NPAN Mourns Passing of Veteran Journalist, Yakubu Mohammed

• Mohammed Haruna says deceased lived honest, simple life

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has mourned the death of Yakubu Mohammed, a co-founder of Newswatch magazine and its former deputy chief executive officer, describing his passing as a major loss to Nigerian journalism.

Mohammed died at the age of 75 after a brief illness, according to a statement issued by the association and signed by its General Secretary, Angela Emuwa. NPAN said it was deeply saddened by the death and extended condolences to his family, colleagues, friends and the wider media community.

The association described Mohammed as a towering figure in Nigerian journalism who devoted his life to the pursuit of truth and the advancement of the profession. It noted that as one of the founding fathers of Newswatch magazine, alongside the late Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu and the late Dan Agbese, Mohammed played a central role in shaping investigative journalism in Nigeria.

“The leadership and members of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria NPAN) are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Yakubu Mohammed, a co-founder of Newswatch magazine and its former deputy chief executive officer, who died at the age of 75 after a brief illness.

“We mourn the loss of a stalwart of Nigerian journalism who dedicated his life to the pursuit of truth and the advancement of the profession. As one of the founding fathers of Newswatch-alongside the late Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu, and the late Dan Agbese-Yakubu Mohammed was instrumental in birthing a new era of investigative journalism in Nigeria.

“In 1984, during an era defined by military oversight, he helped build a platform that gave a fearless voice to the Nigerian people and set a gold standard for editorial excellence. Yakubu Mohammed was an icon of investigative journalism, and his contributions to the Nigerian media landscape will be forever remembered,” the statement added.

NPAN said Mohammed was instrumental in building the magazine into a publication that gave voice to the Nigerian public and set a benchmark for journalistic excellence at a time when press freedom was under severe pressure.

Beyond his editorial and managerial roles, Mohammed was widely regarded as an icon of investigative journalism whose influence extended across generations of reporters and editors. His contributions, NPAN said, would remain an enduring part of Nigeria’s media history.

NPAN noted with sadness that Mohammed’s death comes barely two months after the passing of Dan Agbese, his long-time colleague and fellow Newswatch co-founder. The association said the successive losses have created a significant void in the Nigerian journalism community and called for their legacies to serve as inspiration to younger journalists.

On behalf of its members, NPAN extended condolences to the Mohammed family, the government and people of Kogi State, Newswatch co-founder Ray Ekpu, former Newswatch Editor-in-Chief Soji Akinrinade, as well as the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The association prayed for the repose of Mohammed’s soul and for strength for his family and loved ones to bear what it described as a monumental loss.

Meanwhile, another seasoned journalist and columnist, Mohammed Haruna, has said the deceased lived a simple and honest life, stressing that the late Mohammed was incapable of holding a grudge against anyone.

“Inna lilLahi wa inna iLaihi raji’un (From God we all come & to Him is our return)! Please accept my condolences over the death early this morning of one of the country’s most accomplished journalists & columnists, Yakubu Mohammed.

“He lived a simple & honest life & was simply incapable of bearing malice against anyone. May Allah grant him Aljanna firdaus & give us all the strength to bear his great loss. Amin,”  Haruna wrote in a short message.