Presidency mourns state house media aide

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The Presidency has described the death of the Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations in the Presidential Villa, Peter Onwubuariri, as a major loss to President Bola Tinubu and the State House media department.

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The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated this on Monday during a condolence visit to the deceased’s family in Abuja.

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Onanuga led presidential media aides and members of the Media and Public Relations Department to the family.

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A statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations, State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, said the delegation expressed sympathy to the family and described Onwubuariri as a hardworking and dependable professional who contributed to the department’s work.

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Onanuga said the deceased’s contributions, including his role as master of ceremonies at presidential events, would be missed.

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“We are here to condole with the deceased’s family. Peter’s death is a big loss to the department, even to the President of Nigeria, and that is why a statement was issued to that effect.

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“His death has created a vacuum that will be difficult to fill. I remember Peter at times played the role of MC at Presidential events, and he was very good at that; a professional par excellence, he was a very good writer. His death is a big loss to the entire department, and we are going to miss him very much,” Onanuga said.

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Onanuga assured the family that the Presidency would continue to identify with them and provide necessary support during the mourning period.

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Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties, Tunde Rahman, described Onwubuariri as a workaholic who consistently delivered excellent work.

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“Peter was like a friend to me; I know him as a workaholic. There was never a time that we gave him an assignment that did not turn out excellently. That was the kind of quality and calibre of a staff member that Peter was. I was not surprised that he fell in love with the job because he derived so much satisfaction from being a media person.

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“In him, we had an editor in the Media and Publicity Department, and as I said earlier, while I spoke, the message and lesson I derive from this is to use the occasion to remind media personnel to prioritise their health while on the job,” Rahman said.

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Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, also expressed shock over Onwubuariri’s death, describing him as a dependable partner and praying for the repose of his soul.

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Speaking on behalf of the family, the deceased’s elder sister, Amarachi Nwanguma, thanked the presidential media team for its support and solidarity.

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She said the family would contact the Presidency on burial arrangements once consultations were concluded.

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The deceased’s eldest child, Adaora Onwubuariri, a Computer Science undergraduate, also thanked the team for its support.

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“I am just grateful to everybody here today. I think I learned the true meaning of the saying that no man is an island; I am very grateful for his bosses, colleagues, and friends who have been there for us throughout this past year.

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“I am very grateful, and I have truly learned that my father was a very good man. I have always known that but today is a confirmation,” she said.

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