BROADCASTERS MOURN ATTOH -

The West Africa Broadcast and Media Academy has expressed sorrow over the passing of its Executive Director and ace broadcaster, Nkemjika Attoh, who died on Wednesday in Enugu State.

The Academy, in a statement on Thursday by its Registrar, Joseph Obari, described the Attoh’s death as a colossal loss.

According to the statement, the Chairman, WABMA, Kevin Ejofor, noted that Attoh’s failing health in the past one year did not deter him from pursuing his passion of enhancing development journalism in Nigeria until the last weeks of his life.

The statement read, “This is a huge loss to us at WABMA where Jika spent the last years of his life deepening media professionalism. It is a loss that we share with the entire media landscape in Nigeria where this news has sent shockwaves. Our prayers accompany our dear friend and colleague as he journeys on to the great beyond.

“Attoh’s failing health in the past one year did not deter him from pursuing his passion of enhancing development journalism in Nigeria until the very last weeks of his life.

“He was the firebrand professional anchor of the Africa Independent Television’s flagship breakfast show, KAAKAKI and news anchor at CHANNELS Television, Lagos.

“Attoh later became a journalism trainer for the BBC World Service Trust (BBC MediaAction) and a consultant media trainer for ENABLE in Nigeria.

“His media leadership included his roles as the managing director of Enugu State Broadcasting Service,

ESBS; Broadcast Manager and Trainer at Lagoni Media, member of board of directors of West Africa

Democracy Radio, Dakar, Senegal and the genius behind the establishment of BLAZE FM, Awka and

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COSMOS FM, Enugu.”

Ejofor said the deceased would be remembered for his leadership role in the broadcasting sector.

He added, “Jika Attoh was a consultant to several government-owned and private radio stations in Nigeria and beyond. He is famously remembered for establishing the first 24-hour FM broadcast service with riveting programming in south-eastern Nigeria.

“To us at WABMA, Jika’s most impactful legacy was in helping to midwife WABMA’s multiple training

Centres, providing multimedia training modules. In his role as Executive Director of WABMA, Jika helped set our academy’s academic and professional direction. We will miss him sorely.”