LAGOS, NIGERIA — The family of veteran journalist and media entrepreneur Dotun Oladipo, founder and publisher of The Eagle Online, has announced September 11, 2026, as the date for his burial, following his sudden death on August 25 at the age of 56.
According to a statement signed by Kemi Yesufu, Publicity Secretary of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, and made available to PUNCH Online on Friday, the funeral arrangements will commence with a service of songs at DayStar Church, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos State, on Thursday, September 10. The burial service will take place at the same venue on Friday, September 11, followed by interment.
Oladipo, who served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Premium Eagle Media Limited — the parent company of The Eagle Online — reportedly fell ill suddenly at his office on the day of his death. According to a publication on the company’s website, he had been in his “usual state of health earlier in the day before suddenly taking ill at his office,” a development described as a “shock” to colleagues, friends, and associates. He drove himself to a hospital, where he passed away hours later.
A former President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, Oladipo led the organisation from 2017 to 2021 and was among its foundational members who helped shape the association during its formative years. GOCOP President Danlami Nmodu described his death as a painful loss to the Guild, recalling his significant contributions to the development of Nigeria’s online publishing industry.
“Dotun played an important role in the development of GOCOP. He led the Guild for four years at a time when there was still a lot of work to be done to establish online publishers as an important part of the media. His contribution will always be remembered,” Nmodu stated. “Dotun understood journalism, and he understood the business of publishing. He was passionate about the place of online media in Nigeria, and he gave his time to the growth of the Guild. We are saddened by his passing,” he added.
Beyond his leadership of GOCOP, Oladipo was also a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and the International Press Institute, Nigeria, and was active in the development of Nigeria’s online publishing industry. His journalism career spanned nearly three decades, during which he served as politics editor at PUNCH Newspapers and also worked with Nigerian Tribune, Nigerian Compass, and The Sun before founding The Eagle Online.
President Bola Tinubu mourned Oladipo’s passing, acknowledging his contributions to political journalism and digital media, particularly his years of reporting and efforts to provide Nigerians with credible information through both traditional and online platforms. The President noted that the late journalist’s career highlights the role of the media in strengthening democracy by keeping citizens informed, holding public officials accountable, and providing avenues for public discourse.
Nkanu Egbe, General Secretary of the Innovative Media Partners Cooperative Multipurpose Society, of which Oladipo was President, described his passing as “a devastating loss not only to IMPCMS but to Nigerian journalism as a whole”. Oladipo is survived by his family, who have requested prayers during this difficult time.
