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

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

Members of the media sector and Dele Giwa’s family converged at the Kensington Adebutu Media Center within the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Lagos, to launch a book titled “Dele Giwa’s Granite Journalism exactly 40 years after he died from a letter bomb.

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

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

“Dele Giwa, indeed changed the landscape of journalism in Nigeria and beyond. His articles in Daily Times, Sunday Concord, News Watch are memorable. The book being launched together is worth reading.

“We leave the criminals who assassinated our good friend in the good hands of our Lord Jesus.

Distinguished media icon and Dele’s associate in News Watch, Mr. Ray Ekpu, who edited the book, narrated an emotional story of his family living close to Dele Giwa’s. His five-year-old son then told him he wanted to be a journalist like Uncle Dele and him. But after the killing of Dele and seeing all that happened as a young boy, his son told him, he does not want to be a journalist again, “I don’t want to be killed like Uncle Dele. It was very bad. The truth must be told by us, and journalists must be protected. There are no serious efforts in protecting the rights and lives of journalists, and it is sad.

“Whoever said that the pen is mightier than the sword does not have Nigeria in mind,” says Ray Ekpu. He noted that 128 journalists and media worker were 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 they had been together with the former MD of the News Agency of Nigeria, Kehinde Adeosun, the day before. Osoba narrated that “Dele Giwa had complained to all of us that they were after him. We went to visit Aikhomu and told him about this threat, and he said he would do something 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, also extolled his qualities and noted that Dele Giwa was a great friend and awesome journalist who played his part in impacting journalism in Nigeria and spoke truth to power.

Prof Ralph Akinfeleye eulogized Dele Giwa and stated that he practice Journalism of Conscience.

Nosa Igiebor of News Watch magazine who recounted some of the details of his brutal killings as he was in office ahead of a 1pm editorial meeting when Kayode Soyinka called him about the sad news as Kayode was hurt too. He wondered, “How could anyone do this to a fellow human being. How could somebody do this no matter what he wrote? Dele Giwa is not dead. He lives in and has left a great legacy.

Publisher of The Cable, Simon Kolawole, who made the book review, made a brilliant submission under the theme: The Pen That Outlived The Bomb. He noted that the book contained 45 write-ups by Dele Giwa, including 16 pieces by others on Dele. He stated that Dele Giwa was a powerful writer and that his writings were lucid, playful, and provocative.

Dele Giwa’s daughter who appreciated all that came to honour his father noted that she was only a year old when her father died and barely knew him but all that has been said about him was lofty.

Among those that came to honour the trailblazer writer and editor, Dele Giwa in the book launch: Dele Giwa’s Granite Journalism include 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.