Legacy of an Icon: Newswatch Co-Founder Yakubu Mohammed Passes On

The Nigerian media landscape is in deep mourning following the death of Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, a titan of investigative journalism and a co-founder of the legendary Newswatch magazine. Mohammed breathed his last late Tuesday night, January 13, 2026, in Lagos after a brief battle with an undisclosed illness. At 75, his passing marks the end of an era for a generation of journalists who dared to challenge military regimes and redefine the standards of professional integrity in West Africa.

The news of his demise is particularly poignant as it comes less than two months after the death of his lifelong friend and fellow co-founder, Dan Agbese, who passed away on November 17, 2025. This double loss leaves a massive void in the “Newswatch Four”—the group comprising Mohammed, Agbese, Ray Ekpu, and the late Dele Giwa—who revolutionized Nigerian print media in the 1980s with their fearless, long-form investigative reporting.

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, was among the first to confirm the development, describing the Ologba-born veteran as a “proud son of Kogi” and a “pioneer who redefined courage in Nigerian journalism.” The Governor’s sentiment echoes across the nation’s newsrooms, where Mohammed is remembered as a meticulous editor and a quiet force behind some of the most influential headlines in the country’s history.

Just weeks before his health declined, Mohammed made a final, significant contribution to the industry with the launch of his memoir, Beyond Expectations, on November 4, 2025. The book, which chronicled the turbulent formative years of Newswatch and the enduring mystery of Dele Giwa’s 1986 assassination, now stands as his parting gift to a profession he once described as his “incurable addiction.” In his reflections, he took pride in a career that led him from the rural dust of Dekina to audiences with world leaders like Queen Elizabeth II.

Mohammed’s journey to the pinnacle of media was built on a foundation of academic excellence and early professional grit. After graduating from the University of Lagos in 1975 and furthering his studies at the Glasgow College of Technology, he rose through the ranks of New Nigerian Newspapers and later edited the National Concord under MKO Abiola. His reputation for publishing the truth, even under direct military threats, became his trademark long before he helped launch Newswatch in 1984.

Beyond the newsroom, his influence extended into the hallowed halls of academia and public service. He served with distinction as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where he was noted for defending the oppressed and mentoring the next generation of leaders. His colleagues in the Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Nigerian Union of Journalists have described him as the “personification of humility”—a man of towering achievements who preferred the power of his pen to the spotlight of fame.

As tributes continue to pour in from media veterans and political leaders, preparations are underway to honor a man whose life story mirrored the resilience of the Nigerian press. He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren, and a body of work that continues to serve as a textbook for investigative reporting. He will be remembered not just as a co-founder of a magazine, but as a guardian of the public conscience who emerged from the “gulags” of dictatorships with his soul and his principles intact.