The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Mr. Elijah Olaluyi, a photojournalist for New Telegraph, who covered the activities of the House.
In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, the Speaker also mourned the loss of Mohammed Adamu, a reporter for Liberty Radio and Television, who covered the Senate.
Olaluyi passed away on Thursday evening, while Adamu, a seasoned journalist, died in the early hours of Wednesday.
While extending condolences to the families of both Olaluyi and Adamu, the Speaker offered heartfelt sympathies to the media organizations they represented and to the House and Senate Press Corps for the loss of their esteemed members.
“These were veteran media men who covered the National Assembly for years and had institutional memories of people and events at the federal parliament. They will be greatly missed. My heart is with their families and the Press Corps at the moment of grief,” Speaker Abbas stated.
He prayed for the repose of their souls and for the strength needed by their families to endure this profound loss.
Similarly, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu expressed his sadness over the untimely death of Olaluyi. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Kalu extended his condolences to Olaluyi’s family, the publishers of New Telegraph, the House of Representatives Press Corps (HoRPC), and the entire membership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), to which the deceased belonged.
The Deputy Speaker reflected on Olaluyi’s exemplary career, noting, “He practised his craft with utmost decency, displaying unassailable photographic skills, guided by the fine ethos and ethics of the journalism profession.”
He highlighted that Olaluyi’s extensive experience in covering the parliament had allowed him to acquire invaluable institutional memory while documenting House proceedings through his lens.
Kalu also commiserated with the Senate Press Corps on the loss of Malam Mohammed Adamu, offering prayers for both families and for all who knew them. “May God grant the families and those who knew them the fortitude to bear these irreparable losses,” Kalu added, while also seeking divine blessings for the souls of the departed.
