Veteran Journalist and Newswatch Co-Founder Dan Agbese Dies at 81

Nigeria’s media fraternity has lost one of its most respected voices, as veteran journalist and Newswatch co-founder, Mr. Dan Agbese, has died at the age of 81.

Family sources confirmed his passing on Monday morning in Lagos, according to a report published by journalist Shola Oshunkeye.

Agbese, widely regarded as one of the architects of modern Nigerian journalism, built an illustrious career that spanned decades across print and broadcast media. He served as editor of The Nigeria Standard and New Nigerian, and was later appointed General Manager of Radio Benue before co-founding Newswatch in 1985 alongside Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu, and Yakubu Mohammed.

He remained Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch until April 2010, helping to position the publication as a powerhouse of investigative and interpretive journalism.

A consummate writer and teacher of the craft, Agbese authored several influential books, including Nigeria Their Nigeria, Fellow Nigerians, The Reporter’s Companion, Style: A Guide to Good Writing, and The Columnist’s Companion. His works became essential texts for generations of reporters and columnists.

Agbese held degrees in mass communication from the University of Lagos and journalism from Columbia University, New York, credentials that equipped him to shape Nigeria’s media landscape with uncommon depth, clarity, and integrity.

His death marks the end of an era for Nigerian journalism, as colleagues, admirers, and media institutions brace to pay tribute to a man whose pen and principles left an indelible mark.