Lagos SWAN urges FG to immortalise Lanipekun as NFF mourns late broadcaster

Lagos State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (Lagos SWAN), yesterday, called on the Federal Government to immortalise the doyen of Sportscasting in Nigeria, the late Fabio Lanipekun. 

Fabio Lanipekun

“He was a hero and should be honoured even in death. We appeal to the Federal Government and the Lagos State government to immortalise Fabio, just as they did with ace commentators, Ishola Folorunsho and Ernest Okonkwo by naming a section of the Teslim Balogun Stadium after them.”

Oshundun added: “Pa Fabio was one of those we ran to for advice and now that he’s gone, we are going to miss him deeply.”

Also mourning the ‘most sorrowful’ death of a sports broadcasting pathfinder, which occurred four days after his 80th birthday anniversary, Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said: “To read about the death of Mr. Fabio Lanipekun, only days after we celebrated him for reaching the landmark 80 years, was a painful thing. It was hard to believe.

“We all read the history of how he blazed the trail in sports broadcasting starting from his time at the WNTV in Ibadan, and his distinguished and stellar career at the Nigeria Television Authority.   “He was an oracle of the industry. We are consoled by the fact that he lived an exemplary, fruitful and fun-filled life. He was a professional to the core and loved his job deeply. We pray that God will grant him eternal rest and grant the family he has left behind the fortitude to bear the big loss.”   The late headed the sports desk of Western Nigeria Television after studying sports journalism at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London, United Kingdom and later moved to the Nigeria Television Authority, where he attended dozens of