The broadcaster who was also an award-winning sportsman died after suffering stroke for the third time within about three years.
He was said to be over 75 years of age.
One of the daughters of the deceased, Moyo Oyatogun, who is also a broadcaster with Star FM, Lagos, told our correspondent in a telephone interview on Monday that he was in a coma for four days before he passed on.
Asked what Oyatogun’s last moments were, she said, “We can’t really talk much about his last moments because he had been in a coma since Monday. He was in the same state till Friday when he eventually died.”
Moyo, who noted that Oyatogun gave up the ghost at a specialist hospital in Gbagada, Lagos, said the family hopes that the funeral programme would be completed in the next two weeks because they do not want the body to remain too long in the morgue.
Moyo noted that apart from the ordeals her father suffered as a stroke victim, he was not very happy at the point of his death.
“He was not happy about the fact that he put in 43 years of service in the development of sports in the country but was not duly recognised. He was in the vanguard of the development of volleyball and basketball. At the time of his challenges, he felt he was really forgotten.
“He fought hard to ensure that the National Stadium in Lagos was thrown open to people who wanted to train. He believed that a stadium should not be under lock and key once a major event is not happening there. He said the stadium should not just be for people having social events.”
While calling for a posthumous honour for her dad, Moyo, whose sister, Mofe Oyatogun, is also a broadcaster, said the family was taking the loss as an act of God.
According to her, it is painful that despite all the efforts made and money spent on the ailment, Oyatogun did not survive it.
“He deserved to have led a fulfilled life. But unfortunately in our country we don’t give honour to whom it is due,” she added.
Moyo is, however, consoled that many people from different walks of life have been visiting the family to sympathise with them and extol his virtues. Among such, she noted, are representatives of the Teslim Balogun Stadium management; sports commentator with NTA, Paul Ogazi; and fans of Star FM programmes.
A statement issued by the Oyatogun family also indicates that Sir Wally, as the veteran broadcaster was fondly called, became famous in the 1980s, on the NTA.
“He had a unique signoff of his name on his reports. His deep and well-rounded voice and impeccable enunciation warmed many hearts. He was indeed one of Nigeria’s greatests,” the statement adds.
In one of his profiles online, Oyatogun was described as belonging to the “very enterprising second generation of Nigerian sports broadcasters” that raised the standard of broadcasting to the international level.
The source adds that he was born in Ghana and fired by the pan Africanism extolled by the late President Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana. He took to sports early in life and acquired professional skill as a Physical Education graduate in France, after which he taught in various schools in Lagos.
He was also an amateur heavyweight boxer and one of the pioneers of keep-fit exercise in Lagos. Inevitably, Oyatogun found his way into the NTA and his golden voice and enthusiasm thrilled television viewers for many years. With professionals of like minds, he elevated television sports broadcast to the highest level in Africa,” the source adds.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in sports and sports broadcasters on Monday expressed condolences over Oyatogun’s death.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ogazi described the departed broadcaster as a source of inspiration to the sporting world.
Noting that his impact on the sector was real, he explained, “Although his death came as a shock, he was a source of inspiration to us when we were just coming up in the profession. He was a thorough man and that was what made him stand out the more.”
Also, a former presenter of tennis events on NTA and ex-president, Nigeria Tennis Federation, Chuka Momah, said Oyatogun was a dedicated journalist. According to him, the deceased would be missed for the grandeur he demonstrated during sports commentaries on television.
“He was a fine gentleman. He was my friend and a committed journalist. He had a flair for sports journalism and I’m glad to say I worked alongside him and other colleagues like the late Yinka Craig and Fabio Olanipekun,’’ he said.