Ex-Daily Times MD, Adinoyi Onukaba-Ojo, killed

Former Managing Direc­tor of the Daily Times Ni­geria Plc, Dr. Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo, is dead. He was killed by an oncoming vehi­cle near Akure, the Ondo State capital while fleeing into the bush to avoid armed robbers’ attack.

Family sources said that Onukaba, 57, reportedly died at about 6pm on Sunday at a vil­lage, which is 10 minutes’ drive to Akure.

The deceased journalist was returning to Abuja from Abeokuta, Ogun State, where he attended the inauguration of Obasanjo Presidential Library.

One of his relations, Mr. Yusuf Itopa, confirmed the au­thor and journalist-turned pol­itician’s death to newsmen in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital on Monday.

Itopa said that Onukaba-Ojo was knocked down by a vehicle when he attempted to run into a nearby bush to es­cape a robbery attack.

According to Itopa, Onu­kaba-Ojo was travelling with his driver and two others when they ran into a roadblock mounted by the bandits.

He disclosed that the jour­nalist’s body had been depos­ited at a mortuary in Akure from where it will be taken to his hometown, Ihima in Oke­hi Local Government Area for burial today.

Onukaba-Ojo served as Senior Special Assistant on Media to former Vice Presi­dent Atiku Abubakar. He lost his first wife, Rachael, about five years ago.

He remarried in 2015 to Memunat Onukaba-Ojo and is survived by three children, two girls and a boy.

The deceased started his journalism career in The Guardian in 1983 and made his mark in the aviation sector, cov­ering the Mohammed Murta­la International Airport and its domestic wing in Lagos.

He wrote a biography on former President Olusegun Obasanjo, titled: “In The Eyes of Time”. He also wrote the biog­raphy of Atiku Abubakar, titled: “The Story of Atiku Abubakar”.

Onokaba-Ojo was born on March 9, 1960 in Oboroke-Ihi­ma, Okehi LGA of Kogi State to the family of Malam Shuai­bu Onukaba and Hajia Aisha Onukaba.

He got his first degree in 1982 in Theatre Arts from the University of Ibadan. He spent his National Youth Ser­vice Corps year at Radio Nige­ria, Ikoyi, Lagos, from where he joined The Guardian in 1983.

He rose to the position of News Editor before travelling out in 1989 for graduate stud­ies at the New York Universi­ty, USA. While in New York, he worked as a Research Officer at the African Leadership Forum, New York.

Onukaba-Ojo got to the peak of his journalistic career in August 1999 when he was appointed the Managing Di­rector/Chief Executive Offic­er of Daily Times of Nigeria Plc.

Meanwhile, Atiku has de­scribed the death of Onukaba-Ojo as shocking and painful be­yond words.

In a statement released by his media office in Abuja, Ati­ku, who has known the de­ceased for nearly three decades, described him an irreplaceable asset, who was loyal and reliable until the very last day.

The Turakin Adamawa re­called Ojo’s relationship with him over the past few decades, as a journalist covering avia­tion; as the man who penned his popular biography; as the man who was an indispensible member of his media team; as the man who became his po­litical protégé; and as the man who boldly spoke the truth to him always.

Source – The Authority