A veteran journalist and erstwhile Chief Press Secretary of former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Duro Onabule is dead.

He died at the age of 83.

It was reliably gathered that the foremost journalist died on Tuesday evening.

The news of his death filtered into the air through Chief Eric Teniola, a close associate to Onabule’s family, who wrote, “Chief Duro Dnabule died this evening”.

The cause of his death is not known as he was said to be hale and hearty few days ago.

He was presidential spokesman for most of the Babangida administration when government punished newspaper and magazine publishers with temporary proscription to make them conform to the code of conduct set up by the administration.

Born in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state, on September 27, 1939, he graduated from CMS Grammar School and School of Journalism, London. His first media work was as a reporter for the Daily Express in 1961. Three years later, he joined the staff of Daily Sketch. He spent some time with Daily Sketch before going back to his previous employer, Daily Express.

In 1969, he served as the London correspondent of the Express. In the mid-1970s, he worked for the Daily Times, rising to become a deputy editor of Headlines magazine.

When the late MKO Abiola started Concord Press, Onabule was appointed features editor. In 1984, he became the editor of Concord newspaper.

Until his death, he remained active in writing and making profound comments on national issues. He was a columnist in The Sun Newspapers. (Vanguard)