Veteran Abuja-based sports journalist Adeolu Johnson has died following a critical illness, amid allegations that his second wife disappeared with money colleagues raised to pay for his medical treatment.
The development was shared on X by sports journalist Abiola Shodiya, who recounted how colleagues and industry contacts rallied to support Johnson when his health deteriorated.
According to Shodiya, the first batch of donations went towards hospital bills and medication. However, he alleged that a larger second payment was transferred to an account accessible to Johnson’s second wife, who subsequently disappeared with the money. 
Johnson’s death has brought renewed attention to the distressing circumstances surrounding the fundraising effort, with colleagues left mourning a fellow journalist they had tried to help during his illness.
How medical donations for Adeolu Johnson allegedly disappeared
In his account, Shodiya explained that colleagues mobilised financial assistance after Johnson became critically ill in Abuja. The fundraising reportedly involved people within the sports industry who contributed towards the journalist’s treatment in the hope of helping him recover.
Shodiya said the first payment was used for medical expenses before a larger second tranche was sent to an account his colleague’s second wife could access.
He alleged that the woman subsequently fled with the money, leaving questions about the funds intended for Johnson’s treatment.
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The allegations have not been independently verified, and the circumstances surrounding the transfer and subsequent disappearance remain unclear.
Another journalist, Olujide Olusola, reportedly said Johnson’s second wife only learnt of his death after someone contacted her and informed her of what had happened.
The competing details surrounding the alleged disappearance and the woman’s reported lack of knowledge about the death have added another troubling dimension to the account.
Adeolu Johnson: His career in Nigerian sports journalism
Johnson was an Abuja-based sports journalist whose work appeared in Nigerian publications, including New Telegraph and Nigerian Pilot.
His published reports covered developments in Nigerian football and other sporting activities. It reflected the role sports correspondents play in keeping audiences informed about competitions, teams and administrative decisions.
Johnson’s professional profile on Muck Rack lists him as a correspondent for New Telegraph. It also includes reports published under his name in Nigerian media outlets.
His death represents a loss to colleagues who worked alongside him and to the wider sports journalism community.
Death raises questions about support for ailing journalists
The circumstances surrounding Johnson’s death have also highlighted the vulnerability journalists can face when serious illness creates urgent financial demands.
In this case, colleagues reportedly came together to raise money for treatment, demonstrating the support networks that can emerge when a member of the profession faces a medical crisis.
However, the allegations surrounding the second payment raise questions about how donations intended for medical care were handled and whether the money ultimately reached its intended purpose.
The available reports do not establish the full circumstances of the fundraising, the precise amount raised or whether any formal investigation has begun.
Those details remain important to establishing what happened. For now, Johnson’s death leaves colleagues mourning a fellow journalist while the allegations surrounding the medical donations remain unresolved.
May his soul rest in peace.
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