The International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) and its African regional group, the Federation of African
Journalists (FAJ), today mourn three journalists who were killed in an accident in Nigeria,
and have expressed their deepest sympathies to the ten other survivors.
According to IFJ and FAJ affiliate, the Nigeria Union of Journalists
(NUJ), members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists
from Lagos and Oyo States were involved in a motor accident on
Friday, August 2. The delegation left Abuja earlier on August 2 after a meeting
at the NUJ National Secretariat and their car had an accident between Ile Ife and Ilesha in Osun State (south
west). All the victims in the accident had been transferred from Ilesha General Hospital to the Teaching
hospital in Oshogbo by the Osun State Government.
NUJ later learnt of the death of Adolphous
Okonkwo, of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and its National Financial Secretary,
Olatunde Ojenike, of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Chairman of Radio
Nigeria Ibadan Network Centre Chapel, and Afayat Odunsi of the Nigerian
Television Authority (NTA), while doing their duty for the NUJ.
“On behalf of the IFJ, we express our
shock at the tragic news of the car crash. We are all grievously pained by the
sad loss of the three NUJ members. We hope that the outpouring of
sympathy that NUJ is receiving is some consolation at this very sad time. The
IFJ, and many of its affiliates, have lost active and vibrant colleagues which
makes it even harder to comprehend their death,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ
President in a condolence message sent to Mohamed Garba, President of Nigeria
Union of Journalists and also President of the Federation of African
Journalists (FAJ).
Nine (9) journalists and the bus driver survived
the car crash. They are Abdulkareem Fatimah National Treasurer of NUJ,
Deji Elumoye, Chairman, Lagos state Council and a staff of
This Day Newspaper, Gbenga Opadotun, Chairman, Oyo state Council and a staff of
Nigerian Tribune, Silva Okereke, Secretary , Lagos state Council and a
staff of Champion Newspaper, Bimbo Oyetunde, Chairperson Radio Nigeria Ibadan
Network Centre Chapel, Momoh Adamson of Voice of Nigeria,
Banji Oluwalana of NTA, Victoria Island, Uzogbu
Christopher of Voice of Nigeria and Bolaji Akeem of NTA, Channel 7.
“We wish a speedy recovery to all the
injured, in particular to sister Fatimah. They are in our thoughts and we hope they
will get back to their usual selves soon,” Boumelha
added.
For more
information, please contact IFJ on + 221 33 867 95 86/87
The IFJ
represents more than 600.000 journalists in 134 countries