The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, his Deputy, Hon. Ben Kalu and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have expressed grief over the death of Mr. Elijah Olaluyi, a New Telegraph photojournalist covering the activities to the House.
Abbas, in a statement issued Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, also mourned the death of a reporter with Liberty Radio and Television, Malam Mohammed Adamu, who covered the Senate.
Olaluyi, a photojournalist, died on Thursday evening, while Adamu, an experienced reporter, died in the early hours of Wednesday.
The Speaker, while condoling the families of Olaluyi and Adamu, extended his condolences to the media outfits they represented and the House and Senate Press Corps over the passing away of their members.
Abass said: “These were veteran media men who covered the National Assembly for years and had institutional memories of people and events at the federal parliament.
“They will be greatly missed. My heart is with their families and the Press Corps at the moment of grief.”
On his part, Kalu expressed sadness over the sudden demise of Olaluyi.
Kalu in a statement issued Friday extended his sincere condolences to Olaluyi’s family, the publishers of New Telegraph, the House of Representatives Press Corps and the entire membership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) where the deceased belonged as a member.
Also, NUJ FCT Correspondents Chapel has described the death of Olaluyi as a rude shock.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Chairman, Jide Oyekunle, said Olaluyi died on Thursday October 17, 2024, at about 9:45 pm in Abuja after a brief illness.
The union stressed that the late Olaluyi was not only a member of the Chapel, but also a unifying factor who played an advisory role in ensuring peace and stability within the union.
It added that until his death, he was the senior Photojournalist with the New Telegraph Newspaper.
He said: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the death of our colleague, brother, and father, Elder Elijah Olaluyi, who died today, Friday, October 18, 2024, after a brief illness.”
“We pray for the bereaved family to have the strength and resilience to endure this great loss,” Oyekunle said.
“Olaluyi was an exemplary, peace-loving, unpretentious, and hard-working journalist who discharged his duties with diligence, devotion, and integrity. He was a core professional, accommodating, and jovial during his lifetime and will be greatly missed by his friends, colleagues, and admirers.”
Olaluyi, 61, hailed from Ilase in Ipokia Local Government of Ogun State. He is survived by his wife, five children, and grandchildren. The burial arrangement will be announced by the family in due course.