Samuel Ibiyemi: Rotimi Makinde condoles with family, associates of Late Nigerian NewsDirect Publisher

A former member of the House of Representatives who represented Ife Federal Constituency in the 7th Assembly, Hon. Rotimi Makinde, had said that he received with a heavy heart the news of the sudden death of Mr. Samuel Ibiyemi, the Publisher of the Nigerian NewsDirect Newspaper

The former legislator described the late publisher as an accomplished journalist, diverse entrepreneur, and politician, he says Ibiyemi’s forage into the business of journalism and newspaper publishing, no doubt, boosted the success of the critical industry of journalism in Nigeria and particularly in South West.

“The robust feat of my dear brother and an illustrious son of Ile-Ife, Samuel Ibiyemi gave our dear region an edge not only in national politics but global outreach. It also helped in providing employment for a large chunk of our army of unemployed youths,” said Makinde.

Makinde Tuesday night, in a press statement made available to newsmen, condoled the family and friends of Samuel Ibiyemi.

“I want to use this opportunity to condole his family, friends, colleagues, associates and mentees for this great loss,” Makinde stated.

The Ife born politician also in the statement humbly commiserate with the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and all members of staff and contributors of NewsDirect newspaper.

He added, “Writing is an extreme privilege I am blessed with. It’s also a God given gift that connects me to several people in life. It’s a rare gift that made me belong to several people and profession. It’s an uncommon gift that easily gave me out and perhaps as a vocal person, may be to a fault. The fact remains that I am never a palace jester.

“There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up a pen to write. A writer without a pen would be like a duck without water.

“In life, we co-create our reality with others in unseen ways. This is the best and straight way for me to describe Late Dr Samuel Ibiyemi, the publisher of Nigerian NewDirect Newspaper, a brother, a friend and a former co-traveller in the murky water of politics. Can I ever forget how this veteran journalist got me to be a regular columnist in his widely read newspaper NewsDirect?

“John Lennon in one of his popular quotes had this to say about dream, ‘A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.’ It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being… This and more reason is why I can never allow my dry pen to rest without paying tribute to the very man who encouraged me so much in the act of writing despite several opposing views,” He started.

Continuing, Makinde said, “I never knew it’s going to be our final meeting when I visited Dr Samuel Ibiyemi while he was on serious battle with death. He had just been proclaimed the winner so far on round three of the battle that eventually took his life. He had undergone extensive life saving operations and recuperating when I visited. With him on the day was his wife whom I understand practically stayed put in Babcock University Teaching Hospital and his Mathew and others.

“Honourable, why have you not been sending your article, please you shouldn’t stop, you are a rare talent, do not be discouraged by the happening in our community political arena. Please see Mathew as your son and the newspaper is yours. It must not die. I was shocked as he shrugged and sat on his hospital bed, he drew me closer and insisted we took pictures. A closer look at his eyes never betrayed him as someone I will never see alive again. What a life!

“The memory of my visit to him at Babcock Hospital enveloped me so much that I had to escalate his illness to our leader Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola. True to expectations, he immediately put a call to him but as God would always have its way, death the necessary end is here for real, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi is gone!

“May Almighty God grant his family as well as his associates the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” Makinde prayed.