Nigerian Press Organisation Honours Funtua, Names NIJ Building Ismaila Isa House

The Nigerian Press Organisation has named the newly rebuilt Nigerian Institute of Journalism House after Late Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua.

Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua, life patron of International Press Institute and Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), died Monday night at 78.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Nigerian Press Organisation comprising Newspapers’ Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), said the newly rebuilt Nigerian Institute of Journalism House, Adeyemo Alakija Street, Victoria Island,Lagos, had been named Ismaila Isa House.

The statement issued on behalf of the collective leadership of the Nigerian Media by the President, Nigerian Press Organisation, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, who is also President of The Newspapers’ Proprietors Association of Nigeria, said this was to honour the life and times of the late veteran journalist for his untiring contributions to the development of journalism and freedom of the Press in Nigeria and around the world.

The statement read: “For his untiring contributions to the development of Journalism and Freedom of the Press in Nigeria and around the world, it is the privilege of the Nigerian Press Organisation – Newspapers’ Proprietors Association of Nigeria ( NPAN) , Nigerian Guild of Editors ( NGE) and The Nigerian Union of Journalists ( NUJ) -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, OFR, Mni , who died on Monday July 20,2020 after a life of dedicated service to Nigeria that spanned politics, business and media.

“His 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.

“Ismaila Isa Funtua, 1942 -2020, will be deeply missed but not forgotten.”