Aviation News Hounds Lay to Rest One Of Their Finest- Olusola Adekola

Mrs Olusola Oluremi Adekola- 9th January 1964- 4th March 2025

Tribute updated 27th March 2025

It was a very traumatic experience for all the members of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents in Nigeria, LAAC-N, to contend with the painful reality that one of them, an undisputable asset to the league and an invaluable critic with the sole goal of improving the entire value chain of Nigeria’s air transport industry, had quietly fallen asleep in death.

It was gratifying to note, even by an un uncanny observer how the players in the industry she served for over 32 years stood still to honour Mrs Olusola Oluremi Adekola, a Deputy Editor, with the Nigerian Tribune Newspapers.

**Mrs Olusola Oluremi Adekola was laid to rest in the casket right before the pulpit**

The final funeral rites started on Tuesday, 18th March 2025, with a service of songs and a wake. On Wednesday, 19th March 2025, at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Halleluyah Mega Parish, Shasha, in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.

**Mr Oluwatosin Adekola and his sibling, Miss Oluwapamilerin Adekola, sang a hymn at the funeral service**

Pastor Solomon Babarinde was the Officiating Minister. He reminded his audience that death is inevitable. Hence, he implored everyone to live his or her life in ways and manners pleasing to the creator, the almighty God.

L-R: Mr Sina Olaseinde, Sunday Editor, Nigerian Trine, Mr. Lasisi Olagunju. Nigerian Tribune, Saturday Editor, and Mr Edward Dickson, MD/Editor-in-Chief, Nigerian Tribune, at the church service

He added that everyone would give account to the owner of our souls, as to how the gift of life freely given to all mankind was used- either it glorifies God or self.

**L-R: Lady Joy Ogbebor of Mama J Aviation, Mr Olutayo Ajakaiye, AGM, Corporate Communications, NAHCO Plc, and Mrs Shade Williaams, Travel Pot. Back row, Mr Anthony Omoh of Nigeria Flightdeck**

Pastor Babarinde gave testimony on how Mrs Sola Adekola lived her life in a way that reverence God almighty.

L-R: Mrs **Ijeoma Nwosu-Igbo, GM, Public Affairs FAAN, a staff of FAAN and Mrs Christabel Ebanehita Eremosele, GM, Protocol & Passages, FAAN at the church service**

The first lesson of the sermon was taken from 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 14 to 19. It was read by the deceased’s son, Mr Oluwapamilerin Adekola.

Comrade Chuks Iwelunmo, (left) penultimate Chairman of the League of Airport & Aviation Correspondents- Nigeria, LAAC-N; Comrade Suleiman Idriss, Chairman of LAAC-N at the church service

While the second lesson was taken from the bible book of 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verses 14, 21 to 23. Those verses were read by Oluwatosin Adekola.

In an effort to trace the cause of sin and death, the officiating minister cited the book of Genesis chapter 3 verse 15, which contains perhaps the first prophecy as to the processes and procedures God would employ to redeem mankind from sin and death..

**Pallbearers at the RCCG cemetery, Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Mowe, Ogun State**

He however exhorted the guests and church members listening to the sermon to turn a new leaf and live with Godly devotion as their God could suddenly call them up to himself without anyone with the temerity to protest.

Mrs Olusola Adekola passed away on Tuesday, 4th March 2025, at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja at 61 years of age.

The grave. The last resting place for all mortals until the coming of Christ Jesus

Dignitaries at the well-attended funeral service included Mr Monday Ukoha, Business Manager, Aviation & Allied Business Publications; Mr Chris Aligbe, Managing Director/Chief Executive, MD/CE, Belujane Consult; and Chief Obuke Oyibotha, Aviation Media consultant.

Others include Mr Basil Agboarumi, Former Managing Director of Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO Plc); Mr Steve Onabe, AGM Public Affairs, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA; and Mrs. Adetola Vanessa Uansohia, Head of Corporate Communications, SAHCO Plc; to mention but a few.

ABRIDGED BIOGRAPHY OF MRS OLUSOLA OLUREMI ADEKOLA

Mrs. Olusola Oluremi Adekola (Nee Omole) was born on the 9th of January 1964 to the Late Professor Morakinyo Omole of Ogbagi Akoko and Mrs. Funmilayo Ajileye of Igbemo Ekiti.

The young and petite Olusola Oluremi started her educational journey at A.U.D. Primary School, Ikere Ekiti, where she obtained her Primary School Leaving Certificate in 1975.

In 1976, she proceeded to St. Louis Girls Grammar School also in Ikere Ekiti. And in 1982, she completed her secondary education. She progressed for her tertiary education at the oldest and the best ivory tower, the University of Ibadan, U.I., where She graduated in 1988, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Studies.

After graduating from U.I., the young, pretty damsel, Olusola Oluremi Omole, was posted to Kano State for her national youth service. The federal government agency in charge of the program, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC, posted Olusola to observe the one-year compulsory service with the Kano State government-owned Triumph Newspaper, where she started cutting her teeth in news gathering and news writing.

The young, energetic graduate with the appetite to nose for news wrote various topical social and economic issues, influencing her to make journalism a life-long career.

Later, the management of the Triumph Newspaper posted the young graduate to Lagos. Her task included covering aviation beat and reporting activities at the foreign affairs, amongst others.

In 1993, after a series of offers from some credible media houses, she made up her mind and joined the Hallmark Newspaper. Due to her impeccable track record in the assigned tasks, her new employer, Hallmark Newspapers, retained Olusola as its aviation correspondent in Lagos.

Later, the renowned international news wire service, Reuters, offered her appointment and she availed her service to the news medium. Another top national print medium came calling, the Daily Times. She was needed for thorough coverage of issues bordering on air transport, tourism, hospitality and the diplomatic corps.

She took up the task hence, she was retained in the aviation beat at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, where she spread her vast networks to do justice to the expectations of her employer, Daily Times of Nigeria.

With the passage of time coupled with a distinguished career in the travel industry reportage and her pungent analysis of issues and trends, the nation’s oldest, privately owned newspaper, the Nigerian Tribune, also came calling for Olusola Oluremi Adekola’s magic wand for unearthing exclusive stories that were editors delight anytime and at any day hence, she pitched her tent with the Imalef’alafia, Oke-Ado, Ibadan based Nigerian Tribune.

She was given the mandate of combing her usual hydra-headed beat- aviation with its relevant adjuncts and ancillary issues. However, with the growth of specialization, the burden of other beats was removed, and she squarely fed her editors with aviation and all factors or sectoral activities that impinge on the travel business.

She was also saddled with writing commentaries on topical industry issues twice a week apart from daily hounding for news to publish. She served the Nigerian Tribune diligently as the Assistant Business Editor/Aviation Editor until she slept in death.

MATRIMONY

While observing her national youth service as an NYSC member in Kano State, Olusola met her husband, Mr Benson Adekola. They got married at the Chapel of Resurrection, University of Ibadan, on 8th of August 1995. The marriage was blessed with two children who reverence Almighty God. Namely Oluwatosin (Son) and Oluwapamilerin (Daughter).

“Our beloved Olusola Oluremi Adekola is survived by husband, son, daughter, mother, siblings and a community of friends who cherished her deeply”.

Picture Credit: Isaac Ayodele Jimoh