Pioneer Chairman, Lawyers In The Media (LIM) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Gbolahan Gbadamosi, has expressed his condolence over the death, yesterday, of Nurudeen Jewola of Newswatch.

Jewola, of the Crime Desk of Sunday Newswatch newspaper, died yesterday morning in his residence on the outskirts of Lagos.

Expressing sadness over Jewola’s sudden death through a kidney related problem, Gbadamosi insisted that media owners should provide better security and insurance cover for the journalists so as to guarantee better performance of their duties.

Gbadamosi had in July last year made a similar call when Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, donated N1 million to the ailing Nigerian Tribune journalist, Tunde Babajide, who was suffering from prostrate cancer and on admission at University College Hospital (UCH).

The former Chairman, Guardian Newspapers Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) noted yesterday that “to ensure effective discharge of duties by journalists, comprehensive insurance cover is the best way out.”

Gbadamosi, a former Assistant National Publicity of NBA, expressed gratitude to Governor Ajimobi; Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) who recently donated N1.5 million towards the treatment of the kidney-related problem of Jude Okwe of ThisDay; Chair of Centre for Free Speech (CFS) Richard Akinnola who initiated supports for widows of slain journalists; and other governors who had been coming to the rescue of ailing journalists. He however wondered: “How long will journalists in distress continue to wait for token assistance?"

Gbadamosi made a case for the involvement of the African Union (AU) in journalists’ welfare issues. His words: “Reporters San Frontiers (Reporters Without Borders) has arranged a global insurance cover for journalists, photographers and freelancers who are citizens of the European Union (EU). Where is AU?”

•Photo shows Gbadamosi.

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