Barrister
Solomon Dalung has expressed deep shock at the death of one of
Nigeria’s foremost investigative reporters Olajide Fashikun, who died
on Sunday 27th January 2019 at the Federal Medical Center Jabi, Airport Road Abuja.
The Minister of Youth and Sports lamented the death, describing the loss as colossal to Journalism and the Sports industry.
“It is a very sad day for sports journalists and athletes in the country.
“Jide
created a platform to support athletes and stimulate performance
through his mobilization of training funds to assist athletes. This made
us look forward to a better podium performance in the years ahead.
Today, the curtains have been drawn on that project.”
Barrister
Dalung paid glowing tribute to the publisher of Gong News who excelled
not only in sports reportage but also politics and investigative
writing.
“Jide
was a dedication journalist who went far to uphold the truth. He was a
fighter, fearless, thorough and an epitome of investigative journalism
while contributing immensely to grassroots sports development . His love
for grassroots sports informed his personal effort to raise funds for
athletes to train with and prepare for future Olympic Games. Now, Jide
is gone. I pray that God will receive him and give his wife and family
the fortitude to bear this loss.”
Olajide Fashikun initiated the Nigeria Sports Development Fund to
raise funds for athletes to prepare for 5 sports at the Olympics.
He
was an ex -international in handball and athletics and a stakeholder in
all sports. Fashikun was a one-time Chairman of the Kwara State Chapter
of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Sports Editor of the Herald
newspaper, Managing Editor of Gong News, a senior Sports correspondent
at ThisDay and a former lecturer at Kwara Polytechnic.
He was aged 54.
0 comments:
Speak up your mind
Tell us what you're thinking... !