The Rivers State government has confirmed the death of Simeon Nwakaudu, the Special Adviser (SA) on Electronic Media to Gov Nyesom Wike.
The confirmation came in a condolence message released Sunday evening by the Commissioner of Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim.
The message read: “Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has expressed shock over the sudden death of his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu.
“He described late Nwakaudu as a loyal and dedicated professional who contributed immensely to the implementation of The NEW Rivers Vision.
“The governor on behalf of his family, the government and good people of the State condoled with the bereaved family.
“He prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the great loss. Late Nwakaudu died today at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) after a brief illness.”
The death has sent tongues wagging around the state as many saw the SA media as recent as Friday. Many keep asking to know how brief the brief illness was and in what form.
Nwakaudu left behind little children that would have to fight a long journey in life without their father.
The SA was a strong defender of Gov Wike’s brand of politics and a robust writer who followed Wike step by step with his comprehensive presentations of every word that proceeded from his master’s lips and aggressive defence of his principal in a murky Rivers political ocean.
The Abia State-born journalist began reporting in a Makurdi-based tabloid called the Pavilion founded by Babs Usigbe, one-time editor of Weekend Voice. Nwakaudu combined reporting with a degree course in Mass Communication in the Benue State University Makurdi and later joined the Guardian from where he was connected to Wike who was then Minister of State for Education in nearby Abuja when the then Minister was looking for a strong media aide.
Wike and Nwakaudu moved to Port Harcourt to fight the fierce Rivers 2015 guber elections and later the 2019 version, and won both, only for Nwakaudu to drop dead less than one year after his master’s re-election.
Condolence messages are already pouring in but details of the cause of death are still not out.
