Colleagues recall editor’s last words

Friends and colleagues of an editor of the New Telegraph, Mr. Sulaiman Bisalla, who died in Wednesday’s bomb blast at EMAB Plaza, Wuse, Abuja, have been paying tributes to the late journalist.

A colleague of the deceased, Ayodele Ojo, in a post on his facebook, disclosed the last thing Bisalla told him.

He said, “Just lost a friend and colleague, Mr. Bisalla Sulaiman, in Wednesday’s bomb blast in Abuja. Until his death, he was the Managing Editor of New Telegraph. This is a man we discussed story ideas together early this morning.

“Editor, I’m working on the piece. You’ll soon get it.” That was the last thing he told me. Friendly and humble! For years, we were both political editors. What a life! Rest in peace.” Another colleague, Waheed Bakare, cursed those who planted the bomb that killed Bisalla and 22 others.

Bakare said, “Allah knows best. R.I.P our dear Sulaiman Bisalla. Your killers will be disappointed because God will reject and disown them. Our hearts are with the families who lost persons in the carnage. God is your strength.”

A media aide to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Imam Imam, described the deceased as a complete gentleman.

He said, “There are days that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Some are good while some are everything but. I have vivid memories of both. In the same vein, there are people who you come across in life and the memories of your times together will never erase from your mind—for good or for bad.

“For Sulaiman Bisalla, the Managing Editor of New Telegraph newspaper that was killed in last Wednesday’s bomb blast in Abuja, I will cherish the moments I shared with him forever. As I write this, few hours after taking part in the Islamic burial rites to finally wish him goodbye, my heart is heavy from the sadness of his passage.”

Meanwhile, Independent Hajj Reporters, on Friday expressed shock over the Abuja blast that claimed over 20 persons, including Bisalla, who was also a former Deputy Editor of Daily Trust.

A statement signed by its National coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammed, and Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Mahmoud, said Bisalla’s death was a great loss to journalism in Nigeria.

The statement read, “Once again, we are saddened that the cascading bombings and killings of innocent Nigerians by wicked elements had claimed the life of a committed, gentle, and humble journalist in the person of Suleiman Bisalla, the Managing Editor (Northern Operation) of the New Telegraph Newspaper, and former Deputy Editor of Daily Trust.”