Yakubu Mohammed, Newswatch Co-Founder and Veteran Journalist, Dies at 75

|By Chinwendu Nwani

Yakubu Mohammed, a co-founder of the defunct Newswatch magazine, has died at the age of 75.

According to The Cable, Mohammed passed away after battling a prolonged ailment. His death comes barely months after the demise of another Newswatch co-founder, Dan Agbese, who died in November last year.

As of the time of filing this report, the family of the deceased has yet to issue an official statement on his passing.

Born on April 4, 1950, Mohammed held a bachelor’s degree in science and hailed from Ologba in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. He played a central role in shaping Newswatch during its influential years, serving as managing editor from 1986 to 1994 before rising to the position of deputy chief executive officer of Newswatch Communications Limited.

Beyond journalism, Mohammed also contributed to Nigeria’s higher education sector. He once served as pro-chancellor and later chancellor of the governing council of Ahmadu Bello University.

His death marks the end of an era for Nigerian journalism, particularly for the generation of reporters and editors who helped redefine investigative and political reporting in the country.