-Kazah, the royal family of Moro’a Chiefdom in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He attended Native Authority Primary School, Manchok, Kaura LGA, from 1954 to 1957 and St. Bartholomew Primary School, Wusasa, Zaria, from 1958 to 1960.
He proceeded to St. Paul’s College, Kufena, Zaria, 1961 to 1965 and Boys High School, Gindiri, Plateau State, 1966 to 1967 as well as University of Lagos between 1972 and 1973.
The deceased joined the services of the New Nigerian Newspapers (NNN) in 1972 as a reporter and was appointed Special Assistant (Editorial) to the then Managing Director of NNN in 1973.
He was appointed Features Editor of the prestigious newspaper in 1974 and rose to the rank of Regional Editor, North West in 1975.
In 1976, Abui joined the service of the North Central State, as Information Officer and became Senior Information Officer in 1978.
Abui transferred his service to NAN as North West Zonal Editor in 1981 and in 1984, he was moved to Belgrade, as NAN Eastern Europe Correspondent.
One year later, the deceased was moved to London, as Western Europe Correspondent of the agency and was transferred to Harare, Zimbabwe, where he served as the Southern Africa Correspondent between 1986 and 1989.
He became a Deputy Editor-in-Chief in 1994 and rose to the rank of Editor-in-Chief in 2000, a position he held until his retirement in 2006.
In 2005, Abiu was conferred with the traditional title of “Dan Masanin Moro’a” (leader of the learned) in Moro’a land by the Chief of Moro’a, Malam Tagwai Sambo.
He was survived by a wife, three children and two grandchildren.
