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Journalists seek support for Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba’s family

By Victor Gbonegun
14 March 2017   |   2:55 am
As a memorabilia for his brilliant contributions to the Nigerian media landscape, journalists have been urged to show support for the mutual fund scheme initiated for the children...

Adinoyi Onukaba Ojo

As a memorabilia for his brilliant contributions to the Nigerian media landscape, journalists have been urged to show support for the mutual fund scheme initiated for the children of their departed colleague, Ex-Managing Director of the Daily Times, Dr. Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba.

Late Onukaba, a journalist, playwright and university teacher, has been described by many as a doyen of the pen profession and one of the brightest minds in the anals of Nigerian journalism history.

At a gathering organised in his honour in Surulere, which was attended by top echelon of journalism profession that included Bayo Onanuga, Gbenga Omotoso, Lanre Idowu, Akeem Bello, Ayo Asagba, Chido Nwakanma, Niyi Obaremi, Bunmi Akinkugbe, Sunmi Smart-Cole, Nkanu Egbe amongst others, they agreed that the best way to remember him was to institute a memorial trust fund for his children.

Founder and Director of Journalism Clinic, Taiwo Obe, observed that Onukaba, while in active journalism, was a very serious-minded professional who demonstrated exceptional knowledge in aviation reporting, media management, very friendly, caring and a jolly good fellow who was ready to help at any point in time.

According to him, he was a proud son of Ebira land and a star to his people whom many of them have built their branding on. He noted that the only way to keep his memory alive was to read some of his writings as well as for colleagues to massively support the trust fund scheme put in place for the children.

Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Bayo Onanuga, in eulogising Onukaba, pointed out that he was never a part of a cartel of journalists who enjoy laziness. Onanuga described his death as saddening and urged colleagues to learn from his life and time by putting their best in whatever position life bestows on them.

Also speaking, Mr. Sunmi Smart Cole, described him as a kind hearted man, peaceful and diligent and a man who never committed any crime throughout the period of their friendship. He called for a memorial service in his honour in an interdenominational church.

For Akeem Bello, the late Onukaba was a man who lived his entire life for others, a giver, and someone who cares about the growth and development of others especially those below him, friendly and brilliant in his writings.

According to Mr. Lanre Idowu, a close colleague while at The Guardian, Onukaba was a creative writer, who as an aviation reporter, made the pages of The Guardian very engaging and refreshing. He described him as a true professional, who believed in standards and maintained standards, stressing that though his demise was a sadden loss but the joy remains that he left a good name to keep his memory alive.

Onukaba worked as a journalist with The Guardian, Nigeria, the United Nations in Somalia and as a professor of Mass Communication at the College of New Rochelle in New York, a former Managing Director of Daily Times of Nigeria PLC, author of In the Eyes of Times, a biography of Olusegun Obasanjo, author of The story of Atiku Abubakar and a co-author of Born To Run, a biography of Dele Giwa, a play, The Killing Swamp, amongst other works.

2 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    A very good move by his colleagues, One that if properly sustained, maintained and monitored will not only see the late Dr’s children properly taken care of but make the man and his wife himself happy whereever they are knowing that those he worked with and impacted on has not abandoned him in death.
    Adieu Dr. Ojo

  • Author’s gravatar

    May his soul rest in peace and may God give those who intended to help the means to help his family. Amen.

  • Author’s gravatar

    This is very commendable, may God Almighty grant them the ability to support late Dr Ojo’s family.