The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Lagos Chapter on Saturday held a special tribute session in honour of her late Comrade, Chinyere Ogbonna of the Federal Radio Corperation of Nigeria (FRCN) who died on April 25, 2020 after a surgery.
The tributes were rolled out during the Association’s online congress which was dedicated to honour the deceased.
Mrs. Adeola Ekine, Chairperson, NAWOJ, Lagos chapter said it was a sad time for members of the association because the late Ogbonna was a very vibrant member.
Ekine extended condolence on behalf of the association to late Ogbonna’s family and friends and prayed that God will console them while the association would no longer reduce in number .
She urged other members of the association to be at peace with their creator, as the death of the late comrade is a sober reflection as to what will be said after we left the world.
The Chairman said : ” it is not worth it to hold on to things too tightly or die for anything but be justified in our spirit that everything we do to our family, friends, collegue , neighbors and everyone is right.
Ms. Anike- ade Funke Treasure, Lead consultant, Illuminate Nigeria Dev. Network and former General Manager, Radio one and Rtd. Asst. Director , Programmes, Radio Nigeria, Lagos said she was glad that the late comrade found fulfilment on the job before she passed on.
Treasure said it breaks her heart to talk about the late Chinyere because she was a vital and important member of the team Treasure.
She recalled that she had posted the late Ogbonna to work under her at Radio One when she became the then General Manager and she assigned her to the Agric desk where she thrived.
“Chinyere travelled out and experienced what it takes to be a global journalist and at a point she became more than a staff to me.
“I will always remember her as a woman who defended me everywhere she went and was with me at the Funke Treasure Table Tennis Championship organised at Ibadan where we slept together on the same bed for two nights.
“She understood how to give gifts and the peculiarity of making friends with the extraordinary talented person and I appreciate that about her, ” Funke Treasure said.
In a voice record, Mr Fabian Anawo, Chairman, NUJ FRCN Chapel described the Late Ogbonna as an amiable personality that one would want to spend a lot of time with.
In his words : ” she is nice , a good company , widely travelled and can go out of her way to please others .
“She is very truthful, honest, loyal and can be trusted with secrets.
She is a dedicated catholic, committed christian and a predictable being because she is blunt and transparent in decision making.
Anawo expressed regret that the Late Ogbonna died at the peak of her career when her wide range of experience was needed and prayed that her soul rest in peace.
Elder Chika Ogbonna, Younger brother to the deceased said the heart of the family members of late Chinyere is broken because she sat at the centre of the family and ensured that everyone followed the path of success .
Elder Ogbonna described his late sister as an idol because she does not tolerate nonsense, she is kind hearted and progressive in nature.
“She is a mother and a persuasive character who guided me not to fall apart while growing up and when she looks back at my achievements, she will recount that her sacrifices worths it.
“She is immortalised in the heart of many and can never be forgotten because she has touched lives, ” he said.
Prince Adeyinka Amosu, Director of Operations, FRCN, said the contributions of late Chinyere is recalled with a very heavy heart because she was a prominent member of the news family of FRCN Lagos operation .
Amosu said the late Chinyere , fondly called Chinny, carried herself with poise and dignity and was not one of those journalists who goes about looking for favour but keeps to her duty and roaster.
“She was a wonderful person who made the work place also a family place ,as many of her collegues saw her as a sister.
“It is painful that we lost her but God knows best.
The Director however called the attention of the Government for an improved health system, as the death of the Comrade, though is God’s will, could have been averted if all was well with our health system.
“Sleep well Chinny, you have contributed your part very well, danced on the stage to the admiration of everyone, may your path be lited, ” he said.
The late Chinyere Ogbonna was born on October 25, 1972 to the family of Inspector Sunday Ogbonna and Ezinne Kate of Umuduruebo, Umudibia, Umualumaku, Umueze Autonomous, Community of Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.
“Chinny”, as she was fondly called was the first child/daughter of her parents and she attended St. Mary Primary School, Uwani, Enugu State.
She attended primary and secondary schools in Mercy and proceeded to College of Education Yola and University of Nigeria Nzuka (UNN).
She had her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), at World Trade Center, Lagos, and worked with other establishments before she was employed by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria ( FRCN), Lagos.
Chinyere Ogbonna was employed into the service of the FRCN in 2007 as Editor/Reporter II on Salary grade level 08.
She was a dedicated staff who attended to duties assigned to her diligently and was promoted to the post of Controller News and Current Affairs in January 2020.
She attended many training courses in Journalism and received so many awards.
Her dedication to service earned her an award in Quality and Accurate Reporting of Health Issues organized by US Consulate General, Lagos .
Other awards she earned included Humanitarian Reporting Award and many others.
Throughout her career, her main aim was to fight injustice, child abuse and other ills in the society.
She tried her best to be the voice for the voiceless by registering their plights with the government in her little way.
She fell ill late 2019 and in February 2020, she did a successful major surgery at Specialist Hospital, Enugu State before she passed on Saturday, April 25, 2020.
She was survived by an aged mother and siblings.