For the first time since the passing of her husband on 15 July 2025 at the age of 85, the Matriarch of Pharmanews Ltd, Lady Joan Atueyi, has publicly spoken about life without him, describing his death as a rude shock that still feels unreal. In this exclusive interview with Temitope Obayendo, she recalls missing him as her confidant, friend, gist partner, pillar of wisdom, and companion of 55 years. Yet, amid the pain, she expresses heartfelt gratitude to God and to the many people who have stood by her and the family over the past year. Excerpts:
It is a year since the passing of your husband, Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi. How have you and your family been coping with the loss, and what has helped you navigate this difficult journey?
Well, it hasn’t been easy, especially considering who he was, the impact he had on my life and the life we shared together. It still feels like a dream to me. But I thank God for His grace and for the wonderful friends He surrounded him with. They have been calling, checking on us and encouraging us, and that has helped me a lot.
Whenever I hear what people say about him, it inspires me to carry on, knowing that he would be happy to see that I am not helpless. The responsibility to sustain the legacy and the good works he left behind has given me the strength to move on, knowing that this is the best way to make him happy where he is.q
Looking back, what do you miss most about him, not just as the founder of Pharmanews, but as a husband, father and family man?
This was a man I lived with for 55 years. I miss him as my confidant, my best friend, my gist partner, my encyclopaedia of knowledge and our sweet companionship. I miss his wise counsel, his sense of humour, dedication to duty, fear of God and everything about him.
As for the children, people grieve differently, and his passing has affected each of them in different ways. But I know that by the grace of God, we will all heal.
We cannot shy away from the fact that we had a great man. We are very conscious of the life he lived and the name he built, and we want to preserve the legacy he left behind. We are trusting God for the wisdom to do just that.
Becoming the matriarch of Pharmanews after his passing must have been a huge responsibility. How did you overcome the initial challenges?
It has been by God’s grace and mercy because his passing came as a shock and was completely unexpected. It was God who helped me through the early challenges.
The staff members have also played, and continue to play, very important roles through their dedication and commitment. They have been wonderful to work with and have remained a strong pillar of support in sustaining the legacy. I thank God that my husband built a solid structure and assembled a dependable team. That is what is helping us forge ahead.
Sir Atueyi was widely respected for his contributions to healthcare journalism and advocacy. What aspects of his legacy are you most determined to preserve and strengthen?
By God’s grace, I’m determined to preserve everything for which my husband was respected in healthcare journalism and advocacy. Although I’m neither a journalist nor a pharmacist, I am committed to promoting healthcare journalism through Pharmanews by providing the support needed for our staff to continue pushing the frontiers of pharmaceutical and healthcare reporting.
I am also determined to sustain the values for which he was known in the industry: integrity, diligence, hard work, professionalism, godliness and his large heart for accommodating everyone who crossed his path.
With the support of the directors and staff of Pharmanews, we will continue to bridge communication gaps and avoid situations where people will say, “If he had been there, this would not have happened.”
How has the support of family members, colleagues, industry stakeholders and friends helped sustain both you personally and the organisation professionally?
Knowing that you have genuine friends around you, people who mean well and are happy to see you succeed, is a great source of motivation.
Whenever I reflect on how God has surrounded us with great pillars of support, I simply say, “Lord, thank You.” It motivates me to continue with the determination not to disappoint God and the good people He has placed around us.
God has also been faithful. Sometimes I ask, ‘”Lord, why?” and feel overwhelmed, but I find comfort in His Word. Deuteronomy 31:8 says: “And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee; He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” Those words continue to encourage and strengthen me.
What lessons did you learn from your husband about leadership, integrity and service that continue to guide your decisions today?
His humility, his love and his openness to advice and criticism. He could accommodate everyone, no matter how young or old, rich or poor. He related freely even with the youngest people.
He made himself available and made people feel valued. That helped him become who he was and achieve all that he did. He was loving and humble, never acting as though he was too important. He opened doors for everyone. No matter who came to see him, he welcomed them warmly. I really miss him.
His philosophy has shaped my personality. I have learnt to be more accommodating, tolerant and patient in dealing with people and situations.
Beyond sustaining his legacy, what personal vision do you have for Pharmanews?
My vision is for Pharmanews to become bigger than what he left behind, to grow in quality, content, distribution and staff strength. By God’s grace, we will achieve that and even surpass it.
What message would you like to share with the pharmaceutical and healthcare community that has stood by Pharmanews over the years?
I want them to continue believing in Pharmanews. The fact that the founder is no longer with us does not mean that Pharmanews is gone. Through their support, Pharmanews will become even better and greater than what my husband left behind.
Finally, when future generations speak about Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, how would you like him to be remembered?
I would like younger generations to remember him as a man with a large heart who embraced everyone that came his way. He was a man of integrity and vision, a God-loving and hardworking man.
Whatever responsibility was entrusted to him, once he accepted it, he delivered beyond expectations. He was always willing to serve humanity and God. He was a friend of young people and a friend to everyone, regardless of status.
In conclusion, I want to express my sincere gratitude to God for sustaining me, my family, Pharmanews and the staff. I give Him all the glory for keeping us together and ensuring that what my husband started will not disappear. By His grace and mercy, it will continue to grow.
