Veteran Journalists Honour Late Obasiolu

The Chairman of Rivers State Scholarship Board, Captain Elechi Amadi (rtd), has reiterated the vital role of the media in the socio-economic development of any nation.

Capt. Amadi made the remark when the League of Veteran Journalists paid him a courtesy visit in his office as part of activities marking the annual memorial lecture in honour of Late Wonokwuru Obasiolu, one of the frontline journalists from the Niger Delta, who was assassinated during the Nigeria Civil War.

He said, the contributions of journalists to nation building cannot be over emphasized, adding that late Obasiolu was a straight forward and fearless journalist.

The scholarship board boss lauded the League of Veteran journalists for honouring their late colleague who according to him was very outspoken and could have done very well if he had lived longer.

In his briefing, the State Chapter President of the League of Veteran Journalists, Mr Wofuru Oparaolu, said as senior colleagues in the profession, they would continue to render selfless services to the people as the duties and responsibilities of journalists were increasingly becoming complex and thanked the chairman for identifying with their cause.

Late Obasiolu who hailed from Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State was a practicing journalist with the defunct Eastern Nigeria Guardian when he was captured and brutally killed in 1969 by Biafran soldiers at Igwuruta Town in Rivers State.

He graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, (UNN) with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.