Journalists Mourn Dead Colleague In Calabar

Journalists in Calabar, Cross River State, southsouth Nigeria, are mourning one of their colleagues, Mr Kunle Johnson of Vintage Press, publishers of The Nation newspapers.

Until his death, he was the Cross River State correspondent of the newspaper.

Mr Johnson who hailed from Ilesha in Osun State, died after a protracted illness at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital on Friday 1st October 2011.

A statement signed by a member of the family, Mrs Yeyekemi Oshoro said the body of the 61-year-old veteran journalist would be flown to Lagos from where it would be taken to Ilesha his home town for a befitting burial on Friday 21 October, 2011.

Mr. Kunle Johnson, popularly called Uncle K. J was a one time vice Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalist in the state.

He is survived by aged mother, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunties, professional colleagues and other relations.

Mr Eniang Ndem, the Chairman of the NUJ in Cross River State, called on journalists and friends of the media to assemble at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre on Friday 14 October to receive the body of the late journalist before departure to Ilesha.

Mr Johnson who began his journalism career with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria in 1978 in Ibadan.

He had been in Cross River State since the early 80s where he worked for the Third Eye, Monitor Newspaper and The Comet before joining The Nation after leaving the FRCN.

—Emma Una/ Calabar