Award-winning actress and TV presenter, Rachael Bakam, has died at the age of 39.

The Kaduna-born media personality passed away at a private hospital in Abuja on Tuesday, April 13, after a brief illness.

Before her untimely death, she was the CEO and Managing Director of Rayzeds Media Ltd, Founder & President of the Nigerian Water Ski And Wakeboard Federation (NWWF).

Family, friends and colleagues have taken to social media to pen their tributes.

Chocolate City co-founder and President, Audu Maikori wrote on Facebook;

The last chat I had with Rachel Bakam was on the 1st of April 2021. She said ” I just received bad and troubling news , I am speechless” I asked her what happened- clearly alarmed and she replied ” its April fools day bro! LOL” and my fear turned into a smile. She then proceeded to tell me about her latest fundraising drive to empower Southern Kaduna women in the rural areas by providing seed money and equipment for them. We chatted a little more about it and signed off. Little did I know that lest than 2 weeks later I wold be the one who received the “bad and troubling news” of her death!!

Rachel was a very inspiring woman ,sister and mother- always had a smile , alway positive and very very clear about her goals. I met her probably 17 years ago in Kaduna through a mutual friend and later on with her then husband Israel Edjeren. More recently, we were in the same Kaduna Creative group where we mentor, support and share opportunities for empowerment – and she was always very active , passionate about any project concerning Southern Kaduna and Kaduna state as a whole- but with a keen focus on helping the less privileged and the displaced refugees across the country.

The lady was always so busy I even used to wonder when she ever got to rest with her packed schedule !

There have ben quite a few deaths recently, but this one hit me hard!!! It hit us all very very hard cos we lost a true gem, the space she occupied , not many can fill today because she had a special flair about what she did and that flair was driven by her passion for her people. She will be dearly missed by us all.

Rest In Peace Queen Rachel Bakam!