Ismaila Isa Funtua and NIJ House, Victoria Island, Lagos

For his untiring contributions to the development of Journalism and Freedom of the Press in Nigeria and around the world, the Nigerian Press Organisation – Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria ( NPAN) , Nigerian Guild of Editors ( NGE) and The Nigerian Union of Journalists  ( NUJ)  – has decided to name the newly rebuilt Nigerian Institute of Journalism House, Adeyemo Alakija Street,  Victoria Island ,Lagos,  as ISMAILA ISA HOUSE to honour the life and times of Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua.

He died on Monday 20 July 2020 after a life of  dedicated service to Nigeria that spanned politics, business and media.

This is contained in a statement signed by Nduka Obaigbena

President, Nigerian Press Organisation, President of The Newspapers’ Proprietors Association of Nigeria on behalf of the collective leadership of the Nigerian Media.

According to Obaigbena, “Funtua’s contributions to the development of journalism is innumerable: including, but not limited to his co-founding of Democrat Newspapers; presidency of the NPAN at a time of national crises, and later a life patron; services to the international Press Institute where he served on the global board; contributions to journalism education as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, ETC, ETC.”

Samaila Isa Funtua, 1942 -2020, will, as he put it “be deeply missed but not forgotten.”