President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, a veteran journalist and co-founder of Newswatch Magazine, who passed away on Monday night.
In a condolence message issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president described Mohammed as a towering figure in Nigerian journalism whose career spanned more than five decades and was marked by courage, integrity, and a commitment to nation-building.
Mohammed was among the founding team of Newswatch Magazine in 1984, alongside the late Dele Giwa, Dan Agbese, and Ray Ekpu. The publication became a symbol of fearless investigative journalism during Nigeria’s years of military rule.
President Tinubu extended condolences to Mohammed’s family, the government and people of Kogi State, as well as professional bodies including the Nigerian Union of Journalists, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, the Commonwealth Journalists’ Association, and various media organisations where the late journalist served in leadership roles.
The president noted that Mohammed consistently “put his life on the line to tell the truth to power,” describing him as a personal friend and a journalist devoted to the public good. He also praised Mohammed and his colleagues for sustaining the vision of Newswatch after the assassination of Dele Giwa in 1986, a period that tested their resolve but further cemented their place in Nigeria’s media history.
President Tinubu also referenced Mohammed’s memoir, Beyond Expectations, published in November 2025, saying the work offered an opportunity for deep reflection on leadership in Nigeria and the critical role of the press in shaping society.
Beyond journalism, Mohammed served as Pro-Chancellor and Chancellor of the Governing Council of Ahmadu Bello University. His media career included roles as Associate Editor of New Nigerian Newspapers between 1976 and 1980, and as Deputy Editor and Editor of National Concord from 1980 to 1984.
The president prayed that Almighty God would grant the departed eternal rest and admit him into Jannatul Firdaus.
