Aviation journalist Shola Adekola has died at the age of 61.
Adekola died on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, after a brief illness.
Until her death, she was the Assistant Business and Aviation Editor at Nigerian Tribune, the country’s oldest newspaper.
She was widely respected for her contributions to aviation journalism.
Born to the late Morakinyo Omole and Funmilayo Omole, Adekola grew up within the University of Ibadan community. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Studies from the institution in 1988.
Popularly known as “Madam Sholly,” she furthered her expertise at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, where she took professional courses in aviation reporting and management between 1993 and 2023.
Adekola’s career spanned several decades, during which she reported extensively on aviation and tourism. Her work took her across Europe, America, the Middle East, and Africa for industry conferences.
She was a long-time member of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC), joining in 1993 after being posted to the aviation beat by The Triumph, a Kano State Government-owned newspaper.
Over the years, she worked with several media houses, including Hallmark, Daily Times, Reuters and Nigerian Tribune, where she rose through the ranks from proofreader to assistant editor.
Adekola was the author of the widely read aviation column Crucial Moment, published every Thursday in Nigerian Tribune.
Within LAAC, she served in various capacities, including assistant secretary, secretary, and vice chairman, leaving a lasting impact on aviation journalism in Nigeria.
