Dan Agbese buried in hometown Agila
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Veteran Nigerian journalist and media icon Chief Dan Agbese, widely regarded as one of the greatest figures in the country’s journalism history, was laid to rest yesterday in his hometown of Apa-Agila, Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.
The burial ceremony took place on Friday, February 13, 2026, following established funeral rites. It began with a Funeral Mass at St. Rose Venerini Catholic Church in Apa-Agila at 10:00 a.m., after which the remains were interred at his residence in New Jerusalem, Apa-Agila, the same compound where mourners gathered for tributes and a reception afterward.
The interment marked the culmination of a multi-phase funeral programme that included a wake-keep on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at his residence, starting at 5:00 p.m.
Dignitaries, colleagues from the media, family members, political figures, and community leaders from Benue and beyond attended to pay their last respects to the late wordsmith.
Chief Agbese, born on May 12, 1944, in Agila, co-founded the trailblazing Newswatch magazine in 1984 alongside Ray Ekpu, Dele Giwa, and Yakubu Mohammed.
As its pioneering Editor-in-Chief, he helped shape investigative journalism in Nigeria during a turbulent military era, earning acclaim for his incisive, satirical prose and unwavering commitment to press freedom and public accountability.
He passed away on November 17, 2025, at the age of 81 after a brief illness, survived by his wife, Chief (Mrs.) Rose Agbese, six children, and seven grandchildren.
Tributes poured in from across Nigeria, with President Bola Tinubu, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and media bodies describing him as an “institution” in journalism whose legacy of integrity and excellence endures.
