By Citizenship News
The family of the late Sam Nda-Isaiah, publisher of the Leadership Media Group has announced events to mark the 5th year anniversary of his passing.
The late Sam Nda-Isaiah passed away after a brief illness on Friday, December 11, 2020 at the age of 58. He was born on May 1, 1962.
The Managing Director of Leadership Conferences, Abraham Nda-Isaiah made the announcement of the memorial on Saturday December 13 on behalf of the family.
Abraham is a younger brother to the late Sam and has played a key role in the running of the Leadership Group.
According to the announcement, friends and associates have been invited to join the family for an evening of remembrance and tributes on Monday December 15 at the NAF Conference Centre, Ahmadu Bello Way Gwarinpa Express Way, Kado, Abuja at 6:30 pm. The ThanksGiving Service would be held the same day at 5pm.
“It will 5 years on December 11 since our father, husband, brother, uncle, friend and founder of the Leadership Group
Limited passed,” the announcement said.
Chairman and Founder of LEADERSHIP Group Limited, Sam was a family man, a serial entrepreneur and visioner, and a passionate politician. He was, above all, a man of faith.
Sam trained as a pharmacist, but he made his mark as a newspaperman, with three dailies, including the flagship and Nigeria’s most influential newspaper, LEADERSHIP, in his stable.
He was also a serial entrepreneur with a portfolio of thriving businesses and a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on whose platform he contested for presidential ticket in 2014.
Sam, a bridge-builder and champion of Big Ideas, a number of which he vigorously canvassed, also held the traditional title of Kakaki Nupe, the spokesperson of the Nupe people.
He was a promoter of Nigeria’s unity and an outstanding student of history and global politics.
Sam was born in Minna, capital of Niger State on May 1, 1962. He attended the UNA Elementary School before switching over to the Christ Church School, Kaduna in 1968 to complete his primary school education.
He attended the Federal Government College, Kaduna, from 1974 to 1979. He later studied Pharmacy at the Obafemi Awolowo University and did his National Youth Service Corps programme at the Ekiti State General Hospital in 1984.
He was an alumnus of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore.
Sam began his working career as a pharmacist at the Kano Specialist Hospital before he moved to the General Hospital, Minna. He worked at Pfizer Products Limited from 1985 to 1989.
A passionate newspaperman and pundit, his column, “Last Word” with a footnote, “Earshot”, was a must read. He started the column as special writer and editorial board member of Daily Trust, before he founded LEADERSHIP with proceeds from the launch of a collection of some of his finest articles in 2001.
Before LEADERSHIP became a full-fledged newspaper, Sam started with, LEADERSHIP CONFIDENTIAL, a newsletter that was of tremendous value and insights, especially among diplomats, top politicians and business owners.
Sam demonstrated exceptional courage through his write-ups, a quality that popularised the newspaper and often put him at odds with the government, especially under former Presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Olusegun Obasanjo.
As a result of his contributions to the media industry, Nda-Isaiah was called to serve as a committee member in the Kano State government to revive The Triumph Newspapers owned by the state government.
In 2003, he was in charge of President Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaign publicity.
He was a member of the Asian think-tank, the Global Institute for Tomorrow in Hong Kong.
In 2019 he was appointed board member of the Baze University, Abuja.
In 2015, Nda-Isaiah ran for the country’s presidency, contesting in the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with the campaign slogan, Big Ideas. He however lost in the keenly contested primaries.
He held the title of Kakaki Nupe conferred on him by the current Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar. He was also conferred with a chieftaincy title, Aare Baaroyin of Akure Kingdom, by Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Odundun.
A very hard-working personality in all he sought to do, he was fully committed to ideals which he believed in. He was a great patriot who believed in the unity of Nigeria.
Sam’s credo was “Know your limits, then ignore it.” He will be profoundly missed by all who knew him
