Media professionals and scholars have renewed calls to preserve the legacy of renowned Nigerian journalist Dele Giwa, 40 years after his assassination, describing him as one of the country’s most courageous and influential journalists.
Giwa, who co-founded the now-defunct Newswatch magazine in 1984, is widely regarded as a pioneer of investigative journalism in Nigeria. He earned widespread acclaim for exposing corruption, holding public officials accountable and introducing editorial standards that transformed magazine journalism in the country.
His assassination through a parcel bomb on 19 October 1986 remains one of the darkest chapters in Nigeria’s media history. The killing has never been conclusively solved, and Giwa’s death continues to symbolise the dangers faced by investigative journalists and the enduring struggle for press freedom in Nigeria.
Former colleagues, including veteran journalist Ray Ekpu, have repeatedly described Giwa as an exceptional writer whose compelling storytelling and fearless reporting attracted a vast readership and inspired a generation of journalists.
Over the years, media organisations, journalists and scholars have continued to honour his memory through memorial lectures, journalism awards and commemorative events celebrating his contributions to the profession.
As attention turns to the 40th anniversary of his death, the Dele Giwa Journalism Research Centre has urged journalists, writers, editors, historians and students to study and preserve his intellectual contributions and professional ideals for future generations.
The renewed calls underscore Giwa’s enduring influence on Nigerian journalism and his lasting legacy as a champion of truth, accountability and press freedom.
