Foremost Investigative Group, the Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists, NGIJ, is saddened with the sudden demise of one of its member, Peremobewei Tobi Tukuwei Jnr, who lost his life in a tragic Boat Mishap that occurred in Nembe Local Government Area of the Bayelsa state on Wednesday 25 October 2023.
The Bayelsa State born Tukuwei was a Staff of DAAR Communications and also Director, Media and Publicity of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Campaign Council in Bayelsa State.
Tukuwei was declared missing after the tragic incident occurred while he and two other journalists were travelling from Nembe Town to Okoroba Community in Nembe for the party’s governorship campaign.
According to eyewitness accounts, the driver of the speedboat in which they were travelling lost control as a result of turbulence created by waves and capsized at about 1 pm along the Nembe Creek leading to Okoroba.
In a Statement by NGIJ President, Ayoyemi Mojoyinola, as regards the death of the promising Broadcast Journalist who died in his prime,he said that his death is a great loss to the Nigeria Media Space, Bayelsa State and NGIJ as a body.
He said his selfless service, determination, charisma, urbane and discharge of duties stood him out of the crowd and among his contemporaries.
His loss he said is so painful, but stressed that God Almighty does what pleases him.
“Death is a companion of the living which we will all embrace one day, we are just pained by his sudden demise.
“We pray that God in his infinite mercy will give his family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss”.
Tukuwei hails from Toru-Ndoro community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state, was appointed Director, Media and Publicity of the APC Campaign Council in Bayelsa Date early October.
He was a media and communications expert, and an alumnus of the School of Politics, Politics and Governance.
He was also a BBC-trained journalist who won the Best on Air Personality, Best Television Presenter in the Niger Delta as well as Bayelsa’s Best Journalist of the Year five years in a row from 2015-2020.
He was also a one-time acting Head of Programmes Raypower FM Yenagoa before he was elevated to the national network in Abuja becoming a co-anchor of one of AIT’s breakfast programme, ‘Kaakaki’.