•’Funeral date to be fixed by monarch’
The President, Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Femi Adesina, said yesterday that unless there was change, there would be avoidable deaths like Dimgba Igwe’s.
He spoke at the deceased’s Lagos home when the management of The Sun visited his widow.
Adesina attributed Igwe’s death to lack of medical attention, noting that if a surgeon had attended to the deceased early, he would not have bled to death.
Igwe, who until his death was the vice-chairman of The Sun Group, died after he was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver near Apata Memorial School, Isolo, Lagos while jogging.
Expressing dissatisfaction that his killer had not been arrested, Adesina dismissed fears that the late Igwe might have been assassinated.
He said: “We need to get to the bottom of this. What really happened? How did it happen? We cannot answer these questions unless that driver, who drove recklessly, is apprehended.
“The security agencies, particularly the police, need to find that person so that we will know why it happened.
“Fears that it could be assassination are mere conjecture because I doubt that anyone would want Dimgba Igwe dead.
“I’ve not seen anything to point in that direction because he was a peaceful man. He was not a businessman, just a journalist; a writer, an author.
“For every crime there is a motive. Unless we find the motive, then, I do not agree that he was assassinated.”
On the allegation that Igwe was not given medical attention after he was knocked down, Adesina said: “I will not say there was no medical attention. He was attended to, but it was not adequate.
“When the incident happened, he was first taken to a nearby private hospital. There, they gave him drips and referred him to the General Hospital, Isolo.
“On getting to the hospital, there was no surgeon on duty, so he was referred to the General Hospital, Ikeja.
“So, he was attended to, although it might not be adequate and timely. If they had taken him to a hospital with a surgeon on ground, they would have stopped the bleeding.
“We may say that he bled to death because medical attention did not reach him early and adequately.
“It shows that Nigeria is a sick country. Our institutions are sick, including the health sector. We need to change the way things are done in this country.
“Until that change comes, we are at the mercy of things as this.”
The NGE president said Igwe’s death left The Sun Publishing Ltd devastated and grief-stricken, noting that his demise was a big and painful loss.
He went on: “Dimgba Igwe was our friend, mentor and boss. He was like a father because we could discuss other unofficial matters with him.
“He mentored many people. A lot of people were surprised he was not more than 58 because he was always there for everybody.
“I urge the family to be strong. They should grieve, they should even mourn; but the Bible tells Christians not to mourn like those without hope.
“He was a Christian and a devout one. We have comfort that he is with the Lord.
“For the media, there is no way its history will be complete without mentioning Dimgba Igwe.
“Fortunately, he reproduced himself in many people who can make up for the vacuum his death will create.”
Also at the deceased’s home to commiserate with his family were the All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart and Lagos State governorship aspirant, Akin Ambode and Delta State Information Commissioner, Chike Ogeah.
Ambode said he was touched because the late Igwe did so much for journalism.
“What happened to Dimgba Igwe is an indication of the level of decadence in the society. With the way we are incurring deaths, there is much to be done.
“We cannot have this kind of incident and fold our arms. It could have been anybody. We should pay attention to that fact.
“I enjoin the police to do more to ensure that his killer is apprehended and brought to justice.”
Condoling with the widow, Ogeah said Delta State was also grieving because Igwe’s wife is from the state.
He said Delta would support the family, urging them to seek solace in the fact that Igwe had gone to be with the Lord.
Said Ogeah: “He was a pastor and he saved souls. The prayer for those of us he left behind is to do the right thing so that we can join him.
“Dimgba Igwe was a journalist with integrity. I will miss reading his articles because I was always blessed when I read him with all the satire.
“I don’t know what Mike Awoyinfa will be going through now because they were like Siamese twins.” The New Telegraph Managing Director, Eric Osagie, who said talking about Igwe in past tense was a harrowing experience, described his death as incomprehensible and unfathomable.
His words: “It is a big dream that I want to wake up and be told it is not true.
“He was a fine newsman; very analytical, profound and an organiser. He would be sorely missed.
“Life is transient. We should do all we can as though there is no tomorrow. It can happen to anybody at anytime.
“It is the shame of a nation that a car would knock somebody down and four hours later, no medical care. They cannot cope with medical emergency.
“I do not know if the police will ever apprehend the killer because there are no security cameras anywhere.”
The Nation learnt that no date has been fixed for Igwe’s funeral because the family is awaiting confirmation from his monarch at Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.
