March 07, (THEWILL) – The news of the passing away of another pacesetter in sports journalism, Fabio Lanipekun, has rocked the Nigerian sports community. According to close family sources, the accomplished sports journalist transitioned to glory over the weekend, just four days after celebrating his 80th birthday.
Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, one of many who cut their teeth under Fabio Lanipekun’s supervision, announced his death via a tweet late Sunday. In the tweet, to which she attached a recent picture of herself and the sports journalism icon, she said:
“I mourn the death of my former boss & mentor, Fabio Lanipekun who passed away today- 4 days after his 80th birthday. Fabio encouraged my move from NTA Ibadan to Lagos, burnished my skills and taught me hardwork & discipline.
“May God grant him peaceful repose & bless his family.”
Fabio Lanipekun’s death comes less than a week after another legendary sports journalist, Sunny Emmanuel Ojagbaese, passed away in the United States at the age of 71 following a brief illness.
Fabio Lanipekun was born Adesola Lanipekun before adopting the name ‘Fabio’ from a novel he read as a student at the Methodist Boys High School in Lagos, according to a recent expose by another veteran journalist, Kunle Solaja.
While he worked in the print media for a while, from the now-defunct Daily Express to Concord Press, where he climbed to become Group Sports Editor, most people remember him from his time at the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).
Before retiring, whose glory days on television screens will be remembered forever, ascended to the post of Manager, Sports at NTA and will be missed by those whose lives he touched and those he inspired with his life and example.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
