Former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has described the death of veteran journalist, playwright, writer and academic, Onukaba Ojo, as shocking and painful beyond words.

In a statement released by his media office in Abuja, Mr. Abubakar, who has known Mr. Ojo for nearly three decades, described his former spokesperson as an irreplaceable asset, who was loyal and reliable until the very last day.

“Onukaba was at my house just on Friday,” Mr. Abubakar said. “He visited me just before travelling out of Abuja. I had no idea that it was the last time I would ever set eyes on him.”

The Turakin Adamawa recalled Mr. Ojo’s relationship with him over the past few decades, as a journalist covering aviation; as the man who penned his popular biography; as the man who was an indispensible member of his media team; as the man who became his political protégé; and as the man who boldly spoke the truth to him always.

“Ojo had little concern for material things,” Mr. Abubakar said. “He was a pure intellectual, motivated only by a desire to give the best that his brains had to offer.”

The former Vice President added that an entire book of thousands of pages would be needed if he were to say everything that he thought and felt about his long-time friend, now gone forever.

“May God grant his family in particular his children the grace they need to go through this toughest of times,” he said.