Akinloye Oyebanji, sports journalist, dies at 60

Akinloye Oyebanji, veteran sports journalist and a retired director of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), has died at the age of 60.

His family told NAN that Oyebanji died at the National Hospital, Abuja, on Saturday morning after a protracted battle with heart failure.

Bukoye Oyebanji and Steve Olarinoye, a family member and friend of the deceased, disclosed that Oyebanji had been ill and that the family had spent millions of naira without any improvement.

They said some time ago, he had the misfortune of losing his kidneys, and they were replaced successfully through a transplant in India.

Oyebanji served the NTA for 35 years. He worked in different capacities, including being a sports broadcaster, rising to the position of general manager (sports).

He retired as managing director of NTA Properties at the authority’s headquarters in Abuja.

Oyeronke, his daughter, paid tribute to him in a tweet on Saturday.

“He would have been 61 in September. We miss him, we love him and all we want to remember is the best of him. Papito Baba Ronke. Always and forever,” she wrote.

He would have been 61 in September. We miss him, we love him and all we want to remember is the best of him. Papito Baba Ronke. Always and forever❤️ https://t.co/B0nnoPIZkB

— Oyeronke Oyebanji (@OyeRonke_) July 27, 2019

Oyebanji, who hailed from Kwara, is survived by a wife and four children.