Allahu Akbar!
So, Umar Saidu Tudunwada, UST, former MD Radio Kano, is no more...😔 😔 😔
We first met in 1998, at Nicon Noga Hilton Hotel, Abuja (now Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja). We were both accommodated there to elect officials of the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
He came from Kano State Television, CTV, while I was there as the Manager News, Katsina State Television, KTTV.
That was the election that produced Malam Garba Shehu, the current SSA Media to PMB, as the President of the Guild, and late Remi Oyo, former OBJ's SA Media, was elected Secretary of the Guild and my former boss, Kabir Yusuf Yar'Adua, the former MD, Katsina State Radio and Television Services, KTRTV, was elected Treasurer. UST and I immediately hit it off and became friends. But, unknown to both of us, we were not to meet again till twelve years later.
The second time our paths crossed was around 2010, I think. He was the GM Operations, Freedom Radio, Kano and I was the Zonal Director, NBC, Kaduna Zone. Broadcast Stations in Kano were under my purview. When I visited Freedom Radio Kano on a working visit, our mutual friend, Adamu Ladan, introduced me to UST. I immediately recognized him and told him where we first met. Our relationship continued from there.
UST, together with Barrister Faruk Dalhatu, MD, Freedom Radio, and I, reconstructed a cordial, even friendly working relationship, between NBC and Freedom Radio. The relationship was, hitherto, frosty.
The third and last working relationship we had was in Maiduguri. He was then the Executive Director of Operations at Dandal Kura Radio, Maiduguri, and I was the Zonal Director, NBC Maiduguri Zone in 2017.
Although we were not close enough to be personal friends, we enjoyed an excellent working relationship wherever we found ourselves. I never found any reason to be displeased with him.
May Allah have mercy on him and give his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. Adieu, UST...