Vanguard’s Art Editor McPhillips Nwachukwu Dies At 47

Mr Mcphillips Nwachukwu, Vanguard’s Arts Editor is dead.

He died at Golden Cross hospital, Festac Town, Lagos after suffering a choking cough in the early hours of Sunday, September 29, 2013 at the age of 47.

Nwachukwu returned from South Africa on Friday September 27, where he had gone for medical check up.

Before his death, Nwachukwu was observing his annual leave and was due to resume work yesterday.

A poet, writer and frontline journalist, he was the Arts Editor of Vanguard Newspapers till his death.

Nwachukwu hailed from Ezuhu Umuhu, Okwuato in Aboh Mbaise LGA of Imo State. He is survived by brothers, sisters, wife and a daughter.

Born in 1966 in Mbaise, Imo State, Nwachukwu had a degree in English from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where his flair for creative writing was first nurtured. He also had a master’s degree in English from the University of Lagos, and was doing his doctorate degree in the same institution.

The management has opened a condolence register for him at its corporate head office in Apapa, Lagos.

Nwachukwu was passionate about general arts and has been a veteran Arts journalist for over two decades. He joined Vanguard Newspapers in 1998 as a staff writer and was promoted to the post of Assistant Arts Editor/head of Arts desk in October 2002. In 2009, he was again promoted to the post of Arts Editor, a position he held until his death.

Condolences have flown in following news of his death.

A statement by Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) signed by Richard Ali, Publicity Secretary (North) read: “The National EXCO of the Association of Nigerian Authors is sad to hear of the passing of McPhillips Nwachukwu. He was a writer, veteran Arts Editor at the Vanguard Newspaper and a long term supporter of the Association. We commiserate with his family at this time of great and irreparable loss. Mr. Nwachukwu has been battling a debilitating kidney condition since 2005. He will be sorely missed.”

Also reacting to Nwachukwu’s death, Director-General of National Gallery of Art, (NGA), Abdullahi Muku, said: “We at the National Gallery of Art, NGA, received with shock and consternation the news of the passing away of Mcphillips Nwachukwu, on Sunday September 29, 2013. He was a passionate Arts reporter, writer and editor, whose contribution to the promotion and propagation of all aspects of the Arts including the Visual Art sub-sector, is invaluable.He approached his job with unwavering professionalism and uncanny devotion. We at the Gallery considered him a real friend. He would be sorely missed. We wish him eternal rest in the bosom of the Lord.”