From Nigerian scholar, Pius Adeyemi to Nobel-winning novelist Toni Morrison and Zimbabwe strongman Robert Mugabe, here are some of the notable deaths of 2019.
JANUARY
– 10: Emir Of Lafia died of an undisclosed ailment at the age of 84.
– 13: Former South Africa star Philemon ‘Chippa’ Masinga died aged 49 in a Johannesburg hospital from cancer
– 21: Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala, 28, was killed when the plane he was in crashed into the English Channel.
– 30 Grammy-Winning R&B Singer James Ingram dies at 66; his rise to fame came after he lent his smooth vocals to the songs “Just Once”
FEBRUARY
-11: NFF General Secretary Taiwo Ogunjobi died of a brief illness.
-16: Bruno Ganz, the actor whose role as Hitler inspired countless parodies died in Zurich, he was suffering from cancer. Ganz died aged 77.
-19: Iconic Fashion Designer Karl Lagerfeld died at 85. Lagerfeld was artistic director at Chanel.
-28: Veteran Musician Andre Previn died at 89.
MARCH
-01: Former Kano Governor, Hamza Abdullahi died in Germany of a brief illness.
-09: Mr Temitope Olatoye, a House Of Reps Member was shot dead in Oyo State.
-10: Nigerian scholar, author and popular columnist/activist, Pius Adesanmi, was among those killed when an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed.
APRIL
-o1: Grammy-Nominated US Rapper, Nipsey Hussle was shot dead, he was only 33.
-13: Former Appeal Court President Mamman Nasir died at 90.
MAY
-12: Respected boxing judge turned broadcaster Harold Lederman died of cancer, he was 79.
-13: Hollywood Icon Doris Day died at 97, she had always been in good health till she contracted pneumonia.
-31: The President, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Francis Johnson died of a brief illness.
JUNE
-01: Ex-Arsenal Striker Jose Reyes died in a car crash.
-17: Egypt Ex-President Morsi died after fainting in court.
JULY
-07: Disney Star Cameron Boyce (20) died in his sleep.
-22: Precious Owolabi, a corps member serving with Channels TV died in a clash between Shiites and men of the Nigerian Police Force.
-25: Tunisia’s President Beji Essebsi died at 92, he was severely ill.
-27: Veteran Sports Journalist, Akinloye Oyebanji, died at the age of 62.
AUGUST
-06: Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison died at 88,
-12: DJ Arafat died in a road crash.
-27: First Gambia President, Dawda Jawara died at 95.
SEPTEMBER
-06: Zimbabwe Ex-President Robert Mugabe died aged 95, he died of an undisclosed ailment.
-19: Tunisia’s Ex-President Ben Ali died at 83.
-22: Ex-Ghanaian international Agogo died at 40, he suffered a stroke.
-23: Nigeria’s Chief Trade Negotiator, Ambassador Osakwe passed on. It was undisclosed what the cause of his death was.
-26: Former SGF, Ufot Ekaette (80) died of a brief illness, he was appointed SGF in May 1999 by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo.
-26: Former French President, Jacques Chirac died of an ill-health.
-29: Popular Twitter commentator Stanley Nwabia died following an unsuccessful blood transfusion procedure in Lagos.
OCTOBER
-03: Nigeria’s Olympic Silver Medalist, Isaac Promise died at 31, he is said to have collapsed at his apartment gym in Austin.
-07: Veteran Broadcaster Kunle Olasope died at 82.
-26: Deborah Jibowu died at 95, she was Nigeria’s first female science graduate.
-31: First Lagos Governor, Mobolaji Johnson died at 83. Johnson became governor of Lagos State in May 1967 until he retired from the Nigerian Army in July 1975 during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon (rtd).
NOVEMBER
-11: Former Petroleum Minister, Tam David-West died at 83, he served as Minister of Petroleum and Energy under President Muhammadu Buhari’s military regime.
-15: Nigeria’s Former Minister of Information, Alex Akinyele died at 81, he died of a brief ailment.
-27: Media personality, Binta Badmus, passed on allegedly due to a medical error. She worked with Smooth FM as a radio presenter before joining ‘The Other News’ on Channels TV.
DECEMBER
-07: Renowned Pentecostal Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke died aged 79, he was widely known for his gospel missions throughout African countries, including Nigeria and South Africa.
-18: Senator Ben Uwajumogu who was representing Imo North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, died at the nation’s capital, he was aged 51.
-31: Dr Muhammadu Adamu Fagengawo, a Reps Member representing Garki/Babura Federal constituency in Jigawa state, died at a hospital in Dubai.
May their families, friends and loved ones find comfort, solace, and fortitude to bear the loss.
