Out of the blues, the winds of death blew and took away Yetunde Oladeinde, one of the finest reporters in my days as the founding Editor of the Weekend Concord, a Saturday newspaper that redefined and viewed news mainly from the human angle. On Facebook, I mourned her the way David wept for his friend Jonathan in the Bible: “How has the mighty fallen. Publish it not in Gath. Nigeria, what is happening to you and the best of your children? Rest in peace, dear Lady of the pen. May God keep you forever in His bosom.”
I got 124 responses with everyone crying for this quiet, gentle lady who wrote a column under the pen name ‘Grandma.’ Born on October 7, 1967, Yetunde, ironically, did not live long to become a grandma. So sad. Here are tear-jerking tributes to Yetunde, who died on February 19, 2024 aged 56:
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Never met Yetunde, our Yetunde, in the eight years I served in government as Media Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari. But once in a while, she would call me up. And I did same too as often as she came to mind. Mama Oyinkan, I usually call her, after her last daughter. Now to be confronted with this rude shock. Our girl in Weekend Concord, who held her own in a male-dominated team. Gone! Never to be seen on this side of the divide again. Go well Yetunde. Heaven was in too much of a hurry to have you back. Please, greet my dear father, and my beloved mother. See you all on the day of the Great gathering, by the beautiful river, the river that flows by the throne of God—Femi Adesina
Yetunde was God’s gift to journalism. She was rugged, resilient, and constant as the northern star. A goal-getter, she saw no hurdles or roadblocks when it comes to news. She charged like a hungry lioness. Though a lone female among our team in Weekend Concord in the 1990s (before Mrs. Wale Sokunbi later joined us from National Concord), she was never intimidated. She dey her dey, as they say. She dey kampe. Besides journalism, she did her best for humanity. She was a clean spirit, beautiful on the outside as well as inside. With Yetunde, you can never have a dull moment. No matter what she was passing through, that signature smile never disappeared. I am sure she is smiling right now at the right side of God who she devoted her life to. Rest in perfect peace, Yetunde—Shola Oshunkeye
To write about Yetunde Oladeinde in the past tense? This is hard. We all called her Grandma. She was so vivacious and easygoing that you could never catch her in a bad mood. Our paths crossed at The Nation newspaper where I was Deputy Editor of the Sunday title. No matter how late or difficult the assignment was, she would never grumble or complain. Everything she takes with uncommon grace and calmness. And she writes with grace and fluency that you can send her copy straight to the press without fear of grammatical or factual holler. To learn that she is no more is simply devastating. She has gone the way of all flesh. Travel well, Grandma—Olayinka Oyegbile
Whaaaaaat!!! This is just too sad. May her brilliant soul rest in peace—Dele Momodu
So shocking to hear Yetunde is no more. We were colleagues at Weekend Concord. Such a humble and hardworking reporter—Omololu Kassim
What happened to her? Was she sick? Oooh God!!! I recall our days at the Weekend Concord under the tutelage of our editor Mike Awoyinfa. May her soul rest in peace—Blessyn Okpowo
With the death of Yetunde Oladeinde, popularly called Grandma, journalism has suffered a huge blow. I first met at Concord newspapers, then met her later at Sun newspapers. We joined Osunkeye at Weekly Spectator together. From there, we both moved National Life and then to The Nation. Now, she is gone on her own to the world beyond. Sad. Sad. Sad—Otunba Dare Odufowokan
Missed you so much darling friend, colleague and sister. We were together recently in a conference. Oh my God, what could be wrong?—Modupe Onabanjo
Very gentle sister in the days of National Life newspapers, she will tell me: “Topsy, bami get pictures fun story yi (Topsy, get me pictures for this story).” May her gentle soul rest in peace. The only Grandma we all have in the house…What a pity. Sleep well.—Temitope Omobalogun
I am stunned by this sad news. Yetunde dead? What happened? Ah! May her soul find eternal rest in God’s bosom. May God console her family and friends—Pade Olapoju II.
Was Grandma ill or what? This is so sudden. So shocking—Steve Nwosu
She was a crack reporter and an easygoing person. May her soul rest in peace—Ekpendirector Osa
Whaaat!!! Oh no. Yetunde—Richard Akinnola II
May her beautiful soul RIP—Eric Osagie
Woooooow!!! This is sad. I spoke with her on her last birthday. Oh my God. What a painful death!—Aliu Mohammed Olurotimi
Sad, sad, sad, sad and sad indeed. Yetunde struggled with her breath to stand still…May God console her loved ones. Very devastating death. RIP, Grandma—Teanna Trump
Oh my God!!! Yetunde dead? This is so sad. May her soul rest in peace—Ebele Atueyi-Edelu
This is sudden and very, very sad. What a wicked world! We worked together in Weekend Concord and later in The Sun. She was such an enterprising journalist, so quiet and humble. Journalism has lost a jewel of the profession. May her soul rest in peace—Titilayo Oniyide Balogun
A gentle icon of our profession is gone to be with the Lord. May her soul rest in perfect peace, Amen—Taiwo Ogundipe
Mrs. Yetunde Oladeinde was as gentle as a dove. She was such a peaceful woman but when it comes to journalism, she is such a go-getter. She will go anywhere to get the news. May her soul rest in peace—Kehinde Dare
Oh my goodness! What happened to Yetty? The most gentle, best behaved of the lot! This is hard stuff!! May her adorable soul soar to the highest point of Light—Bassey Chiji Okafor
Rest in everlasting peace dearest Yetunde Oladeinde. Adieu—Millie Adisa
Ha! Oh my God! How did this happen? Each time I called her, I would ask: “How is the police officer in your life?” And she would instantly know I was the caller, even if she didn’t have the number I used in calling her. She was a rare lady. She would be so missed—Olalekan Sote
Oh my God. Yetunde Francis dead? This is sad. May her soul rest in peace and may all those left behind by her passage be consoled—Bolaji Tunji
Sad! May the good Lord comfort her family and friends—Gbemiga Ogunleye
My friend, my aburo and a simple, solid, self-styled reporter. Am gutted. May Yetunde’s kind soul rest in perfect peace—Gboyega Okegbenro
Grandma Yetunde dead? Death why?—Ibrahim A. Yusuf
Yetundeeeee!!!! Oh, no!! Rest in peace—Lara Wise
Wow! This is sad. May her soul rest in peace—Dotun Adekanmbi
Very shocking. Oh, dear Yetunde. A lady in the best sense of that term. Calm, gentle, and with no airs. A worthy person—Chido Nwakanma
May God grant Grandma eternal rest in His bosom—Dipo Kehinde
