Torrents of tributes have continued to pour in for a former Chief correspondent with the African Newspapers of Nigeria, (ANN) Plc, publisher of the Tribune titles, Tunde Ogunesan, who died on Monday, after a brief illness, at the age of 49.
Until his death, Ogunesan served as Secretary, Saki East Local Government Area, Oyo state.
Prior to becoming local government secretary, Ogunesan distinguished himself as a staff of the Nigerian Tribune for no fewer than 13 years.
He resigned from Nigerian Tribune as a Chief Correspondent on the 20th of April 2020 to take up his appointment as LG Secretary.
He got his official appointment as a senior reporter with the Nigerian Tribune on April 3, 2007, though he had done Industrial Training (IT) on the Sports desk of the Nigerian Tribune between 2000 and 2001.
Ogunesan was a former secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Tribune Chapel and a devoted member of the Baptist Church.
The deceased was born on the 24th of January, 1974 and hailed from Sepeteri, Saki East Local Government, Oyo state.
He attended Progressive Day School, Aladorin Ibadan for his primary education, and Baptist Secondary School, Liberty, Oke Ado, Ibadan for his secondary education before he proceeded to The Polytechnic Ibadan for his tertiary education where he bagged Higher National Diploma, HND in Mass Communication.
He observed his mandatory service year at Obingwa Local Government, Abia state in 2005.
He is survived by his wife and children.
The announcement of the death of Ogunesan was greeted with shock, and disbelief as well as comments about the good life and times of the former journalist.
Leading the avalanche of tributes, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, in a statement described the death of Ogunesan as a great loss to the council as well as journalism.
The statement signed by its Chairman, Ademola Babalola, and Secretary, Olusola Oladapo, described the demise as a big blow too difficult to bear.
The NUJ described Ogunesan as a thoroughbred professional, whose contributions to the NUJ cannot be underestimated.
“Tunde Ogunesan was a pious Christian, a just personality and a great advocate for justice and fair play in the union matters. He was hardworking and he was an exemplar of a good family man.
“However, it must be stated that death is the inevitable end of every human being. The holy book says, there is time for everything; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to harvest.
“So, we urge all and sundry to do good always because no one knows the time the end will come. It is also important for every one of us to know our health status and take good care of it.
“Our prayer is that may Almighty God grant the bereaved family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss and may God cancel premature death in our midst and bless us all with long life, sound health and prosperity,” the statement read.
Also, the Oyo State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), mourned the fall of a pillar.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Mr Niyi Alebiosu, the Oyo SWAN lamented that his death robbed Oyo SWAN and NUJ of a selfless leader who worked for peace and justice to prevail in the unions.
The statement held that Ogunesan also served as scribe of the state chapter of SWAN.
“This is a dark day, not only for me as a person but for the entire members of SWAN in Oyo State. We lost a committed leader who strived for the progress of the Association,” the statement read.
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