By Gistflash News
Sept 16, 2021
Eldest daughter of late Malam Wada Maida, Farida, on Thursday lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for naming the News Agency of Nigeria’s Headquarters after her father.
Farida spoke to NAN in Abuja after a ceremony to unveil the name of her father.
NAN reports that the Federal Government approved the naming of the headquarters of NAN through a letter by Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, conveyed the approval in a letter dated Nov. 26, 2020.
Mohammed said the approval was in recognition of the immense contributions of Maida to the growth of the agency.
NAN reports that Maida, who was the Chairman of the agency`s Board of Directors, died on Aug. 17, 2020.
“It is a great honour that the Federal Government decided to do this for our father after he passed on.
“I can say that growing up, NAN was baba and baba was NAN, he lived most of his working life in NAN and I think he helped the agency to grow to where it is today.
“So we are very proud and very appreciative that the Federal Government will do him this honor after his death,’’ she said.
Farida described her father as an exceptional person, saying that he was a good person and very approachable.
“He was open, kind to every person around him and unbiased, he was not tribalistic, he carried every person along.
“He was very friendly and humble, despite who he knew and where he was coming from and where he had been.
“He was always grounded to his root, because he was such a family man and always taking care of us, and even his extended family members,’’ she said.
Speaking on life without her father, Farida said though it had not been easy, God had been working things out for the family.
“ You know when the head of the house passes on, , it is never easy, but we just thank God that he left us as adults.
“He didn’t leave anybody that need total attention and care, he left us as grownups, we are all working and doing our own things, we thank God for everything,’’ she said.
She said what she missed most about her father was his jokes and stories, adding that he tells a lot of funny stories and jokes.
“He just makes you laugh, even before he starts the story, you are already laughing,’’ she said.
Farida said the number of people from Kastina, Maida`s home state who attended the event speaks volumes and showed that he had good relationship with his people back home.
Also speaking, Mrs Ngozi Amah, a staff of the agency who worked with Maida as secretary when he was the agency`s Managing Director, described him as a man with distinguished character.
Recalling her working days with Maida, Amah said the late Maida worked for NAN and impacted the life of many and therefore deserved to be honoured.
Maida, also known as “Muntari or Mukhtar“ by close family members and some friends, was born into the family of Alhaji Abdullahi Maida and Hajiya Binta Maida of Unguwar Alkali in Katsina on March 5, 1950.
He attended the London School of Journalism, Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Aberdeen College of Technology and University of Salford, Manchester for his studies in journalism.
Among other positions, held in NAN by Maida, were Political Editor, Western Europe Correspondent, Editor-in-Chief, Managing Director and Chairman, Board of Directors.
NAN
