The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday, led ministers and other members of the Federal Executive Council to honour the State House Correspondent of Channels Television, Mr. Chukwuma Onuekwusi, who died on Tuesday.
Osinbajo asked that a minute silence be observed in honour of the deceased at the commencement of the weekly meeting of the council held inside the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said Onuekwusi should be honoured for being a patriotic and committed journalist.
The Acting President said, “Honourable ministers and members of the Federal Executive Council, yesterday (Tuesday) we got a very sad news of the passing on of one of the members of State House family.
“He is Chukwuma Onuekwusi, of the Channels Television, who passed on after a brief illness yesterday (Wednesday).
“I want us in recognition of the fact that we remember a very good, a very articulate and also a very patriotic and committed journalist, I want us in honour of this fine gentleman to rise and observe a minute silence.”
The Acting President, ministers, presidential aides, secretariat staff and journalists present thereafter rose to honour the deceased.
“We pray for the comfort of his family and all of those he left behind. Amen,” Osinbajo said at the end of the one-minute silence.
It will be recalled that the Acting President had on Tuesday shortly after Onuekwusi’s death was announced said he reviewed the news with great sadness.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, the Acting President extended condolences to his family, as well as the Channels TV family on the incident.
Osinbajo also commiserated with the State House Press Corps over the passage of their professional colleague.
He described the deceased as a journalist who he said “combined high professionalism, wit, dedication and patriotism in his diligent reportage of activities in the Presidential Villa.”
“Acting President prays that the Almighty God will comfort his family and all who mourn this exceptional gentleman,” the statement added.
Onuekwusi, 55, died in the early hours of Tuesday at a private hospital in Abuja.
He was survived by a wife, two sons and a daughter.
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