By Wale Ojetimi
A veteran journalist and former Director at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Ogungbemi Oguntula is dead.
Gbemi Oguntula as fondly called by colleagues and friends died in a private hospital in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday, May 11, 2025.
Aged 69, Oguntula died nine days to his 70th birthday.
Oguntula joined NAN in 1983 and rose through the ranks to become a Director before his retirement in 2016.
During his meritorious journalism career in NAN, Oguntula bestrode the highly influential Lagos-Ibadan media fraternity like a colossus that he was between 1980s and early 2000s.
He was not only well known in political, military, business, academic and government circles, Oguntula was actually on first name pal with most of the leaders of that time.

There was virtually no VIP contact you needed to reach that Oguntula could not fix, mostly without knocking the door.
A highly humane and urbane veteran journalist and seasoned administrator, Oguntula was diligent, humble, and committed to mentoring younger journalists within and outside the agency.
The late Oguntula is survived by his wife, Mrs Olusola Oguntula, two children, and grandchildren.
Burial arrangements will be announced soon.
May God grant the family and all bereaved by his death the fortitude to bear the loss.
(vitalnewsngr.com)