Lagos Assembly Speaker Obasa Mourns Eagle Online Publisher Dotun Oladipo at 56

The death of veteran journalist and publisher of The Eagle Online, Dotun Oladipo, has drawn fresh tributes from across Nigeria’s media and political circles, with Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa describing his passing as a major loss.

Oladipo, 56, died on Tuesday, August 25, after a brief illness. His death has continued to attract condolences from colleagues, public officials and media organisations who praised his long career and commitment to professional journalism.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Research, Media and Documentation, Adeshina Oyetayo, Obasa said he received the news with “profound sadness and shock”, recalling his interactions with the journalist over the past few years.

The Speaker described Oladipo as a dependable media partner, a thoroughbred reporter and a professional who was willing to offer thoughtful insights on important public issues. He also praised the late publisher for maintaining high standards of journalism at a time when social media has made the media space increasingly crowded.

Obasa said The Eagle Online played an important role in reporting the activities of the Lagos State House of Assembly, particularly by providing what he described as fair, factual and accurate coverage of the legislature and his office.

He urged journalists and media organisations across Nigeria to preserve the values that defined Oladipo’s career, including diligence, enterprise, originality and professional integrity.

“What the entire media community owes his memory now is to ensure that they rededicate themselves to those values he swore by, which endeared him to you all, carry them forward, and sanitise the media space,” Obasa said.

The Lagos Assembly Speaker extended his condolences to Oladipo’s family, the management and staff of The Eagle Online, the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers and the wider Nigerian media community. He prayed that Almighty Allah grants the deceased eternal rest and gives his loved ones the strength to bear the loss.