Dan Agbese, one of Nigeria’s most respected journalists and co-founders of the iconic NewsWatch magazine, has passed away. He died at the age of 81.
According to a report by an online news platform owned by Mr. Shola Oshunkeye, family sources confirmed that Agbese died on Monday morning in Lagos. His passing marks the end of a remarkable era in Nigerian journalism, where he stood as one of the most influential editorial voices for decades.
Agbese’s career spanned several leading news establishments. He previously served as editor of The Nigeria Standard and The New Nigerian, and later became the general manager of Radio Benue. Until April 2010, he held the position of editor-in-chief at NewsWatch, a publication he co-founded and helped transform into one of the country’s most authoritative investigative magazines.
Beyond the newsroom, Agbese was highly regarded as a columnist and a thoughtful commentator on national issues. He earned degrees in Mass Communications and Journalism from the University of Lagos and Columbia University, New York—credentials that shaped his disciplined, articulate, and deeply analytical style.
He was also the author of several notable books, including Nigeria Their Nigeria, Fellow Nigerians, The Reporter’s Companion, Style: A Guide to Good Writing, and The Columnist’s Companion: The Art and Craft of Column Writing. These works remain essential reading for journalists, students, and writers across generations.
Agbese is remembered as a man of integrity, intellectual depth, and unwavering dedication to the craft of journalism.