Charles Igoh, spokesman to the first democratically elected president of Nigeria, Shehu Usman Shagari, is dead.
This was made known in a statement by the deceased’s son, John Igoh, on Thursday.
Igoh was a journalist, media practitioner, and administrator who served as the Chief Press Secretary to Nigeria’s 2nd Republic president, the late Alhaji Shehu Shagari from 1979-1983. He started his journalism career in the early 70s where he was a Sports Editor and Assistant Editor at the Daily Times newspapers.
He served as a Press Officer to the Shehu Shagari Presidential Campaign Council in the run-up to the 1979 general elections. Charles Amedu Igoh was eventually appointed by the late Shehu Shagari as his Chief Press Secretary upon his victory at the polls.
The statement by John Igoh reads: “It is with a heavy heart, but in total submission to the will of God that we regret to announce the passing of our father, grandfather, uncle and brother, Mr Charles Amedu Igoh,which sad event occurred on Saturday the 23rd of December, 2023 after a brief illness. He was 83 years old.
“Mr Charles Amedu Igoh was a journalist, media practitioner, and administrator who served as the Chief Press Secretary to Nigeria’s 2nd Republic president His Excellency the late Alhaji Shehu Shagari from 1979-1983. He started his journalism career in the early 70s where he was a Sports Editor and Assistant Editor at the Daily Times newspapers.
“He also worked with the Nigerian Breweries in the Public Relations department. He had a stint at the National Sports Commission in the mid-70s before being appointed as the Public Relations Manager of Volkswagen Nigeria.
“He served as a Press Officer to the Shehu Shagari Presidential Campaign Council in the run-up to the 1979 general elections. He was eventually appointed by the late Shehu Shagari as his Chief Press Secretary upon his victory at the polls. He served in that capacity in the first term of that administration. and then farming. He was later appointed to the Board of Directors of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria in 1990.
“He became a deacon in his church, The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), where he served the Lord.”