Dignitaries Eulogize Late Dele Giwa’s Brilliance, Courage, Launch ‘Dele Giwa’s Granite Journalism 

Distinguished members of the media trade and colleagues of the late journalist and founding editor of News Watch, Dele Giwa have eulogized the recollections of the slain journalist.

Members of the media sector and Dele Giwa’s household converged on the Kensington Adebutu Media Center inside the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Lagos, to launch a guide titled “Dele Giwa’s Granite Journalism precisely 40 years after he died from a letter bomb.

Recall that Dele Giwa was assassinated in his lecture room on Sunday October ,19, 1986 in a grotesque circumstances, a letter bomb which exploded on his lap.

Giving his speech, Vanguard Publisher, Sam Amuka-Pemu stated that “Today’s occasion is a memorialization of the founding father of News Watch, Dele Giwa who was assassinated on October 19, 1986.

“Dele Giwa, certainly modified the panorama of journalism in Nigeria and past. His articles in Daily Times, Sunday Concord, News Watch are memorable. The guide being launched collectively is value studying.

“We depart the criminals who assassinated our good pal within the good arms of our Lord Jesus.

Distinguished media icon and Dele’s affiliate in News Watch, Mr. Ray Ekpu, who edited the guide, narrated an emotional story of his household dwelling near Dele Giwa’s. His five-year-old son then informed him he wished to be a journalist like Uncle Dele and him. But after the killing of Dele and seeing all that occurred as a younger boy, his son informed him, he doesn’t need to be a journalist once more, “I don’t need to be killed like Uncle Dele. It was very dangerous. The reality should be informed by us, and journalists should be protected. There are not any severe efforts in defending the rights and lives of journalists, and it’s unhappy.

“Whoever said that the pen is mightier than the sword does not have Nigeria in mind,” says Ray Ekpu. He famous that 128 journalists and media employee have been killed in 2025.

Former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, a media icon, recalled that Dele Giwa had a premonition that he was going to die, as that they had been along with the previous MD of the News Agency of Nigeria, Kehinde Adeosun, the day earlier than. Osoba narrated that “Dele Giwa had complained to all of us that they have been after him. We went to go to Aikhomu and informed him about this risk, and he stated he would do one thing about it.

“Eighteen hours after, I was woken up with a phone call that Dele Giwa was attacked. The lesson from this is thsr we should be always good in our profession, Dele Giwa was awesome. I want to appreciate the family, his wife, Funmi Giwa, and his daughter, present. Dele lives on and he is still communicating in heaven”.

PR and Advertising Guru, Mr. Biodun Shobanjo, additionally extolled his qualities and famous that Dele Giwa was an incredible pal and superior journalist who performed his half in impacting journalism in Nigeria and spoke reality to energy.

Prof Ralph Akinfeleye eulogized Dele Giwa and acknowledged that he follow Journalism of Conscience.

Nosa Igiebor of News Watch journal who recounted a number of the particulars of his brutal killings as he was in workplace forward of a 1pm editorial assembly when Kayode Soyinka known as him in regards to the unhappy information as Kayode was harm too. He puzzled, “How might anybody do that to a fellow human being. How might someone do that it doesn’t matter what he wrote? Dele Giwa is just not useless. He lives in and has left an incredible legacy.

Publisher of The Cable, Simon Kolawole, who made the guide evaluation, made an excellent submission below the theme: The Pen That Outlived The Bomb. He famous that the guide contained 45 write-ups by Dele Giwa, together with 16 items by others on Dele. He acknowledged that Dele Giwa was a robust author and that his writings have been lucid, playful, and provocative.

Dele Giwa’s daughter who appreciated all that got here to honour his father famous that she was solely a yr previous when her father died and barely knew him however all that has been stated about him was lofty.

Among those who got here to honour the trailblazer author and editor, Dele Giwa within the guide launch: Dele Giwa’s Granite Journalism embody Sam Amuka-Pemu, Aremo Segun Osoba, Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi,Widow of Dele Giwa , Mrs Funmi GiwaAisha – daughter of Dele Giwa, Iyalode of Remoland, Chief Nduka Obaigbena,  Muyiwa Adetiba, Nosa Igiebor,Chuka Momoh, Onome Osifo-Whiskey,Prof Ralph Akinfeleye, Simon Kolawole, Tony Iyere, Eniola Bello, Emeka Iseze, Kazeem Akintunde, Kunle Ajibade, Ray Ekpu and Soji Akinrinade who made the vote of thanks.