Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa pays tribute to the late journalist’s ethical reporting, insight and three-decade contribution to Nigerian media

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, mourned the death of veteran journalist and The Eagle Online publisher, Dotun Oladipo, describing his passing at 56 as a tragic loss to Nigeria’s media community.

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Oladipo died on Tuesday, August 25, after a brief illness, prompting an outpouring of tributes from political leaders, journalists and colleagues across the country.

In a condolence statement signed by his Special Adviser on Research, Media and Documentation, Adeshina Oyetayo, Obasa said he received news of Oladipo’s death with profound sadness and shock.

The Speaker described the late journalist as a consummate professional whose reputation for ethical and responsible journalism distinguished him in an increasingly crowded media environment.

“His reputation for professional and ethical journalism, the type that is rare in this fast-paced world of social media where noise often drowns out substance, preceded him,” Obasa said.

The Speaker recalled his interactions with Oladipo over the past several years, describing the publisher as a dependable media partner who combined professionalism with personal warmth and intellectual depth.

Obasa said Oladipo consistently offered thoughtful perspectives and useful advice on topical issues during their engagements.

“During those brief interactions, too, he was always ready to offer perspicacious insights and invaluable advice on any topical issue,” he said.

The Speaker also acknowledged Oladipo’s contribution to legislative reporting through The Eagle Online, particularly its coverage of activities at the Lagos State House of Assembly.

He said the publication helped deepen public understanding of legislative proceedings while providing what he described as fair, factual and accurate reports of the Assembly and his office.

“With his medium, The Eagleonline, he contributed in no small measure in propagating, engendering, and deepening an understanding of legislative activities while providing fair, factual, and accurate reportage of the Assembly and my Office for which we remain indebted to him,” Obasa said.

Obasa urged members of the Nigerian media to view Oladipo’s death not only as a moment for mourning but also as an opportunity to preserve the values that defined his professional life.

He called on journalists working across traditional and digital platforms to uphold the late publisher’s commitment to diligence, originality, enterprise and professional integrity.

The appeal comes at a time when the Nigerian media landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, with social media increasingly influencing how news is produced, distributed and consumed.

For Obasa, Oladipo’s career demonstrated that speed and technological change should not come at the expense of accuracy, responsibility and credibility.

He urged the media community to “rededicate themselves to those values he swore by, which endeared him to you all, carry it forward, and sanitise the media space.”

Oladipo’s career spanned about three decades and crossed both traditional newsroom journalism and digital publishing. Before establishing The Eagle Online, he worked with The PUNCH, where he served as a Political Editor.

His death has consequently resonated beyond the digital publishing community, with tributes highlighting his contribution to political journalism and the growth of online news publishing in Nigeria.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier described Oladipo’s death as a painful loss to the Nigerian media industry and the nation, acknowledging his contribution to political reporting and digital journalism.

The President said Oladipo’s career reflected the vital role journalists play in strengthening democracy by informing citizens, holding public officials accountable and providing platforms for public discourse.

For the Lagos Assembly Speaker, however, the most enduring tribute would be for journalists to continue practising the values that Oladipo represented.

Obasa 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.

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He prayed for the repose of the journalist’s soul and asked God to grant his loved ones the strength to endure what he described as an irreparable loss.