The Interview Editors
It is been an overwhelming outpouring of grief on the Nigerian Social media since the news of Emilia Asim-Ita’s death broke late Friday night.
Asim-Ita, co-founder of Africa Future Awards and former partner, Red Media Africa, died Friday at 33.
She was also the founder and chief executive of AML Media.
Reports say she died days after a successful appendicitis surgery, just a day before her discharge from the hospital.
“My sister died yesterday at about 8:20 am. She had an appendix rupture. The appendix had a small lump underneath it and that lump burst; that spleen went to her intestines and it polluted some parts of her intestine. She had to go through a surgery to cut the affected part of the intestines. It was successful as it was done by a specialist.
“She was supposed to be discharged today. She had been okay, strolling around and they had even changed her hospital dress to normal dress, which showed that she was ready to go home.
“Yesterday, she was about to take her normal morning routine stroll and that is how she slumped; before we knew it, we had lost her. She was in hospital for about nine days,” The Punch quoted her brother, Williams Asim-Ita.
Many Nigerians have since taken to the Social media to express her grief.
One first to react, was the founder of Women of Rubies, Esther Ijewere, wrote on her Facebook page:
Goodnight Emilia
This one pierced through my soul.
You lived Sister, You lived intentionally super woman & relentless soul.
When will this cycle of grief end Jesus , I am tired of typing RIP.
Rest in Peace
Ifeoma Malo, the Founder/CEO at Clean Technology Hub Inc, couldn’t restrain herself as she wrote:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
THIS. WAS. NOT. THE. PLAN.
HOW. IS. THIS. EVEN. POSSIBLE.
HOW? HOW? WHY?
I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WERE ON THE MEND WHEN YOU REACHED OUT 9days AGO?
I am so sad and tired and broken.
I can’t say RIP yet. I need time…
Likewise, the executive director of Project Alert for Violence Against Women, Josephine Effa-Chukwuma, on her page mourned what she called the exit of ‘a bright light.’
She wrote, “And Emilia Asim Ita takes a bow. How can this be? How can a bright light go off so soon? 2021 has honestly not started on a good note for some of us. BUT STILL UNTO THE LORD DO WE LIFT UP OUR SOULS.
“Rest in peace ediye. May GOD comfort the Asim Ita family of Cross-Rover state. May God comfort AML media family. May GOD comfort us all.
And this too shall pass.”
Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, Nigerian filmmaker and founder of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMMA), also took to her Facebook wall on Saturday to with the departed Asim-Ita light.
“Rest well beautiful soul Asim-Ita Emilia, this was too early ,you had so much to give, but your light will continue to shine ,bless you sis, bless you as the angel welcome you home,” she wrote.
Her organisation, AML Media, also shared their grief on their Facebook wall, “Words fail us. You were more than a boss. You were a friend, an inspiration and an outstanding person. You will forever remain in our hearts. Rest well, Emilia,”
Asim-Ita co-founded the Future Awards Africa in 2006 with Chude Jideonwo and Adebola Williams.
She however exited the partnership years later and founded her own company, AML Media.
