Veteran Sports journalist, Akinloye Oyebanji, dies at 62

Nigerian veteran sports journalist and retired Director of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Akinloye Oyebanji, has died at the age of 62.

His family confirmed to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Oyebanji passed on at National Hospital, Abuja, on Saturday morning after a protracted battle with heart failure.

Mr Bukoye Oyebanji and Dr Steve Olarinoye, family member and close friend, disclosed that Oyebanji had been ill for almost four months and the family had spent millions of naira to save his life 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.

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“But one of the side effects of kidney transplant is heart failure, which he had experienced on two occasions and survived.”

NAN reports that Oyebanji served the NTA for 35 years in different capacities, including being a sports broadcaster, and later as General Manager (Sports).

He retired as Managing Director of NTA Properties at the authority’s headquarters in Abuja.

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