Regina Okeke: Tears, Grief as Influential Civil War Nurse Dies
- Veteran nurse Regina Okeke, key figure in Nigerian healthcare, passes away at 88
- Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, pioneering journalist and Newswatch co-founder, dies shortly before Okeke
- Governor Ododo honours Mohammed's significant contributions to journalism and public service in Nigeria
Regina Okeke, one of the veteran nurses who served during the Nigerian Civil War and later rose to become a senior manager in the pharmaceutical industry, has reportedly died at the age of 88, as announced by the family.
The late veteran nurse was trained in the United Kingdom in the 1960s and was one of Nigeria's healthcare workforce in the post-independence period. Reports indicated that she had been scheduled for burial on January 28 at his country home in Umuogbulafor-Uzoakwa, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Source: Twitter
She was born in 1937 and had her early education at Holy Rosary School in Port Harcourt. She studied nursing and midwifery at the Huntington and Whittington Hospitals.
This Day reported that she served as a Nursing Sister when she returned to Nigeria during the civil war and provided medical care under emergency conditions, particularly during the supply and acute manpower shortage.
She joined the pharmaceutical industry after the war and built an exceptional career with Brian Munro Limited, where she rose to the position of area manager before her retirement. Chuka Okeke, a family member, announced her death on Saturday, January 24, adding that her life was defined by faith, service and discipline.
Newswatch Magazine founder dies
Her death came barely two weeks after Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, a veteran journalist and co-founder of the Newswatch Magazine, was declared dead.
Mohammed's death was announced in a statement by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, who sent his condolences to the family and the Nigerian Union of Journalists over the passing of the elder statesman.
Ismaila Isah, the spokesperson to the governor, who signed the statement on Wednesday, January 14, stated that the deceased was not only the pioneer of modern investigative journalism in the country, but also a proud son of the North Central state.
He said Mohammed was from the Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi and his contributions transcended the media space.
Governor Ododo praises late Yakubu Mohammed
Governor Ododo stated that the late veteran belonged to the generation of journalists who shaped the professionalism, courage and integrity of Nigerian journalism, having 'redesigned public discourse' and 'strengthened accountability in Nigeria's democracy'.
Ododo recalled the establishment of the Newswatch Magazine in the 1980s, along with other veteran journalists, Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu and Dan Agbese, adding that the development marked a turning point in the country's journalism and set the standard for investigative reporting and editorial importance in the country.
The Kogi governor also extolled the days of Mohammed in the public service, adding that his tenure as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and his contribution to the growth of Kogi were invaluable.
Source: Twitter
Tears as 3 APC chieftains die
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Kogi state government had announced the death of three prominent chieftains of the APC, with many Nigerians expressing condolences and some calling for clarity on the circumstances of their deaths.
This was attributed to Kingsley Fanwo, the state's commissioner for information and communication, who announced their deaths in a statement on Monday, January 12, not mentioning the circumstances of the leaders' demises.
Source: Legit.ng
