Highlights
- Prince Tony Momoh, a journalist, politician and an administrator, died on Monday, February 1, 2021 in Abuja.
- He was 81 years old.
- The former information minister was a Fellow, Nigerian Guild of Editors, and Chairman, African Conference of Information Ministers (1988-1990).
- He was also a lawyer and an author.
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has expressed profound sadness over the death of one of its own, consummate journalist and former information minister, Prince Tony Momoh.
Prince Momoh, a Fellow of the NGE, died at his residence in Abuja barely a week after the death of another Fellow of the Guild, and former director-general of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Mr. Ben Egbuna.
Momoh died at the age of 81 years.
Prince Momoh, also a lawyer, politician, and an author, served as Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture (1986–1990), during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. He was Chairman, African Conference of Information Ministers (1988 – 1990).
He was also a national chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of the parties which merged to form the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC).
Antecedents
Prince Momoh started his journalism career as a sub-editor at the Daily Times of Nigeria in October 1962, rising steadily through the ranks to become editor and, later, deputy general manager of the media conglomerate.
Prince Momoh is a recipient of many honours, including fellowships of the Commonwealth Journalists’ Association, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria.
The NGE, in a statement issued by its president, Mustapha Isa, and general secretary, Mary Atolagbe, described Prince Tony Momoh as “a distinguished elder statesman, a patriot and nationalist of the first order, and a quintessential Nigerian who gave his all in the service of his beloved country.”
The body of editors lamented that he would be greatly missed by the NGE, the entire Nigerian media industry and the country at large, and conveyed its condolences to the royal family of Auchi Kingdom and the government and people of Edo State.
NP/Tony Ekata/PR
