Channels Television State House Correspondent, Mr. Chukwuma Onuekwusi, has died.
He died at a private hospital in Abuja, in the early hours of today. He has covered several beats on Channels Television before he was seconded to cover the Presidential Villa as the State House correspondent.
An excellent reporter who joined Channels Television from 1998, he showed great passion for his job. A perfect gentleman and a great family man, Mr Onuekwusi was a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
He also worked at the Imo Broadcasting Corporation, Owerri. He died at the age of 55 and is survived by his wife and children.
May his gentle soul rest in peace.
Meanwhile friends and colleagues have taken to the social media to celebrate Channels TV State House Correspondent Chukwuma Onuekwusi who died in the early hours of Tuesday. His colleagues at the Presidential Villa, where he worked for years have been posting tributes to him on Facebook.
“I have lost a colleague, friend and brother. Chukwuma Onuekwusi was a good man. He went beyond being a colleague on the beat, he qualified to be called a friend indeed. He was always calling me, “My friend, Olalekan” and I always responded by saying ‘Chukwu, Chukwu, Chukwu’,” Olalekan Adetayo of PUNCH, wrote on Facebook.
“He was a very hardworking man, one of the attributes that attracted him to me. He was always holding the Channels Television branded microphone as if his life depended on it. He did that to the point that we joined some people who paid homage to former President Jonathan on a Christmas Day and the former President could not hide his feeling. ‘You are still holding this your thing today again’, Jonathan said, referring to Chukwuma and his trademark microphone.
“I met Chukwuma closely for the first time a few minutes before I got my accreditation to the villa a few years back. We met at the First Bank in CBD Abuja. There was a long queue and people were impatient. An elderly man took on a young Bank teller who he felt was too slow and called him ‘Baba Go Slow’. Chukwuma turned back and corrected the man politely. ‘That is not fair sir’.”
Juliana Obalonye of The Sun, wrote: “My brother and friend, a thorough professional to the core and a lover of God. To say I’m pained by your death is an understatement. You did assure you will stand up from that sick bed and we will join you for thanksgiving.
“But we are consoled by this scripture, therefore, we do not mourn like those without hope. Rest In Peace my brother, I will miss you sourly!”
Others tributes follow, especially on his Facebook page.
I stopped asking! Not of its cruelty and its prevailing impetus but of ignoring the worst of its fangs. Adieu Chukwuma Onuekwusi – Okpogode Moses.
We joined Channels TV about the same period. We worked closely together as expected at the TV station then. We left the station same year, I did first, but he returned after a couple of months. I must confess that Chukwuma Onuekwusi it was who taught me how to beat deadline by writing my draft reports on the bus, because I usually would get to the office before writing and this wasn’t working for me. Chuksy as I usually called him was a pleasant guy, amiable and very accommodating. It pains me so much to hear of your demise! We love you but God loves you most. I pray that He keeps your family strong. May He give them the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss. Adieu my friend. Rest in peace my brother. – Gboyega Akosile, Channels TV.
