𝐃𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐠𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦 — 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐛𝐮

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday mourned veteran journalist, author and Newswatch co-founder, Dan Agbese, describing him as “an institution” whose work defined an era in Nigerian media.

Agbese, the Awan’Otun of Agila in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, died in Lagos on Monday at the age of 81.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said Agbese’s passing was a painful loss to the nation and the media fraternity, noting that he and his colleagues at Newswatch pioneered a new phase of investigative journalism in Nigeria.

Tinubu said, “Dan Agbese was not just a journalist; he was an institution. His pen shaped public opinion, strengthened democratic discourse, and inspired a generation of media practitioners.” He added that the late editor served Nigeria with integrity, courage and commitment to truth, and that his contributions to modern media practice would remain indelible.

The President prayed for comfort for Agbese’s family and expressed hope that journalists would continue to uphold the values he stood for.

Similarly, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, described Agbese’s death as a major blow to the media community and to Nigeria’s democratic journey. In a condolence message released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, Akpabio said Agbese belonged to a generation of journalists who set professional standards that guided media practice for decades.

“I deeply mourn the loss of Chief Dan Agbese, a distinguished journalist who devoted his life to the pursuit of truth, accountability and press freedom,” Akpabio said. “His writings shaped national conscience, challenged power and illuminated the path of democracy. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of journalists yet unborn.”

He extended condolences to the Agbese family, the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Nigerian Guild of Editors.

Agbese was one of Nigeria’s most influential editors and co-founded Newswatch magazine in 1984 alongside Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu and Yakubu Mohammed. The publication became a defining platform for investigative journalism, especially during the military era.

Until April 2010, Agbese served as Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch, after earlier roles as Managing Editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief. He later wrote widely read opinion columns in Daily Trust and The Guardian and co-ran a media consultancy with Ekpu, Mohammed and Soji Akinrinade.

Agbese’s career also spanned significant challenges, including the 1986 letter-bomb assassination of Dele Giwa and the subsequent proscription of Newswatch under military rule.

He is survived by his wife, Chief Rose Agbese, six children and seven grandchildren.