President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday said he received with sadness the news of the death of a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs. Remi Oyo.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President commiserated with the deceased’s relatives and professional colleagues.
He said Oyo would be remembered for her exemplary professional life, her inspiring leadership qualities and her remarkable transformation of NAN during her tenure.
The statement read, “President Goodluck Jonathan has received with immense sadness, news of the passing away of one of the most eminent Nigerian female journalists and former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Dame Felicia Oluwaremilekun Oyo.
“On behalf of his family and the Federal Government, President Jonathan extends sincere condolences to her husband, Vincent, her children, Otome and Okiemuote, her surviving siblings and other relatives.
“The President similarly commiserates with the Nigerian Guild of Editors who Dame Oyo served most admirably as a two-term President in the course of her trail-blazing journalism career, the management and staff of NAN as well as the many colleagues, friends and protégés she garnered in her very fulfilled life.
“President Jonathan joins them in mourning Dame Oyo who having attained great success in a profession hitherto dominated by men, patriotically entered national service as Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity) to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 and served with great distinction as the first female Press Secretary to a Nigerian Head of State until 2007.
“The President believes that although she was already much honoured in life with accolades and awards including Officer of the Order of the Niger, Dame Oyo will always be remembered and continually honoured in posterity for her exemplary professional life, her inspiring leadership qualities, motherliness and generosity, her immense patriotism and her remarkable transformation of the News Agency of Nigeria during her tenure as the agency’s Managing Director.
“He prays that God Almighty will comfort her family and all who mourn Dame Oyo, and grant her kind soul peaceful repose in eternity.”