Funtua is the former President and a life patron of NPAN.

InsideOjodu recalls that Funtua died on Monday night and was buried at the Gudu cemetery in the federal capital territory (FCT).

Following his death, there were glowing tributes from all works of life to the former media, politician and business mogul.

This was contained in a statement on Wednesday signed by the President of the Newspapers’ Proprietors of Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nduka Obiagbena, on behalf of the collective leadership of the Nigerian media revealed the decision to name the journalism house after late Funtua.

According to the statement, Funtua’s contributions to the development of journalism in the country are “innumerable.”

The statement reads: “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.

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

Sowore had claimed that Funtua and others paid him a visit while he was in the DSS custody and asked him to put aside his ‘revolutionary views’ and stop fighting the government for him to be released.

Reacting to the claim in a Facebook post shared today, Garba Shehu who countered Sowore’s claim said that the Department of State Services may be forced to release a tape of Funtua and other newspaper publishers’ visit to the Publisher of Sahara Reporters.

He wrote “Let’s get the facts straight on the meeting with Sowore in SSS detention. First, it is important to state that the meeting was not instructed by the government. Nobody sent anybody to go and negotiate Sowore’s freedom as he put it. The late Malam Isma’ila (Funtua), on his own, called me to ask that I broker a meeting with him and two others with the SSS, which they agreed to. It is important that I state that it was the force of Malam Isma’ila’s argument that made the meeting possible. Vanguard Newspapers publisher, Sam Amuka and ThisDay Publisher and President, Nigerian Press Organisation, Nduka Obaigbena, all agreed that Sowore was a ‘rascal’, who had used his newspaper ‘to abuse all of us,’ but agreed, nonetheless to go and press for his release. The meeting ended well, and contrary to the posturing by Sowore, he said he was happy with a resolution proposed but that his lawyer, whoever that was, needed to come on board. The fence-mending process apparently collapsed after the meeting of the trio with the lawyer in Lagos. Knowing the way the secret service works, it should surprise no one if they keep a recording of that meeting. Faced with this posturing and the unfair attacks on the dead, we certainly will be forced to ask for the release of tapes, in case they are available for the public to judge.”

In a statement released by his media aide, Garba Shehu, President Buhari said the deceased stood by him during his political journey.

The statement read “President Muhammadu Buhari received with deep sadness on Monday evening information on the passing of his longtime friend and associate, Malam Isma’ila Isa Funtua, who was Life Patron of International Press Institute and Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN). The President condoles with family members, government and people of Katsina State, and all associates of the former President of NPAN, especially the media industry, on the loss, describing him as “greatly admired and respected. President Buhari believes the demise of the publisher and businessman has created a huge gap as Malam Funtua consistently stood by him in his political journey. The President prayed to Allah for the repose of Malam Funtua’s soul, and to grant the family strength and fortitude to bear the loss”