The Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Bravo Weekly, Mr. Dada Eriye, is dead. The rugged reporter who had worked for Tempo, City People and News of the People before setting up on his own about 5 years ago died from complications arising from a severe generator explosion.
He had been rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), in Idi Araba, Lagos, hours after the incident, from his Akute, Ogun State home. This was on Valentine’s Day (February 14), where he was placed at the Intensive Care Unit. But when his condition deteriorated, he was put on life support. From which he never got out of until Wednesday, February 18, 2015 when he eventually gave up the ghost.
He is survived by a wife (Bukky), seven children and a grandchild. Aged 52, his Service of Songs will most likely be on Wednesday, February 25; followed by an internment at a private cemetery here in Lagos on Thursday, February 26. A close family member told us that this is due to the logistics of taking him to the village and other things.
Narrating how it all happened, a reliable source summed it all up to YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine thus: “It happened on Saturday night. NEPA (PHCN) had struck. And he stepped out to refuel their generator or something. Unfortunately, there were also other generators there. And while doing that, there was an explosion and in his bid to put out the fire, he was caught in-between and was badly affected.
He was first rushed to a hospital here in Akute. From there, he was referred to Ikeja General Hospital or so. From there to Igbobi Orthopedic Hospital and finally LUTH, where he was admitted, after the family had been made to deposit N250,000. And by which time his case had moved from bad to worse. It was while trying to flush his badly damaged skin that he went into a coma, from which he never recovered”.
One of his brothers, Pastor Edwin, who spoke to us on Thursday, February 19, 2015 said ‘It is well’ when we contacted him. He also confirmed the family’s plan to bury him next week most likely.
Friends, colleagues and family members of the brilliant writer who rose to edit City People and News of the People have been grieving ever since, and recollecting their last moments with him with so much fondness and admiration.