A journalist with the Source Magazine and active member of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) Mr. Chibuike Newman Osuji has died after a protracted illness that kept him as an in-patient at a Lagos private hospital for months.
52-year-old Osuji , who hailed from Amato, Avuvu Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State , passed on, in the early hours of last Sunday.
Since his demise, journalists on the Crime beat , his immediate constituency have been in mourning mood as Osuji who is survived by his aged mother, siblings and relatives was an amiable and committed member of CRAN and loved by his colleagues.
Throughout his days in the hospital, CRAN members ably led by Mr. Odita Sunday of the Guardian Newspapers did their best in terms of prayers, financial and moral support to ensure that he recovered. Regrettably, death had its way.
In a statement by the leadership of CRAN, there would be a service of songs in his honour on Friday March 15, at his residence , 1 Sikiru Alimi Street, Ijesha , Lagos , beginning at 5pm while burial arrangements would subsequently be announced by his family.
Some time in 2018, the late journalist’s sickness had reportedly begun as malaria and typhoid fever but when he was diagnosed in the hospital, a case of ulcer which was dripping blood inside his system revealed. His faeces was said to have been darkened with a drop in his blood level.
Due to the seemly complicated nature of the illness at some point, he had to undergo comprehensive test at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital to ascertain the real cause of his problem. Huge sums of money contributed by his family, friends, colleagues and well wishers to assist him at some point got exhausted, thus prompting CRAN to use the media platform to solicit assistance from members of the public. Regrettably, not much was realized.
As at press time, serious efforts were being made by members of CRAN to assist the family .
