The Lagos State Government has commiserated with the management and staff of Vintage Press Ltd. , publishers of “The Nation” on the passage of a member of its staff, Evelyn Osagie.
Osagie, a reporter , poet and cultural advocate, died in Lagos on Sunday after a brief illness. She was an Associate Editor.
Beyond reportage, the Lagos born journalist nurtured a lifelong passion for poetry so much that she was recognised by the Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka.
She was also an advocate of culture, women and child rights, civil rights and mental health.
One of her major works, the story of Indian Ayuba, a 13-year old girl who refused to abandon her mentally challenged mother, was an outstanding journalistic work of empathy and resilience, which put Osagie in the limelight. She followed the story passionately till the end.
Winner of the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) Beatrice Bassey prize for Female Reporter in Year 2015, Osagie earned many recognitions for her outstanding contributions to journalism and poetry.
She was always warm and friendly. Besides, she did her job with a unique passion that made her stand out among her colleagues.
On behalf of the good people of Lagos State, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu sends his condolences. He prays that God should bless Evelyn Osagie’s soul and grant her relations, friends and colleagues the strength they need to bear the burden of this great loss.
Gbenga Omotoso
HC(Information & Strategy)
