Ikemba Front Mourns Veteran Journalist, Nweze
Ikemba Front, a political support group within the APC has described as a ‘rude shock’ the death of Mr Alphonsus Nweze, a veteran journalist and correspondent of Apex News in Anambra.
Arinzechukwu Awogu, the National Coordinator of Ikemba Front said this in a condolence message on Thursday.
Nweze died in an auto crash around Abraka Junction area in Asaba on Oct. 7 while returning from work.
Awogu said that the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra Council and the world had lost an exceptional journalist.
“We can’t find our voices anymore, we have lost our voices, apparently.
“And our tenses are no longer rightly placed because we can not fathom talking about Alpho in the past.
“We are still struggling to come to terms with the fact that he has gone the ways of our fathers,” he said.
Awogu who is the Director of Administration of APC in Anambra said Ikemba Front family was deeply saddened by the news of the loss of Nweze.
He said he called him ‘Chief Dr Nweze’ because of his astuteness and total commitment to the course of justice and a better society for all.
The Activist said Nweze was a master strategist, a thoroughbred journalist and a utility player, who fitted perfectly into any role, a quintessential leader and a great manager of men and materials.
According to him, he was the face of Champion Newspapers of those days, many also knew him as ‘Alpho Champion’, everything about Champion Newspapers in Onitsha and Anambra State was Alpho Champion.
“I remember in the early 2000 in our activism days how we spent time in his office together writing and issuing press releases and holding press conferences.
“Alpho was an advocate, a counselor, a teacher, a guardian, a solicitor, a defender of the defenseless, a voice to the down trodden, a present help to people without voice.
“Alpho was personified in peace, faith, good morals, benevolence and showing care and concern to other people’s plight.
“How death could locate him and single him out at a time we mostly needed him is crazy and agonising.
“It is agonising to say the least, as there were no known health issues, there was also no opportunity of expressing empathy even if for a day, we did not have that opportunity, Death is crazy,” he said.
Awogu said they were consoled by the faith they professed as Christians and trusting God that Nweze had finished his mission on earth and returned to his maker.
He extended their condolences to the deceased family and assured the group would be with them in their trying moment.
“He will long be remembered not only in the field of journalism but beyond as an example of sincere, dedicated and towering voice for the down trodden, the neglected and the disadvantaged.
“We await the decisions of his family as we maintain close touch with t
he wife and his children,” he said.
