A previous Group Sports Editor of PUNCH Newspapers, Mr Abimbola Akinloye, is dead.
He died on October 13 in Lagos at the age of 54 after a brief illness.
Akinloye also worked at Vanguard Newspapers before he moved to PUNCH.
He was also the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of Sports Spectacular Newspaper, a weekly sports newspaper, between 1992 and 95.
His wife, Nora Akinloye, confirmed today that Akinloye, popularly known as ‘At Large’, was buried on Saturday, October 17, in Ayobo, in the Ipaja area of Lagos State.
“We tried our best to save the situation however, God knows the best. He also fought to stay alive however, all to no avail. We gave him the treatment possible however, sadly, we still lost him,” Nora said today.
One of those he worked with at the PUNCH Newspapers and Sports Spectacular, Adekunle Salami, described the late Akinloye as a complete journalist.
“At Large was a master of prose. He can create something out of virtually nothing. He also had serious nose for news even at a time there was no mobile telephone. He would strive to get all sides to a story.
“He can write hard news and also brilliant with soft human interest stories. His death is a great loss to journalism,” Salami noted.
Akinloye was survived by wife, Nora, and two children, Maranatha and Favour.
Punch